Day X-1

There is no point in trying to figure out how long I’ve been here. It seems as though the time in this place is off. It doesn’t pass like it should, I think it passes too quickly. And not like in a ‘I’m not paying attention and the day escapes me’ kind of quickly either. I’ll be honest – everything about here confuses me. It’s kind of maddening. - But never mind that.

Today, when the light finally filtered in to my little den, I went out. To explore, to find… something, anything of intelligence, and well – I don’t know what I expected. I ran into… a frog? of sorts. It was relaxing by the river I get water from. It looked almost like a regular frog, but there was just something about it that I couldn’t quite place. It was bulbous and wasn’t sitting like a frog. And there was the fact that it seemingly let off steam. At first I thought it was a trick of the light or the water or something. But, the steam definitely moved with the frog… and was being emitted from the frog.

So, like a crazy person, I tried talking to said frog. I mean, it could have spoken English, right? Given everything about …wherever I am, it surely seemed plausible… It did not speak English, but I swear it looked at me funny.

What do you do when you find a steaming frog after you’ve found yourself in some strange place? I guess you follow it. - That’s what I did.

[page 2]

After it looked at me funny it kind of… walked or sauntered or - well I am not really sure how it was moving. It wasn’t hopping like a regular frog. To be honest, it hardly resembled a frog at all but it did croak once.

But it almost seemed to beckon me, and at this point I’d say that it did. So, I followed. I’m not really sure how far I got, it must not have been far before I heard it. A low growl. After the typical shock though, I almost laughed. A growl. Here? I think at this point I’d have been relieved to see an Earth creature. Give me a wolf! A bear! Anything from Earth! But, I couldn’t find the source of the sound – not until it stepped out of the void. The steaming frog reacted at the same time – with an immediate hissing sound. Steam replaced the air, and it was hot. I scrambled backwards trying to get out of the scorching air.

I will admit to thinking that was the end for me. I couldn’t breathe. I turned to run. Then I met her. - A woman of sorts stood there. I felt a gust of cool air from her, it was a relief. Before I could speak or even process what was going on, she grabbed me in her arms, and the same cool air brought us into the sky. I didn’t even think to fight her off, or to try to free myself. And now, I’m thinking maybe I should have had that instinct. Allowing yourself to just be taken by someone is not a great trait to have…

Now, I’ve never flown before. Not like that. Not like a bird, through the air all… free like. It’s not at all as amazing as it’s made out to be. The wind is so crisp and cold against your face that it stings, and it’s hard to see with all the wind in your eyes. It was kind of nauseating seeing the land go by so fast…

Thankfully it didn’t last long. But as we landed, a lump formed in my throat. I realized it’d be hard to run for my life if I needed to. We were standing on something suspended in the air and I was pretty sure the only way out would be a long fall.

[page 3]

My legs gave out. I landed on something soft and springy. As I looked down at what I landed on, I realized I could see through it. It reminded me of a spider web, and I suddenly felt the world spin. I tried to focus on something other than the ground looming below.

My rescuer had unusual features. I expected to see wings. Surely she was an angel that was swooped in and flew me here. But she didn’t have any. Her skin was a pale grey, her eyes were dark, and her hair black as night. She had pointed ears. She watched me for a moment before speaking. It should have been no surprise to me, but I couldn’t understand a word she was saying.

I didn’t expect a response. But I spoke anyway, to ask if anyone spoke English. Embarrassingly enough, my voice sounded hoarse and strange. How long had it been since I spoke last?

But she responded! In English! Her accent was thick, and unlike anything I’ve heard before. I’ll do my best to recount the conversation…

“Ah! English. It had to be English.” She sounded disgusted, “I am glad you spoke. It makes it easier to figure out the language issue. You are lucky we get so many Earthkin here. Or I would not have known your language!”

Earthkin! She called me Earthkin! I’ve never heard that word before…

“There are others like me?!” I struggled to get to my feet.

She gave a slow nod, as if she was unsure it was right sign for what she wanted to convey. “Yes, but you cannot see them yet. I saved you. From Pyron. We must talk about this first.”

She motioned for me to follow her as she began walking away. I took one look back, to the space we flew in from. I contemplated running. I followed. Right now, I’ll do anything to find the others like me.

