PROJECT NIRVANA | ONC2020 ✔️

Chapter 4.

We exited the car and made our way to the fence. Rolling black clouds of fog surged on the ground and hovered in the air, obscuring our view of what lay beyond.

No sound emanated within the area except for our quiet movements and the eerie singing of the wind. My body felt as if it were being pulled in the opposite direction, back to Nirvana, as if by some magnetic energy. We were not supposed to be here. But that made me more intrigued.

"Don't you think it's strange how you and I got engaged?" asked Avron as we walked on rocky ground. "I mean, we don't even like the idea of getting married to each other. This would be the first time that we've had to do something we didn't like."

My eyes turned to the fence and the roiling darkness beyond. That was something I had often wondered about. Why had everything fit so perfectly before, but not now?

I had never bothered to question that perfection, but now it felt so wrong. The past suddenly seemed like a fake childish dream with its deceptive bliss and false comfort, the unruly events of the present continuing to grow realer in my mind. My life had been a lie.

"It doesn't fit the narrative," he continued.

I arched an eyebrow. "Which narrative?" Curiosity crept into my mind.

"The fact that everything's supposed to be perfect, that we are never supposed to be upset by anything."

He glanced at me before quickly looking away.

I considered his words. Avron was right; it was strange. I'd never had any complaints about my life other than my engagement to him. The glitches and black hole were new additions. This meant that the three must have something in common. But was that 'thing' something I wanted to find out?

"I've been thinking," said Avron. He bit his lip and I could hear the shakiness in his voice. "Haven't you ever thought that this place might not be real?"

I'd never seen him release even an ounce of emotion, so his tone kind of scared me. But we were in the same boat; there was no one else who could unlock this mystery. There was only us. I decided to take the lead, despite not considering myself a particularly brave person.

"Let's go and see what's out there," I said, projecting my voice with false confidence. "Then we'll know if everything is real or not."

Avron nodded and relief washed over his features. He had probably thought that I might not believe him. That was when I realized why he'd brought me here. It was less daunting to investigate something with someone else than to do it alone. When you thought you were going crazy, it was nice to have at least one person anchor you and support you. Avron needed me.

The expression on his face told me that I was right. A fluttery feeling bloomed in my chest and I felt my cheeks growing warm. I've always needed and relied on others, but this was the first time I'd ever felt needed by someone else.

I was glad that I'd opted to wear some comfortable sneakers as I looked up at the fence. Its intricate, rigid design made it a monstrosity on the vast terrain. I wedged my foot into an opening, my fingers curling around the holes as I dragged myself up.

I started to climb and soon the metal dipped slightly behind me with Avron's added weight. Despite my lack of athleticism, it took only a few minutes for me to reach the top. I swung my leg over to the other side and pulled myself down.

The two of us dropped onto muddy ground.

Avron reached for my hand and I held on tight. It would be a tragedy to get lost in the dark void that loomed before us. Wordlessly, we trudged forward until we were swallowed by the black clouds and smoke.

The land grew drier, sandier as we progressed, a gentle warmth, enveloping our bodies. But then something unexpected happened. The heat grew heavier, stronger, penetrating our clothes and burning our skin. It was much different from the frigid cold of the mysterious black hole.

It didn't take long for my eyes to begin to water, blurring my already obscured vision; I was pretty sure that they were already turning a faint red from the dryness. My feet dragged and my body grew heavier with each step as if it was on the brink of collapsing.

I could hear Avron beside me, gasping for air as he choked on every breath. It was hard not to call out to him. I wanted to ask if he was okay, but I knew that my voice would only be carried away by the wind.

Rivers of sweat rolled down my forehead and unto my neck. I attempted to wipe them away, but to no avail. They continued to form wet trails, soaking my hair and blouse.

Swirls of dust spun in the air like mini tornadoes, throwing sand into the sky and beating against our weakened forms. We kept our eyes shut, fearful of getting blinded by the angry storm.

The thundering of the wind howled in my ears and the ground shook, almost causing me to lose my balance. My heart pounded, each beat sounding strong and heavy to my ears.

I don't know how we got separated. Avron was by my side one second and in the next he had disappeared, the warmth of his hand gone with him. Panic flooded my chest, threatening to drown me in its turbulent depths. Confidence was quickly replaced by a tortuous urgency. What would I do without him? How would I survive alone?

My brain grew sluggish as if it was filled with cotton-balls. The heat seared my skin and it felt as if my flesh was melting, dripping like hot wax. A scream escaped my lips, high and shrill. The pain was just too much. I fell on my knees, lungs heaving as I coughed, the metallic taste of blood staining my tongue.

Then I saw the light.