Echoes of The End: The forgotten fragments

"Where am I?" I muttered, my head throbbing painfully.

I opened my eyes, the ceiling above me was unfamiliar.

“Huh?” I panicked, stumbling off the bed with a loud thud.

“Ouch… hurts like hell.”

I looked around, the room was empty, everything was pure white. No color, no shadows, just endless white.....a single bed and a table. My voice echoed in the small space. The air was cold, thick with an eerie smell like damp cardboard. No corners or edges were visible. The room felt alive… like it was watching me.

At the center of it all... stood a single black door,

the only odd thing in this place, as if drawing me toward it.

“Ah, my head…” I groaned, clutching it as another wave of pain hit me. A flicker of memory flashed,

someone sitting at the table, the back was hunched, writing something on paper while his other hand pulled out his hair without even realising.

I tried to remember but the scene was cut out with his cries echoing in the space..

Back to the moment i was sweating profusely trying to regain my breath as if i was the one experiencing that horror.

I walked around the room but the space felt endless.

Anxious of the new surroundings i wanted to escape, I started running but no matter wherever i ran i was back at the black door.

The space was alive if they were looking at me laughing, snickering, mocking my action.

That feeling of being watched crawled over me, making me gag. I needed to get out. The place was strangely terrifying.

I looked at the black door, feeling drawn towards it, as if it was the solution to all the questions i had.

Heart racing, I stepped toward the black door. With a trembling hand, I opened it

'Click'

The space beyond the door was… different.

Neither cold nor warm. The air felt nonexistent. The space stretched endlessly with no visible ceiling, no light source but everything was perfectly lit, casting no shadows.

Strange creatures roamed here and there. No two looked alike, yet none seemed out of place.

I scanned the space trying to understand the strange situation, but was met with gazes of all the different creatures roaming and working in that place.

Many creatures looked at me without any emotion, like it was a normal occurrence for them.

At the center of it all stood a long obsidian table. A chair on one side. Two on the other.

The single chair was occupied by a tall, grumpy looking creature. Dark skin, yellow eyes devoid of life, a large cloak covering his body up to his head.

Across from it sat a young, silver-haired human boy, with blue eyes that shined like moonlight in that still space.

I unknowingly approached the table.

“Come. Sit,” said the creature in a deep tone, as if waiting for me.

The boy glanced at me, with a surprised look.

Hesitant of the sudden welcome i looked around confirming if its me.

I walked over and sat down.

The boy smiled slightly. “Hi, ***. I’m Theo.”

“***?” I asked, confused.

“Your name. It’s written on your shirt.”

Startled, I looked down. Sure enough ..‘***’ was stitched into the fabric.

“Oh…”

“What? You don’t know your own name?” Theo joked.

I tried to remember but was met again with that unbearable pain. My mind was a blank slate.

"No… it’s just… everything’s so sudden,” I said, trying to compose myself.

“Didn’t you sign...” Theo muttered

“Shhh,” the creature interrupted sharply.

I couldn't understand anything they were saying as my mind was preoccupied with the pain.

The creature looked at me with amusement while theo was busy explaining his journey to the creature.

They continued talking. I lost track of time if time even existed here. Every word felt like it stretched for centuries and ended in a second.

Then finally:

“Now go,” said the creature.

“That somehow felt quick and endless at the same time” Theo sighed.

"yeah" I said

As I turned to go back through the black door, Theo’s expression suddenly shifted to fear.

“Why are you smiling like that?” he asked, eyes wide.

“Like what?” I replied, unaware of what expressions I had.

And with that, I opened the door.

-

'Click'