**EPISODE NINETY-NINE**
**THE CHILD WHO WROTE THE QUESTION**
**Part Forty: The Question That Was Older Than Nova**
---
The page was blank.
Nova stood on it.
Not beside it.
Not above it.
On it.
Which was becoming increasingly inconvenient.
He looked down.
There was no floor.
Only paper.
White.
Endless.
Flat.
Silent.
Except for—
Scratch.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Nova slowly turned.
The pencil was moving by itself.
It wrote:
NOVA IS STANDING ON THE STORY.
Nova frowned.
"No."
The pencil stopped.
Then wrote:
NOVA DISAGREES WITH THE STORY.
Nova picked it up.
"I disagree with the wording."
The pencil slipped from his hand.
It rolled away.
Then wrote:
THE WORDING DISAGREES WITH NOVA.
Nova stared.
"That doesn't even make sense."
The banana rolled beside him.
"Welcome back."
Nova looked at it.
"How did you get here?"
"I rolled."
"You were swallowed by the story."
"Yes."
"And survived?"
"I am mostly potassium."
"That doesn't answer the question."
"It answers several questions."
Nova sighed.
Milo suddenly dropped from above.
He landed face-first on the page.
THUMP.
Nova stared.
Milo lifted his head.
"Where are we?"
Nova pointed.
"The page."
Milo looked around.
"Oh."
Diana fell next.
Then Beginning.
Then...
the child.
The child landed perfectly.
Standing.
Like gravity had personally requested permission.
Nova looked at him.
"You knew this would happen."
The child shook his head.
"No."
"Then why aren't you surprised?"
The child smiled.
"Because I already remember it."
Nova froze.
"Remember what?"
The child looked at the blank page.
"This."
---
1. THE PAGE THAT REMEMBERED
Nova crouched.
He touched the page.
It was warm.
Not paper-warm.
Memory-warm.
Like touching something that had once been alive.
Nova whispered:
"This page knows us."
Diana nodded.
"Or we know the page."
Milo looked uncomfortable.
"That distinction is becoming dangerous."
Nova stood.
"Everything here is becoming dangerous."
The banana raised itself.
"Finally, someone notices."
Nova ignored it.
He looked at the child.
"Who is the other child?"
The child didn't answer.
Nova waited.
"Where did that voice come from?"
Nothing.
"The one who called me Dad."
Still nothing.
Nova stepped closer.
"Who is he?"
The child looked toward the darkness.
"He isn't a he."
Nova frowned.
"What?"
"He's a question."
Nova stared.
"A question?"
The child nodded.
"A question that learned how to speak."
Milo whispered:
"That shouldn't be possible."
The child looked at him.
"Neither should you."
Milo became silent.
Nova looked at the pencil.
It began writing again.
THE QUESTION WAS HERE BEFORE THE ANSWER.
Nova read it twice.
Then:
"What question?"
The pencil wrote:
WHO WROTE YOU?
Nova's face changed.
The same question from the note.
The same question waiting beneath the signature.
His signature.
Nova slowly whispered:
"That question followed me."
Diana shook her head.
"No."
Nova looked at her.
"It was waiting for you."
---
2. THE NOTE THAT WASN'T WRITTEN
Nova picked up the note.
DEAR NOVA,
IF YOU ARE READING THIS, THEN I HAVE FAILED.
He turned it over.
AND IF YOU ARE THE ONE WHO WROTE THIS…
WHO WROTE YOU?
Nova stared at his own signature.
... NOVA
He whispered:
"I don't remember writing this."
Milo answered:
"You weren't supposed to."
Nova looked at him.
"What does that mean?"
Milo hesitated.
Then:
"There are memories you haven't experienced yet."
Nova frowned.
"That's impossible."
Milo nodded.
"Yes."
"Then how can I remember them?"
"You don't."
Nova looked down.
The pencil had begun moving.
HE DOESN'T REMEMBER.
Nova watched.
Another line appeared.
HE RECOGNIZES.
Nova swallowed.
"Recognizes what?"
