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CASSIAN
How long have I been here?
Where is here?
It felt like I’d been in the same place for days on end; but at the same time, it felt like a few hours. There were no sensations of pain, fear, or feelings at all. No sense of time. Nothing except for confusion and peace.
Was I sleeping? Was I… dead? I couldn’t think straight or remember.
Every time I tried to move, an invisible string held me in place. As soon as I’d start moving, finally getting somewhere, the string pulled tight, and I couldn’t get further.
A moment of frustration erupted, and I would bang my fists against the invisible walls of my mind. Then, out of nowhere, a wave of calmness crashed over me and washed away whatever I was trying to remember.
Every time.
It happened like that every time.
This place didn’t look like anything specific or anywhere I had been before. I was standing in a dark, empty room with no windows or doors. The darkness never changed, and I wouldn’t be able to see my own hand if I held it up to my face. If this place wasn’t so peaceful, it would be suffocating.
Sometimes, it felt like someone was sitting with me. The unknown person had a familiar presence, but I couldn’t see them.
But there was something different about today. The blackness surrounding me seemed a little lighter, more of a deep gray than black.
As the darkness slowly began to descend, I started to feel different—less confined. The familiar presence was still there, giving me a warm hand of encouragement but was just out of my reach.
I looked down at my hands; and despite them being somewhat translucent, I could see them.
Voices surrounded me and were almost audible but were far away, making them sound muffled. It was as though the words were echoes in a cave, and I couldn’t make out what they were saying but I knew they were words.
One voice was deeper and huskier, meaning it must belong to a male. The other was lighter, familiar, and made my heart flutter at the sound. I wanted to yell out, but the cry stuck in my throat, halting before it reached my tongue. Panic set in the longer my cry stayed in place.
What if I couldn’t reach them?
What if I was stuck in this strange place forever, all alone?
I looked around for anything that I could use to get their attention, something to throw or make a loud noise, but the space was empty. The only item in sight was the swirl of grayness circling around me like a shark.
I thrashed my arms and kicked my legs, suspended in the air, and suddenly the voices stopped. I pushed harder, wondering if they had heard me. The empty space remained quiet for so long that my stomach dropped.
They didn’t hear me, they left. Were they even real?
“Cass?”
I paused, halting all movement. The voice grew closer, and the surprised lilt in her tone made my skin tingle across my entire body. “Yes! I’m here!” I yelled, pushing through the barrier.
Suddenly, the air around me began to shimmer; the gray faded into a light so blinding I was forced to squeeze my eyes shut to adjust.
“Cass, are you awake?” The feminine, soft voice pulled me closer to the present.
My heart swelled, and I tried to mumble something back, but the sound of my own voice sent shooting pulses of pain through my head, and I pushed my hand against my abnormally hot forehead.
My arms felt like lead, and I couldn’t force my eyes to open. Everything around me felt weighed down. If my brain wasn’t consumed with confusion and my body wasn’t shocked with piercing pain, I’d be jumping for joy.
The strange peace had dissipated, and I was overwhelmed by so many emotions all at once, confusion and agony at the forefront.
“Oh my god, Cass, you’re awake!” The voice shrieked, sending pain through my throbbing head, yet comforting me at the same time.
My attention focused on the female voice. Something about it was so familiar—matching the presence that had been with me in that dark place. The exact same presence that had been just out of reach for so long.
