My Time
COLD BITTERSWEET AIR FILLS YOUR LUNGS.
THE BRIGHT SUN SHINES UPON YOUR EYES.
YOUR BODY FEELS NUMB FROM THE FREEZING WINDS.
YOU REACH OUT WITH YOUR HANDS, GRABBING A SNOW-WHITE PETAL IN THE AIR.
IT SMELLS OF METAL.
WHAT SIN HAVE WE COMMITTED TO BRING UPON SUCH TORMENT FOR OUR WORLD?
NOTHING CAN BE DONE.
NOT ANYMORE.
YOU LET GO OF THE PETAL, IT'S SILHOUETTE SLOWLY DISAPPEARS INTO THE FOG BELOW
ANOTHER LIFE LOST IN THIS ISLAND.
"Is there really a reason to keep going?" YOU THINK TO YOURSELF. MUST THERE REALLY BE MORE BLOODSHED UPON THE SNOWY FIELDS OF THE ISLAND?
"This isn't real." OH, IT IS. YOUR OWN WORLD OF FANTASY IS NOT ENOUGH TO CONTAIN REALITY.
"Get out of my head Get out of my head Get out of my head"
ITS GETTING HARDER TO BREATHE. DO YOU REALLY WISH TO CONTINUE SUFFERING?
AND FOR WHAT, TO FIND SALVATION?
"There is no such thing for this world."
...
You open your eyes, light from the ceiling lamp above you stares back at you. It's gaze is much more powerful than yours. You quickly turn to look at something else. The bunk bed you are on is comfortable, but bland.
You attempt to sit up on the bed, your first attempt fails miserably as you are too tired to even move. Seconds pass as you try your second attempt, this time using your arms and pushing yourself against the bed to give you a push. It works, you are now sitting on the side of the bed.
"How long has it been since the ship sailed out?" You mutter to yourself. You are unsure of why you did this. Infact, how did you even-
"15 days probably." A voice from the bed above answers your question. "Y'know, this has got to be our longest and least thrilling off-shore assignment." The unknown voice continues.
You are unsure of who this is. You stand up, attempting to get a better look on who is speaking to you. At the corner of your eye, you see a set of nameplates attached to the door "JAMES HARQUILL. KIERAN REMENWING.". Who are these people? You don't recognize both of them. Your focus shifts to the source of the unknown voice, you make out a figure holding what appears to be a square- no, rectangular like object.
"Have you seriously never seen a book before?" The figure calls out your confused gaze at the object it holds.
"Whats a book?" You answer. Why did you say that? Why do you keep saying things that are-
"...I was joking. What the fuck is wrong with you?" The figure asks, it's voice is filled with concern. "Fucking hell James, did you really drink that much last night?"
Ah. It's all starting to come back together now. The party from yesterday's night. An attempt by the commanders to boost morale amongst the sailors and marines. You drank about 10 bottles if you could recall correctly.
Wait. You? Who's You? My name isn't You.
...
"You got any ibuprofen, Kieran? My head is really killing me right now." James puts his right hand up to the back of is head, attempting to ease the headache.
"By the stars, go ask the medics!" Kieran replies. His voice sounds more concerned than before. "Now, before you drop dead on the spot!" His concern atleast brings some comfort to James' mind.
"No no, I'll be fine for now, just need to sit down for a bit again." Stumbling back to the bed, James sits down at the edge of it once again. He tries to steady his breathing.
"You sure you're fine? You don't sound fine at all." Something that Kieran notices. "I could ask them myself you know, if you aren't feeling good enough to go out?" Kieran shuffles around on the bunk above, as he prepares to head down.
"No, really. I'm fine. Just need to sit down for a bit." James' hand rests against hes knees as he leans down to rest. His eyes slowly shut as minutes pass, he falls asleep.
...
...
...
...
There is no such thing for this world.
A loud horn interrupts James' sleep. He grunts several times as he sits up on the bed. "Whats going on?" He asks Kieran, his voice sounds rough from the sleep.
...Kieran doesn't answer. James stands up and checks the bed above his. Kieran is gone, his book lies on the bed, abandoned. He's all alone in the room now. With a slightly clear mind, James grabs his coat in the closet, his fancy navy-blue colored lighter, his trusty beanie and heads out the door.
The hallways are empty, devoid of any life. James walks around, attempting to navigate the maze-like interior of the ship using whatever memory he has of the layout.
He walks pass several other bunk rooms, all of them empty. It seems everyone on the ship has vanished. James begins to walk faster as panic begins to set in. It's EXTREMELY unusual for a ship housing several dozen sailors and marines to suddenly become a ghost ship.
He checks the mess hall, recreation center, even the engine room. They're all empty. With no other choice, he heads for the surface.
Climbing the seemingly endless stairs, James' legs begins to hurt as his breaths quickens. Finally reaching the top, he stops before the metallic door to catch his breath. If no one is up here, then everyone has really vanished.
James takes a deep breath as he slowly opens the door, the sunlight blinds him as his eyes slowly adjust to the sudden light change. He looks around and sees no one. Fuck, where in the world did everyone go? Is he really the only one on the ship? What happened to everyo-
A hand suddenly grabs his left shoulder from behind.
"James, where the hell have you been? I've been looking for you for ages!" Kieran's worried voice resonates through the air of the open sea.
James could only stare back, the sudden interruption from Kieran has scared him. His mouth opens to speak "I-Uh.. I was-", yet all that came out was nonsense.
"Oh, sorry for the scare I guess." Kieran says, as he attemps to hold his laugh.
Upon hearing that, James regains some of his composure. "It's- I thought everyone vanished, there wasn't a single soul down there in the cabins!"
"Well, there isn't."
Kieran's words brings more confusion to James' mind. "What do you mean, they all just left?" James asks, hoping for a rational answer.
"Yeah, they all did. Everyone except for the captains and commanders are all on the island now." Kieran points towards the sea.
James turns to look at the direction he points at. In the distance, a faint outline of an island appears. It's size is immeasurable as the foggy weather obscures much of the island.
"We're here you know." Kieran says, staring at the island aswell. His breath appears to be unsteady, he is clearly nervous. "We should go aswell, our unit is probably wondering where we are by now." Kieran is the first to look away, he steps towards the metal door leading to the staircase. "Are you coming or what?"
James stares at the island, something about it feels wrong. There is nothing right about this island. There is nothing right about this world. Something has gone terribly wrong in the island, he can feel it in the air. There is no salvation for us here.
There is no such thing in this world.
"HEY!" Kieran shouts at James, breaking his entranced stare. "Are you even listening to me? Oh, for Orion's sake how many bottles did you have last night!?"
"Yeah." James ignores Kieran's recent question. "Lets go." He steps backwards, keeping his gaze on the island before eventually turning around. He walks past Kieran, his head tilted down staring at the metallic floor below as he opens the door and walks down the stairs by himself, leaving Kieran alone.
The sound of crackling is heard from the left side of Kieran's belt. "Mark time, 8th of October, 198..." The voice comes from his radio, it's connection seems to be unstable as the voice cuts out before finishing. "...-egin the operation."
Kieran stares at the island. He is still nervous. The cold air enters his lungs, the freezing winds does not help at all. There is something in the air, some kind of... particle. Kieran reaches out, the particle falls into his hands. It appears to be some kind of snowy petal, strangely solid. He lets go, the petal falls into the water below. The air smells like metal.
"Close your eyes," Kieran mutters under the cold air. "and you'll leave this dream."
He turns and walks towards the door, down the stairs and away. This is how their story begins. How our story began.
Something has gone wrong.
And now our world has to pay the price.
This is how our story ends.
An everlasting winter.
