Young Writers Society

Hey community, even though i appreciate reviews, i would appreciate it even more if you could simply fill out this survey once you have read my story! Thank you so much. - Korlix

https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/QtBVEo

I opened my eyes. I did not know whether I ever opened them or if the blind of darkness had just left them. I was standing on a trail to an end which I could not see. It seemed to be an evening, for I saw no sun in the sky. However, neither was there a moon. I looked at my wrist. My watch was gone, even though I am convinced I never take if off. I looked down. I wasn't wearing clothes, yet I didn't feel cold. I began to walk along the path, while looking around. There was no person and there was no animal. Neither was there vegetation. Just a field of darkness. It wasn't darkness itself; it was just the absence of everything else...the absence of living in general. Did I have my eyes open? I did not know.

The path was the one thing I saw. It did not comfort me to see it, for I did not know if the path was an image stuck in my head or a present object. I kneeled. I moved my hand onto the path, yet I could not feel the crust of the earth. Neither could I feel my muscles move and yet I could see my hand strive along this path. Was it an image after all? I stood up and I jumped. I ran forward. I spun my arms in circles. I stretched my back. There was no feeling. I knew I was doing the action, for I did see myself doing it. However the emotion of it was missing. Was I paralysed? I took a deep breath through my nose. No scent. What is this? Is my nose blocked? I licked my arm. I did not feel the moisture of my saliva run along it. I pinched my stomach. No pain. It was as if all my senses had abandoned me, but one. My vision. And yet I still could not tell whether my eyes were open. I tried to feel along my face with my hand. I tried to identify what was mouth, the nose, the eyes... with no success. I held my hands right in front of my eyes. There was no darkness. I could see my hands, the lining and wrinkles on them, but no darkness. I clapped my hands together. Clapped them harder. Faster. Even faster. No sound. And no way to tell if my ears were present.

I carried on moving forward along the path. The pattern never changed, the path was a perfect lining of dirt. There were no animal tracks, no tire tracks and no footprints. I turned around. I saw nothing. It wasn't much of a difference I suppose, except one. The one thing that was present when looking forward. The path. I took five steps forward and turned around. There was no path and yet I saw it, while moving forward. Is my last sense also abandoning me? I carried on moving forward along the path. I did not want to turn around again; otherwise I might also lose sight of the path in front of me. A memory came to my mind, or rather another memory, since I still couldn’t tell if this path was of reality. It was my wife telling me to pick up our son from kindergarten today, as she was busy. Did I pick him up? 2 O'clock she said and I shouldn't be late again. Was I late? Was it past 2.00? And the eggs! I have to buy those too, before going home. Six eggs in total, she said. We need them to make a birthday cake for our son this weekend. Did I ever go to the market?

I stopped. The path lead me to a pier. How come I did not see it until now? Surely anything would have stood out, if around me there was nothing. Nothing apart from the path. There was water and a small row boat at the end of the pier. The water somehow comforted me. Instantly I went on all fours and leaned over the pier to look inside the water. "You won't see a thing", said a voice. A voice! My ears, do they work? "Nay", the voice said. "There is nothing that is needed to be heard, nothing needed to be smelled, nothing needed to be tasted and nothing needed to be felt", said the voice. I stood up and saw a person sitting in the row boat. Who was he? "It does not matter who I am", he said. I walked towards the boat and sat down in it. "But if you must know, my name is Chairon", he said. He said... yet without opening his mouth. "As I said there is nothing to be heard". "I can see your thoughts and you can see mine, there is nothing to hide". I gave him the coin and he began to row. I felt no comfort in finding something living, or rather something at all. I suppose the wood of the pier and the boat counted as the first form of plant I saw.

Another memory came to mind. It was of my workplace. I stood next to a vending machine and something caught my attention. There weren't a lot of people there that day and most of them wanted to withdraw money. A man stormed in. A scream. There was a moment of hectic. I moved my hand to my waist. A loud echoing bang. Pain and another bang shortly after. Another scream. That was all. I understood. So it is true, it does exist. "It exists for the minds that see it. If you expect to see it, you will. It is a time for peace of the heart and whatever way your heart can find peace is presented to you". So did I expect darkness? "But is it darkness? You didn't expect something, therefore nothing is presented, or rather the absence of everything". How come I can remember things from before? "I do not know the answer". How do I know that this is reality and not just an image put into my mind? "There is no way to know, it is what you make of it". What I make of it... like life! It is what one makes of it. So is this reality after all? But if so, why do all my senses abandon me? "As I said, there is nothing needed -". I know, I know.