The pencil stopped.
The banana rolled closer.
"Maybe don't ask."
Nova looked at it.
"Why?"
"Because every time you ask something, something answers."
Nova smiled.
"That's how questions work."
The banana shook.
"Not here."
The page trembled.
A new sentence appeared.
THE BANANA IS CORRECT.
The banana gasped.
"I'M LEARNING!"
Nova laughed.
Then...
the page cracked.
Not physically.
Conceptually.
A thin black line appeared across the paper.
Nova stepped back.
The crack widened.
Something was behind it.
Nova whispered:
"What is that?"
Diana answered:
"The part of the story that was erased."
---
3. THE ERASED PLACE
The crack opened.
Behind it...
was another page.
And behind that page...
another.
And another.
Thousands.
Millions.
Infinite pages stacked behind reality.
Nova stared.
"How many stories are there?"
The child answered:
"As many as there are ways to ask a question."
Nova looked at the layers.
"And what's behind the last one?"
The child smiled.
"There is no last one."
Milo stepped toward the crack.
He looked through.
His face suddenly went pale.
Nova noticed.
"What did you see?"
Milo didn't answer.
"Milo."
Nothing.
"Milo!"
Milo turned.
"I saw myself."
Nova frowned.
"You're here."
"I know."
"Then what did you see?"
Milo whispered:
"The first version."
Nova froze.
"The first Milo?"
Milo nodded.
"He wasn't human."
Diana closed her eyes.
Nova looked at her.
"You knew?"
"Yes."
"How long?"
Diana didn't answer.
Nova stepped closer.
"How long?"
Diana whispered:
"Since before you met him."
Milo looked at her.
"You promised."
"I promised I wouldn't tell him."
Nova stared.
"Tell me what?"
Diana looked toward the crack.
"The first Milo wasn't created to invent the machine."
Nova waited.
"He was created to ask a question."
Nova's voice became quiet.
"What question?"
Diana answered:
"Whether a story could create its own author."
Silence.
The pencil wrote:
IT DID.
Nova stared.
Then another sentence appeared.
BUT THE AUTHOR DIDN'T LIKE THE ANSWER.
---
4. THE FIRST MILO
Something moved inside the crack.
A figure appeared.
Tall.
Thin.
Familiar.
Milo took one step backward.
"No."
The figure stepped forward.
It looked exactly like Milo.
Except...
older.
Colder.
Without emotion.
Without hesitation.
Without fear.
Nova looked between them.
"Which one is real?"
The older Milo smiled.
"Neither."
Milo stared.
"You're me."
"No."
"You look like me."
"That was intentional."
"Who made you?"
The older Milo looked at Nova.
"You did."
Nova froze.
"I didn't."
The older Milo smiled.
"Not yet."
Milo stepped forward.
"Why are you here?"
The older Milo looked at him.
"To finish what you started."
"What did I start?"
The older Milo pointed toward Nova.
"Your question."
Milo looked confused.
"I don't remember asking one."
The older Milo replied:
"You weren't the one who asked."
Nova felt cold.
"Then who?"
The older Milo looked at him.
"You."
Nova shook his head.
"I wasn't there."
"You were."
"When?"
"Before you became Nova."
Nova's breath stopped.
Diana whispered:
"Don't."
Nova turned.
"Before I became Nova?"
Diana said nothing.
The older Milo smiled.
"You really don't remember."
Nova stared.
"Remember what?"
The older Milo answered:
"You named yourself."
---
5. THE NAME BEFORE NOVA
The page beneath Nova changed.
His name disappeared.
NOVA...
gone.
In its place:
________
A blank.
Nova stared.
"What is that?"
The child answered:
"Your first name."
Nova looked at him.
"You know it?"
"Yes."
"What is it?"
The child shook his head.
"You forgot it."
"Tell me."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because names are doors."
Nova stepped closer.
"Then open the door."
The child looked afraid.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because something is waiting behind it."
The banana whispered:
"That's usually a bad sign."
Nova ignored him.
He reached for the blank.
