"Don't you remember little one?" a soft voice whispering to me. I do not remember, I do not recall you. Who are you? Please help me! "Don't be silly. I knew it was always you and I'm sorry I couldn't make you remember who you are. Your soul is not ready to meet the real world. Stay with me and sleep forever." The stars above me start to fall, the sky begin to crack and the woman before me start to weep like an angel. I feel weird. My skin is inside out, I feel so wrong, and the sun is burning my eyes. I need to grab something. I need to wake up. As the caged soul tries to claw out of its cage, the cage awakens to the dark abyss accompanied by broken howling alarms. Amid the dark, its two round eyes shine through it in a white blending light, hearing a faint unfamiliar voice sobbing in the distance. I feel so cold. I don't see or feel anything in this world.
Why did I wake up? Wouldn't death's touch be even warmer than this nightmare? I don't want to walk, but my body itches to escape from this silent hell. I took one step, and I heard it echoing all around me. Is this what she was warning me about? This so called "Freedom"? A drug consumed once, making the soul flourish like a flower under the sun, letting you fall into an addictive euphoria with it and madness without it. What is this so called "drug"? She always made me remember this word, never caring about explaining it to me. Is it really all that there is? Am I "free"?
As I walk out of this glass column, my mind is in constant chaos, full of questions about why I woke up and what my purpose is. Although, the once thought eternal dream what I had considered my permanent prison, does not differ from this nightmare. I walk on the shiny decorated ground supported by pillars emerging from the dark depths, and all I hear is my own presence bouncing of this hard shiny body I now have. I raise my hands, miss my left one, and see only the reflection of my obscure "face". Only two glowing dots shining from the void with pockets for the glowing dots, all encapsulated within a construct of an obscure metallic face. I graze with my remaining hand, on top of my head, feeling weird branches coming out of the side reaching out. She talked about these weird creatures, called "Demons." Am I one of them? I look down and I feel as if I stand on the top of a giant tree.
I start to panic and fall on the ground and the ground shakes violently with metallic screams echoing inside the dark. I stand up again. Walking over to the ledge, hearing suddenly the platform collapse behind me. I try to sigh, but nothing comes out. I fell onto my knees, realizing I have no mouth, only my silent thoughts. The awaken state I have so hoped for, seems to be the same prison of my everlasting dream , yet there is no time to be underground, I want to see the "sky". When I always lay against the tree and looked up at the sky, I always thought I could grab it, maybe like a warm blanket accompanying my sleep.
As I dream, I walk against a wall of what seems like a stone or some sort. I clench my right fist and try to punch against it, expecting nothing, though the wall bursts back hearing loud clutter with a crash. I walk through the hole I made, seeing tunnels going in all directions. The one right before me follows up to the sky. That is the way I believe. I walk up these way too small stairs for me, and I arrive at another wall blocking me from seeing the sky, but like I did with the other wall, I do the same with this wall too. As I punched the wall making it crash several meters away, I accidentally hit a tree previously behind it. The tree falls and leaves fall off the treetop revealing a giant blue dot in the sky. The sky is even bluer than I have dreamed of. I reach with my hand to the sky trying to grab it, but it seems it is not possible. At least the beauty of it is captivating my eyes.
High in the dark sky, a ship violently rushes downt through the clouds.
Various signals light and flicker in the cockpit warning for a fatal error in the ship. Hands frantically maneuver overboard and the buttons. A first slam against the overboard, and she sighs. A part of the damn wing flung off. She cusses loudly "Fuck". And grabs the steering wheel, pulling with all her might up. Clouds smash against the windows' cockpit, and she sees the snowy ground finally, she hopes the impact is at least bit cushioned by the snow. Her eyelids fall and her arms let loose, she hopes it will not be as violent as she thinks when the ship crashes. The ship screeches through the sky, hitting multiple trees in the line, crashing through the forest.
Smoke flies above the crashed ship, lights broken off the wings lay on the cold icy snow, illuminating the dark forest surrounding the crash site. The cockpit explosively jumps into the sky landing on the dampening snow. Her right arm reaches out to the sky followed up by what looks like to be weird horns. Her body falls on the cold white ground continued by a silent painful tightening of her chest grasping for air.