After a while of silence another thought came to my mind. Why can I see you? "I can't tell you, I suppose it is the way that your heart wanted". Did it? A long path... a pier and a boat ride? Another memory. It was of my wife. I was looking at her and she was smiling while we were sitting in a row boat. Her laughter echoing in my head. I kneeled and she gasped. She said yes and smiled as happy as never before. The image left me and now I was looking at Chairon. But why you? I do not mean to offend you, but wouldn't my heart find peace in the eyes of my wife? "This world is limited to those who are part of it. It can not show you something that is yet to become part". So I am part of it... this isn't an image. This isn't a memory. This is now. This is... "What you make of it", said Chairon. The boat stopped. We reached another pier, identical to the first. I stood up and got out of the boat and walked onto the path joining the pier."Make what you want from it, to find your peace". I turned around, but the pier, as well as the water and the boat with Chairon, were gone.

What I make of it... I thought to myself. I was thinking of all the memories that ever brought joy or happiness to my life. The sunset I would watch with my son every evening. Magnolia trees that would bloom every spring. Stroking my dog, Arthur, when I was a child. Eating my grandma's apple pie. Driving my Cadillac Eldorado convertible along the empty highway. Playing baseball with the guys and going for a drink afterwards. Movie nights with my wife. My wife... I stopped thinking. I looked in front of me. The path was gone; in front of me was a highway with magnolia trees on both sides of it and a Cadillac Eldorado parked in front of me. At the end of the highway was the sun, about to set. I noticed that not all my joyous memories were there. I opened the car door and out jumped a dog that looked identical to Arthur. He barked and jumped around in circles. He barked! I could hear the low pitched bark of my dog! Then I realized that I could also feel the sun lying on my skin and the sweet scent of magnolia in the air. I smiled. I sat down in the driver’s seat and stroked my dog while he licked my face. I felt the moisture of his saliva on my face. I never thought that a dog's saliva could bring so much joy to my heart. On the passengers’ seat was a slice of a warm apple pie on a plate. I took it in my hand and took a bite. The fresh taste of apples in a texture which was incredibly soft with a crusty lining melted in my mouth. It was delicious and just there and then I realized that my sense of taste was present. I cried. I was in an incredibly happy state of euphoria, but then a realization struck me. This isn't reality. This isn't my real grandma’s apple pie, this isn't my Cadillac Eldorado car, this isn't my real dog Arthur, these aren't real magnolia trees and this isn't the real sun. In the world of reality my wife is now on her own with my son, while I am in this world of fantasy.

A tear rolled down my cheek." No one can give you back reality, but isn't life just a world of fantasy? A world where it depends on what you make of it? Isn't it an illusion of unlimited options and paths?". I looked around. The sun was gone, as well as the dog, the car, the highway and the apple pie. Who was this? Where was this voice coming from? Who did it belong to? "We have spoken already". Chairon? "I am what you make of me. The image you wanted to see earlier was Chairon, as the scenery reminded you of your wife". I do not want this fantasy! I want to see reality! "Then find your path. You have unlimited paths, just like in your reality. Fight for your path. Fight for your heart. Fight!”.

There was a beeping sound. Once again there was darkness, but it was a different kind of darkness. It wasn't the kind which was to be seen due to the absence of living, it was the kind of darkness you saw in the sky at night. The kind of darkness you saw when you turned off the lights. The kind of darkness you had when you closed your eyes. It was peace. My senses came back. I felt an instant pinch of pain in my chest and my entire body was in agony. It was beautiful. I was so grateful to feel these emotions, for I knew they were real. I managed to open my eyes and glistering light shone into them and the darkness left them, left me. I felt as if I were in paradise. Then all my senses blended in. I could see my wife sitting next to me. I could feel my dried out mouth. I could smell the scent of hand sanitizer and once again I could feel that agonizing pain in my chest. Once again, I cried. Once again, I smiled. I have chosen my path.