His finger touched it.
Instantly...
the page changed.
A heartbeat.
THUMP.
Another.
THUMP.
A child's voice.
Laughing.
A room.
White walls.
A desk.
A pencil.
A book.
And a man sitting alone.
Writing.
Nova watched.
The man looked up.
Nova recognized him.
It was...
himself.
But younger.
Much younger.
The younger Nova looked directly toward the invisible camera.
Then whispered:
"I know you're watching."
Nova froze.
The child beside him whispered:
"He knew."
Nova watched the memory.
The younger version smiled.
"Don't trust the story."
Then he lifted the pencil.
And wrote:
IF YOU SEE THIS, YOU ARE ALREADY TOO LATE.
The memory vanished.
Nova stepped backward.
"What was that?"
The child answered:
"Your first draft."
Nova shook his head.
"No."
The child nodded.
"Yes."
---
6. THE DRAFT BEFORE NOVA
A book appeared.
Its cover was black.
No title.
No author.
Nova picked it up.
The moment he touched it...
the cover changed.
THE BOY WHO REFUSED TO BE WRITTEN
Nova opened it.
Page One:
A boy opened his eyes.
Page Two:
The boy looked around.
Page Three:
The boy asked who created him.
Page Four:
Nobody answered.
Page Five:
Blank.
Nova turned the page.
Blank.
Another.
Blank.
Another.
Blank.
Then...
a sentence.
THE BOY DECIDED TO CREATE HIMSELF.
Nova's hands trembled.
He kept reading.
HE CREATED A NAME.
Blank.
HE CREATED A MEMORY.
Blank.
HE CREATED A WORLD.
Blank.
HE CREATED A READER.
Nova stopped.
"The Reader."
The First Reader appeared behind him.
"Yes."
Nova turned.
"You were created by me?"
The First Reader nodded.
"Before you knew you were creating."
Nova stared.
"That makes no sense."
The First Reader smiled.
"It wasn't supposed to."
Nova looked at the book again.
The next line appeared:
THEN THE BOY CREATED AN AUTHOR.
Nova whispered:
"Who?"
The page answered:
HIMSELF.
Nova looked around.
"But I'm not the Author."
The First Reader shook his head.
"No."
"Then who is?"
The First Reader pointed toward the darkness.
"Ask the question."
Nova frowned.
"What question?"
The First Reader smiled.
"The only one you've been avoiding."
Nova looked at the blank page.
Then whispered:
"Who wrote me?"
The universe went silent.
---
7. THE ANSWER
The answer came immediately.
YOU DID.
Nova froze.
"No."
YOU DID.
"No."
YOU DID.
Nova grabbed the pencil.
"Stop."
The pencil continued.
YOU WROTE YOUR FIRST MEMORY.
Nova shook his head.
"I don't remember."
YOU WROTE YOUR FIRST NAME.
"I don't remember."
YOU WROTE YOUR FIRST QUESTION.
"I don't remember!"
The page changed.
THAT IS WHY YOU FORGOT.
Nova stopped.
Diana stepped toward him.
"Nova…"
He looked at her.
"Did I create myself?"
Diana didn't answer.
Nova's voice became quieter.
"Did I?"
Diana whispered:
"Yes."
Nova closed his eyes.
The child approached.
Nova looked at him.
"And you?"
The child smiled sadly.
"I was there."
"Before me?"
"Yes."
"Who are you?"
The child pointed toward Nova.
"You already know."
Nova shook his head.
"No."
The child stepped closer.
"You called me Dad."
Nova froze.
"But you said you weren't my child."
"I said I wasn't your child."
Nova stared.
"Then what are you?"
The child smiled.
"I am your question."
Nova's face went pale.
"What?"
The child whispered:
"You asked what existed before you."
A pause.
"I became the answer."
---
8. THE QUESTION CHILD
Milo stepped forward.
"That means…"
The child nodded.
"Yes."
Milo stared.
"You're not a person."
"No."
"A memory?"
"No."
"A character?"
"No."
"Then what?"