[page 4]

It was about this time that I realized that I must have been light years away from home - literally. This surely wasn’t heaven nor hell. Purgatory maybe, but seemingly unlikely. But then, this whole world is aberrant. The more I’ve seen, the more it seems a whole heck of a lot like I had just been swooped up from my planet and transplanted here… I vaguely remember the feeling of falling….Wasn’t I falling before I woke here?

As we walked past what seemed like cocoons. It wasn’t until we turned and walked into one that I got a good enough look at what these structures were made of. It was the same thing the ground was. Seemingly fibrous, stretchy, springy even - the walls were just weaved thicker so that they offered privacy. It was strangely cozy and too cramped at the same time, but I think I’m starting to appreciate the material.

The room she brought me to was hardly furnished. Chairs were woven directly into the walls. A small table of sorts sprouted from the floor. There was no one else in the room. There was a motion for me to take a seat, and I obliged.

I don’t know if I will ever forget her words…

The lady who saved me cleared her throat, “I’m Jamarin… You fell here. Likely died in your other life. Few who fall were not dead.”

Did I die?
Dead.
I died. I died. I’m… dead?

[page 5]

I don’t know why I thought she’d know the answer. I don’t know why my mouth moved before my brain. But I blurted out “HOW?!” like a computer executing commands from the user, but the user wasn’t me. I was already practically out of my chair. Some things you just can’t control. Your body is supposed to be one, but that isn’t how it always works, now is it?

Jamarin shook her head. The kind of disappointed shake you expect from someone who has done this a thousand times, and yet they want for just once this part to be easy. But… I died. Didn’t I? Did I? If I did… how? How could I have died and how am I still here? and where even is here?

If I’m dead… then this IS Heaven, Hell or Purgatory?
I… didn’t really think it existed, any of them. They were just kind of fairy tales you hear growing up, things to keep children in line and sometimes adults too. Who would have thought there was anything more than just turning to dust? But… I always wondered what happened to the ‘energy’ of life, snuffed out perhaps. Burnt up. Gone. Expended. But, that seemed like a convenient answer. Too convenient.

Jamarin sighed heavily. And, I probably would have too if I were in her shoes. “I can’t know. Your soul was… reborn. You are here, now. You fell into Pyron area. So, you have a problem.”

That was striking at the heart of the issue. I fell here. Which means I still existed, and if I existed that whole time, was I ever really dead? But, she clearly said that I died and was reborn? That sensation of falling wasn’t a feeling I got for no reason. How silly it was of me to assume I could fall to a new planet and not be immediately swept up in their problems… “What is wrong with Pyron?”

“Everything.”

[page 6]

‘Everything’ isn’t a very descriptive way to tell me whats wrong with Pyron, but it made my blood run cold nonetheless. Jamarin must realize this, as she nods sympathetically. “Now, we must prepare you. But first. If you must, leave.”

“Leave?”

“Leave. If you do not wish to be here. Leave. Take your chances with Pyron. We will not have dead weight. You will do your part. You will be with us. Or you will leave, now.”

I remember rocking on my heels at that thought. Leaving. Leaving the woman who saved me from what would likely have been certain death. - Again Sure, I didn’t know who to trust, but leaving seemed silly after all this time. When I didn’t say anything or move, Jamarin nodded.

“Good. Renu will guide you.” As Jamarin spoke, a man stepped into the room. He had two fuzzy, pointed ears, much like a cat’s on the top of his head. His skin was a milky chocolate with a marbling of cream. I want to say it was fur, but I’m not sure certain. When he spoke you could see his teeth, sharp like a predators. He even had a tail, though it was thin and a bit stubby - at which point I’d imagine that’d be more of a pain than a help. What do you do with a tail like that?

Renu nodded to Jamarin and then looked me over. I’m sure I wasn’t much of a sight to behold - having holed up in a cave for sometime and then almost dying. Jamarin spoke something to Renu, but I couldn’t understand a word of it. For a moment, I had forgotten I was on a foreign planet… Renu stepped forward and handed me what looked like dried algea, though it was moist to the touch, I reluctantly held it between my thumb and finger. “Place on your skin.” I hesistated, but placed it against my forearm.

[page 7]