She slowly starts to stop mourning her pain and stands up with one knee. The sky pitch dark blue and the forest is suspiciously silent for its size. Grabbing a small handheld flashlight from her pocket, she casts light between the tree lines and tries to make sense of the many silhouettes she notices. As her mind tries to differentiate between potential danger and ordinary forest flora, white snowflakes start to fall. Landing on her black furred cloth hugging her body to let her stay warm.
She falls against the cold metallic body of her once functioning ship. Looking up into a starless sky, she wonders if this would be finally her end. Her left hand extends towards the sky and falls immediately on the snow. Her eyes again start to feel heavy, her rhythm gets heavier and finally she surrenders to the ever enclosing cold.
"Was I enough?" is what I always have asked myself. Since then, I always thought I had a choice to fight destiny and the cruel decisions he made. But in the end, I always came late, even though I was doing everything in my power to run away from the grasp of his hands, it eventually always catches up to everyone. I think it finally caught up to me, I don't want to die, but it looks like he has cut off every road to redemption. This is my final moment. There is no reason to fight, I do not deserve redemption, as I already broke my word to myself too many times. I stand for nothing anymore.
Breathing while all her will is starting to fade. Deeply she grasps with her soul to live longer.
Through the tree line, a tall figure emerges with white glowing dots. It sees the downed cloaked woman on the ground leaning against the crashed ship. It approaches her and reaches with its right hand towards her. Her eyes rapidly open in shock. Her arm instinctively rushes to slap its hand away from her. The creature tries to back up but gets caught up on some wires lying on the ground and crashes on the ground. She stands up with pain and draws a small handgun from her waist pointing it at the creature's head.
"What are you?" She shouts at it firmly holding the gun with her hands towards it.
It stands up and her finger immediately twitches, triggering the gun. The bullet ricochets upon impact of its metallic helmet in which she follows up to shoot multiple times, every time ricocheting of its shiny metallic armor.
I look up to this 3-meter-tall robotic monster staring at me with only two small dots. I rather have wished that I would've died in the cold snow than killed by a robot.
I look down on this black cloaked figure before me lying on the ground with an uncanny mask and branches coming out of its head, just like me.
I asked myself, if it has animosity against me?
It waved its hand with hesitation and waited for few seconds to suddenly go a few steps back slowly.
It stood up, even though its legs were shaking, it still stood firmly on the snow.
I waved back. I think it can't speak, but I can't be sure, maybe this is some assassin hired by them.
It waved back, maybe it is friendly to me?
As they both stared at each other down, the sky started to tint in a light blue color. The cold freezing air from the light snowstorm changed to a fresh breeze. And both their gazes wander to the giant blue point rising from the horizon, casting light upon the forest and letting them forget the heat of the moment seconds ago.
"I have never seen a blue sun before. Nonetheless, be free as this moment now."
It slowly kneels with one knee, while sounding rusty metals rubbing against each other as it reaches with one finger to the snow.
"Fotia" read.
She glances down and decides to follow up.
"Mina" responds with the snow.
"You have a name? Is that the name your creators gave you?"
It stares for a few seconds, starting to slightly tilt its head right but quickly nods.
Her eyes start to wander around the area.
"Have any directions to the next civilization? Could be helpful..."
It shrugs its shoulders.
"Huh, alright. Well." she sighs
Loud silence breaks between them until Fotia turns its back to her, walking back into the forest.
"Wait for me." Mina following Fotia on a rundown path in the forest.
The small shack stands firmly on the snow, its wooden walls blackened and charred by already gone flames. Fotia barely even fits through the small doorway when entering. With its roof standing on its last legs, it still provides enough shelter for both lost souls.
As I entered this rundown shack, I noticed the various seem to be memories burned away and lying on the ground. Even though the shack looks so rundown, the robots seem to not be bothered by it. Even if the red doormat to the small living room was torn in half, it was inviting enough to any guests. The patterned circular carpet in the middle of the room accompanied with a small wooden table with minute noble engravings, the giant painting of a white-red lilies on a beach and most noticeably a strikingly small pot with a small sunflower on the broken window with cuts on its stem from seems to be glass shards and leaves on its nurturing ground. That sunflower should've died, but it still catches the rays of the sunshine. It reminds me of my old apartment, not as royal, but as welcoming and warm, as I missed. Mina's eyes scour the entire room while Fotia steps into the middle of the room sitting firmly down and reaching its left arm towards a small opening in the roof. A little blue butterfly flies through, landing on its missing hand.