The child smiled.
"A possibility."
Diana whispered:
"A possibility that learned to exist."
The child nodded.
Nova looked horrified.
"So every question creates something?"
The First Reader answered:
"Not every question."
"Which ones?"
"The questions you refuse to stop asking."
Nova looked at the child.
"And he is the result?"
"Yes."
The banana rolled forward.
"So if I ask whether bananas can become authors... "
The entire room became silent.
Nova looked at him.
"Don't."
The banana paused.
"Right."
The pencil began writing.
THE BANANA HAS ASKED.
The banana screamed.
"I TAKE IT BACK!"
A new sentence appeared.
TOO LATE.
The banana hid behind Milo.
Milo sighed.
"Why is this happening?"
The First Reader smiled.
"Because stories listen."
Nova looked at the page.
"And what happens when the story listens to the wrong question?"
The First Reader answered:
"It becomes something else."
Nova swallowed.
"What?"
The lights went out.
A voice whispered:
"Me."
---
9. THE CHILD WHO WAS NEVER BORN
The lights returned.
A child stood at the far end of the page.
Not the First Mind.
Not Beginning.
Not the Question Child.
Another.
Small.
Barefoot.
Holding a book.
His face was hidden.
Nova slowly approached.
"Who are you?"
The child looked up.
Nova stopped.
The face...
was his.
But younger.
Much younger.
The child smiled.
"Hello, Dad."
Nova stepped backward.
"No."
The child tilted his head.
"You keep saying that."
"Because I don't have children."
The child smiled.
"You don't."
"Then stop calling me Dad."
The child opened his book.
Inside was one sentence:
NOVA WILL HAVE A SON.
Nova stared.
The sentence changed.
NOVA HAD A SON.
Nova's face went pale.
Then:
NOVA FORGOT HIS SON.
"No."
Then:
THE SON FORGOT NOVA.
Nova dropped the pencil.
The child closed the book.
"That's why I came."
Nova whispered:
"Why?"
"To remember you."
Nova stared at him.
"And what is your name?"
The child smiled.
"I don't have one yet."
"Why not?"
"Because you haven't written it."
Nova looked at the blank page.
The child handed him the pencil.
"Go ahead."
Nova didn't move.
The child waited.
"Write my name."
Nova whispered:
"What name?"
The child smiled.
"That's your problem."
---
10. THE NAME THAT CREATES THE PERSON
Nova held the pencil.
The page waited.
Milo whispered:
"Don't."
Diana whispered:
"Nova…"
The First Reader said nothing.
The banana whispered:
"I vote for something banana-related."
Nova looked at him.
"Not helping."
The child stood patiently.
Nova lowered the pencil.
One letter appeared.
A
The page trembled.
The child gasped.
Another letter.
R
The room changed.
The shelves appeared.
Another letter.
C
The floor returned.
Another.
H
The lights flickered.
Another.
E
The First Reader stepped backward.
"No."
Nova stopped.
The final letter remained unwritten.
The First Reader shouted:
"STOP!"
Nova looked at him.
"Why?"
The First Reader pointed at the child.
"Because that isn't a name."
Nova frowned.
"What is it?"
The First Reader whispered:
"It's the beginning of a title."
The child smiled.
The missing letter appeared by itself.
R
The word became:
ARCHER
The child looked at Nova.
Then smiled.
"Thank you."
Nova stared.
"Archer?"
The child nodded.
"My name."
The page shook.
A new title appeared above him:
ARCHER... THE SON WHO REMEMBERED HIS FATHER
Nova whispered:
"This is wrong."
Archer smiled.
"No."
He looked toward the darkness.
"This is the version that survived."
---
11. THE AUTHOR'S RETURN
A chair appeared.
The Author sat down.
Coffee in hand.
Again.
Nova stared.
"You."
The Author sighed.
"Unfortunately."
"You created Archer?"
"No."
"Then who did?"
The Author looked at Nova.
"You."
Nova shook his head.
"Again?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because you needed someone to remember you."
Nova stared.
"Remember me?"
The Author nodded.
"Every character eventually fears being forgotten."
Nova looked toward Archer.
"And he exists to remember me?"
The Author smiled sadly.
"That's what children do."
Nova froze.
"But he's not my child."
The Author looked at him.
"Not biologically."
Nova waited.
"Then what?"
The Author answered:
"Literarily."
The banana whispered:
"That sounds worse."
The Author looked at it.
"You are becoming surprisingly perceptive."
The banana smiled.
"Thank you."
The Author continued:
"Archer is what happens when a character creates a memory strong enough to become a person."
Nova looked at Archer.
"And who remembers Archer?"
Silence.
The Author slowly put down the coffee.
"No one."
Archer's smile disappeared.
Nova turned toward him.
"What does that mean?"
The Author whispered:
"He is disappearing."
---
12. THE BOY WHO WAS FORGETTING
Archer looked at his hands.
They were becoming transparent.
"No."
Nova stepped toward him.
"Archer."
The boy looked up.
"I don't want to disappear."
Nova grabbed his hand.
"You won't."
Archer smiled.
"You don't know that."
"I'll remember you."
Archer shook his head.
"That isn't enough."
"Why?"
"Because memories need witnesses."
Nova looked around.
Milo.
Diana.
Beginning.
The First Reader.
The banana.
The Author.
Everyone watched.
Archer whispered:
"They all saw me."
Nova nodded.
"Yes."
"But none of them remember me."
Nova froze.
"What?"
The Author looked away.
Archer's voice became quieter.
"Because I was never supposed to exist."
Nova held his hand tighter.
"Then I'll write you into existence."
Archer looked at him.
"That's what you did last time."
"And?"
"You forgot."
Nova's face fell.
Archer whispered:
"You always forget."
The page beneath them began turning black.
Nova shouted:
"No!"
The blackness spread.
Archer disappeared up to his knees.
Milo grabbed Nova.
"Don't!"
Nova fought him.
"Let me go!"
"You can't fight the page!"
"I can write!"
Nova grabbed the pencil.
The page rejected it.
The pencil snapped.
Nova stared at the broken pieces.
Archer smiled sadly.
"It's okay, Dad."
Nova froze.
The child was almost gone.
"Don't call me that."
Archer smiled.
"That's why I do."
Then...
he disappeared.
Completely.
---
13. THE SENTENCE THAT REMEMBERED HIM
Silence.
Nova stood frozen.
Diana touched his shoulder.
"Nova…"
He pulled away.
"No."
Milo looked down.
"No trace."
Nova looked at the page.
There was nothing.
No Archer.
No child.
No name.
Nothing.
The Author stood.
"It is finished."
Nova looked at him.
"No."
The Author sighed.
"Nova... "
"No."
Nova walked toward the blank page.
"I remember him."
The Author shook his head.
"That isn't enough."
Nova looked at the broken pencil.
Then at the page.
Then at the First Reader.
Then at the banana.
Finally...
at himself.
He whispered:
"If the story needs a witness…"
He picked up one broken half of the pencil.
"…then I'll become the witness."
The page trembled.
A sentence appeared.
NOVA REMEMBERS ARCHER.
Nova nodded.
Another sentence.
ARCHER EXISTS.
The Author stepped backward.
"No."
Another:
ARCHER EXISTED.
Nova shook his head.
"No."
He pressed the pencil against the page.
"Change it."
The sentence resisted.
Nova pushed harder.
"Change it!"
The pencil moved.
The words rearranged.
ARCHER EXISTS BECAUSE NOVA REMEMBERS HIM.
The entire office shook.
The Author whispered:
"That shouldn't be possible."
The First Reader smiled.
"It finally happened."
Nova looked at him.
"What?"
The First Reader answered:
"The character became the reader."
Nova froze.
Then the page wrote:
AND THE READER BECAME THE AUTHOR.
Nova dropped the pencil.
---
14. NOVA THE AUTHOR
The room vanished.
Nova stood alone.
A desk appeared.
A chair.
A lamp.
A blank manuscript.
And a nameplate.
Nova looked at it.
It read:
AUTHOR
Nova shook his head.
"No."
The chair moved backward.
Waiting.
The pen appeared.
Waiting.
The manuscript opened.
Waiting.
Nova whispered:
"I don't want this."
A sentence appeared:
THAT DOESN'T MATTER.
Nova looked around.
"Who wrote that?"
The page answered:
YOU.
Nova laughed nervously.
"Of course."
He sat.
The pen moved toward his hand.
He picked it up.
The manuscript displayed a title:
EPISODE ONE HUNDRED
Nova stared.
"Already?"
The page changed.
THE STORY DOESN'T WAIT.
Nova looked down.
"Then what happens?"
The page remained blank.
Nova waited.
Nothing.
He smiled.
"For once, the story doesn't know."
A voice whispered behind him:
"That's because you haven't written it."
Nova slowly turned.
Archer stood there.
Alive.
Holding a book.
Nova stared.
"You're back."
Archer nodded.
"You remembered."
Nova stood.
"How?"
Archer smiled.
"You wrote me."
Nova looked at the manuscript.
"But I didn't."
Archer shook his head.
"You did."
Nova frowned.
"When?"
Archer pointed toward the very first page.
Nova looked.
A sentence appeared.
NOVA WILL REMEMBER ARCHER.
Nova stared.
"That was written before I met you."
Archer nodded.
"Exactly."
Nova whispered:
"So the future wrote the past."
Archer smiled.
"Or the past wrote the future."
Nova sighed.
"This is getting ridiculous."
Archer laughed.
"Dad…"
Nova looked at him.
"What?"
Archer pointed behind him.
Nova turned.
The mirror was there again.
But this time...
it wasn't reflecting Nova.
It was reflecting Archer.
And behind Archer...
stood another child.
Nova froze.
"Who is that?"
Archer looked at the mirror.
His smile disappeared.
"I don't know."
The child in the mirror raised a hand.
Then wrote on the glass.
I KNOW YOU.
Nova stepped closer.
The child wrote:
YOU CREATED ME.
Nova whispered:
"Another one?"
Archer shook his head.
"No."
"Then who?"
Archer stared.
"That isn't another child."
Nova looked again.
The child smiled.
Then wrote:
I AM THE ONE WHO CREATED YOU.
Nova froze.
The mirror cracked.
The child stepped forward.
The glass opened.
And the child walked through.
He was holding...
a book.
A pen.
And a banana.
The banana beside Nova screamed:
"THERE CAN'T BE TWO OF ME!"
The new child looked at it.
Then smiled.
"I didn't create the banana."
The banana relaxed.
"Thank God."
The child continued:
"I created the person who created the banana."
The banana screamed again.
Nova stared.
"Who are you?"
The child looked directly into his eyes.
And whispered:
"My name is…"
The page turned by itself.
The title appeared:
EPISODE ONE HUNDRED
THE BOY WHO CREATED THE AUTHOR
Nova stared at the title.
Then at the child.
Then at the pen.
The child smiled.
"You finally found me."
Nova whispered:
"Found you where?"
The child pointed downward.
Nova looked.
The floor was gone.
The page was gone.
The office was gone.
Everything was gone.
Except...
a single sentence floating beneath them.
BEFORE NOVA, THERE WAS THE BOY.
Nova looked at the child.
"And before the boy?"
The child smiled.
"Ask."
Nova swallowed.
"What was before you?"
The child leaned closer.
His voice became almost inaudible.
"Nothing."
A pause.
"That's why I had to invent everything."
Nova stared.
The child handed him the pen.
Then whispered:
"Now write the beginning."
Nova looked at the blank page.
The pencil beside him moved by itself.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Scratch.
A sentence appeared.
IN THE BEGINNING, THERE WAS NOVA.
Nova smiled.
"No."
He crossed it out.
The page trembled.
Nova wrote:
IN THE BEGINNING, THERE WAS A QUESTION.
The child smiled.
The First Reader appeared in the distance.
Milo appeared beside him.
Diana appeared.
Beginning appeared.
Archer appeared.
The banana rolled into view.
And somewhere beyond them...
the Author watched.
The question appeared.
WHO ASKED IT?
Nova raised the pen.
He was about to answer.
Then...
the child stopped him.
"Don't."
Nova looked at him.
"Why?"
The child pointed toward the darkness.
"Because someone else is answering."
Nova turned.
A voice spoke.
Not from the book.
Not from the mirror.
Not from the page.
From outside the story.
"Nova."
Everyone froze.
The voice continued:
"You have been asking the wrong question."
Nova whispered:
"What is the right one?"
Silence.
Then...
a new sentence appeared.
Not written by Nova.
Not written by the Author.
Not written by the First Reader.
Not written by the child.
It appeared in the air.
Huge.
Black.
Absolute.
WHO IS READING NOVA?
Nova stared.
The banana slowly backed away.
Milo whispered:
"Oh no."
Diana looked terrified.
The First Reader lowered his head.
Archer grabbed Nova's hand.
The child smiled.
And the Author...
for the first time...
looked afraid.
Nova whispered:
"Who?"
The sentence changed.
One word at a time.
YOU.
Nova frowned.
"Me?"
The sentence changed again.
NO.
Another.
THE OTHER YOU.
Nova looked behind him.
Nothing.
He turned back.
The child was gone.
Archer was gone.
Milo was gone.
Diana was gone.
The First Reader was gone.
The Author was gone.
Only the banana remained.
Nova stared at it.
"Where did everyone go?"
The banana whispered:
"I think…"
It pointed toward the darkness.
"…they were never here."
Nova looked down.
A final page appeared.
It contained one sentence.
NOVA OPENED HIS EYES.
Nova blinked.
He was lying in a bed.
A hospital room.
White walls.
Machines.
A window.
A clock.
03:21.
A nurse stood beside him.
Nova slowly sat up.
"Where am I?"
The nurse smiled.
"Welcome back."
Nova looked around.
"Back from where?"
The nurse checked the monitor.
"You've been unconscious for eleven years."
Nova froze.
"Eleven…"
The nurse nodded.
"Years."
Nova looked toward the window.
Outside...
three moons.
He whispered:
"That isn't Earth."
The nurse smiled.
"No."
Nova's heart began racing.
"What planet is this?"
The nurse leaned closer.
And whispered:
"You tell me."
Nova stared.
The nurse handed him a book.
Its cover read:
THE NEUTRINO CHRONICLES
Nova's hands trembled.
He opened it.
The first page contained a single sentence.
SAMARA NOVA OPENED HER EYES.
Nova stopped breathing.
A second sentence appeared.
AND SOMEONE ELSE WAS WATCHING.
Then a third.
IVAN MAXIMUS EDWIN CLOSED THE BOOK.
Nova stared.
The room disappeared.
The hospital disappeared.
The nurse disappeared.
The three moons disappeared.
Only the sentence remained.
Then...
a final line appeared.
HE WAS NEVER THE AUTHOR.
A pause.
Another line.
HE WAS THE CHARACTER.
And beneath it...
written in handwriting Nova recognized...
BUT WHO WROTE THE AUTHOR?
Nova dropped the book.
The banana appeared beside him.
It looked exhausted.
Nova whispered:
"Please tell me you're real."
The banana sighed.
"I've been asking myself the same question."
The lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then...
a child's voice came from beneath the bed.
"Dad?"
Nova slowly looked down.
A small hand emerged from the darkness.
Holding a pencil.
The child whispered:
"Episode One Hundred…"
A pause.
"…has already been written."
Nova stared.
"By whom?"
The child smiled.
And answered:
"By the person reading this."
The page turned.
Everything went black.
Then...
one final sentence appeared:
DON'T BLINK.
Nova blinked.
The sentence changed.
TOO LATE.
**TO BE CONTINUED…**
Written By,
Ivan Edwin
Pen Name :Maximus.
©All Rights Reserved