Orenda

I woke up in the same place again. This time no one was around. It wasn’t like yesterday, people desperately looking for it, finding the way out of this nightmare. I looked at my reflection and I can confirm I looked dirtier than before, older as well.

What did I do wrong the first time? How could I have fucked up so badly? How am I here again?

In the same damn position laid right in the middle of where S. Grand ave and 2nd street meet. Then I noticed, every time I awake-up less people are around. I cant remember what happens in those days but I do remember waking up six more times after that day at the plaza. I look to my right and notice how damaged the broad museum looks.

I stand up and walk closer to where there’s supposed to be doors but seems like someone was in a rush to enter.

Everything is falling apart, the vents have roots sprouting from them, and as I make my way towards the escalator I notice the writings all over the cement walls that were once boring grey.

I found a golden mirror and saw I had on a ripped sage green puff dress, with dirty sage converse, and my hair was a cotton pink. I smiled to my self at my memories before the transfer. I looked my age when it happened.

I had just turned 21and I wasn’t happy with how life was going.

Then it clicked, I stepped out of the building and looked at my surroundings. It’s become the ruins, but how could it change so juristically I’ve woken up for 6times, 6days right?

I have to find something. They told us that's the only way out.

I reach in my pocket for the note they left me and in bright golden letters “ The journey to success is different for everyone. Only you can figure out what life has set for you. Only you can over come those obstacles that hold you back.” Those letters don’t shine the same as they did the first day. I looked at the right bottom corner of the note and seen a stamped heart shaped locket colored in red ink.

I was so caught up in my mind I didn’t notice someone was talking to me, well screaming. The voice was faded at first then I heard a child scream,“You’re looking for the wrong item again! Its right infront of you! Yes, its gold but not a stupid bar!”

I turn around in confusion and see this little girl in the middle right where I was just a few minutes ago. “What?” I asked her in confusion. Why does she look so different. All in white, clean.

“You’re looking for the wrong item and looking in the wrong way! I told you this last time you woke up. The wrong way!” I just stared at her with wide eyes as I remember from yesterday who she was.

“How do you know?”

“I just know, please trust me. You’re wasting too much time and don’t just focus on gold it’s self but what shape it takes and the meaning behind it!The golden heart! I told you yesterday! It’s the only way to reach absolute freedom!” She yelled out. This girl has to be at least 10 years old. Why didn’t I question her yesterday at the loft?

“What happens if I don’t find it in time, what would happen to me?”

“ You’ll be sent to the cosmogyral where your soul will wonder around and not find peace.You’ll just be reliving each life time over and over again with each time getting worse than the last. Or you’ll get caught by the Tazers and get sent to murk where the darkness consumes you whole and you are left with demons hunting you for all eternity.” She began to cry and I felt like I was failing her, failing us.

She continued ,“Just please listen to me! I don’t want you to end up in any of those! Please just listen and listen with your heart. PLEASE!!” She was going to continue until she saw the sun start to rise. She took one final look at me before she vanished and said ,“The Last book store. ”

I made my way to the store and to my surprise the store is clean, untouched The same warmth feeling of home hugging my body as I stepped through those doors. Just me and all these different ways to escape this reality.

I walked straight through the fictional section and touched the spines of the books. I picked up a book and scanned through it and that’s when it hits me. “AN ESCAPE FROM REALITY! I can’t believe this took me so long notice. I wasn’t in the same world I was in days ago. Could this be all in my head? Am I in a coma?” These thoughts I’m having and no one around to answer them. I walk over to the leather sofa and just empty my mind. No thoughts just stare out to nothing. I didn’t even notice my eyes close.

I don’t know how much time has passed before I heard something fall from the cast register and I jump to my feet with a book clutched in my hands.

This girl stood next to where the mess of books were. She had black raven hair, green eyes, an MCR t-shirt with black jeans and green converse, clean. “ Hi-i .” She whispered to me. I looked at her once more over and responded, in shock “Hi.”

She opens her mouth to say something but rushes down to the floor to pick up the books she had dropped. I go to help her and make eye contact with her beautiful forest green eyes and as she looks back at my own she whispers, “My name is Valen, Valen Nyx. Whats yours?”

“ Diana Emerson”

She nods her head and gives me a shy smile as she stands with the few books that were once spread all over the floor. “ So, do you know what you are looking for?”

I look up to her and think to my self if I should tell her what I know, I mean can I trust her the letter did say “ Only me”.

She looks at me and then giggles. “ You don’t trust me, huh. Its ok, I can tell you what I know and well I would love to know what you know. Maybe we can help each other?”

Valen stares at me expecting an answer so I nod and place the two books in my hands on the counter. We walk towards the chairs and sit across from each other. She scans me over and smirks,” Nice dress, is this your dream fit?”

“ What? What do you mean by dream fit?”

“ Yeah this is what your look is when you reach success in your life. When you finally succeed and accomplish the dreams you have desired. We , me and you, don’t know what those dreams are which is why we are here. We are in another universe ,in another world.” I knew it! “ And we were brought here to find our journey in life ever since things started to become unbalanced back home. We haven’t reached it yet but we will once we find the key. Do you know what you are looking for?” “ Of course.” She leans back into the soft arm chair and says, “ Ok makes this even easier. This is like finding your way to your journey. What ever that item is will take you back home and have you start your life where you messed up to fix it.” “ So I have to find the key, which is gold and that will guide me to my journey?”

“ Yup but at a price.” Of course

“ How did you look like when this first started?” she asked.

Thinking back to how it all was days ago. The streets were filled with people of different ages everyone in a rush. I was a blur and I had somehow found two of my closest friends. Everything was too quick.

I was over whelmed and stepped back from them. Alex looked at me and said “You have to move forward. Forget everything else and just find another journey. The one you are trying to seek out is difficult Diana. You can’t do it!” I was mad at him and I looked over at Johnathan ,“ What, do you agree with him? I know my worth! I know what I want out of life and what kind of living I want. Sorry I’m not going towards the normal shit! I want peace. I want to live life not having to worry about anything. I want to express my self in what ever form I want because I’m not normal Alex! Don’t you get it!”

He looked at me with sad eyes and gave me a hug. “Diana don’t get to caught up in this world please, and don’t take to long because before you know it , it’ll be too late,” They both said there goodbye and left.

I felt the rush of wind blowing through the plaza. The clouds were coming in and the sun turned green. People ran in different directions so I ran up and saw the little girl for the first time. She held my hand and pulled me to an empty loft that had pink marbled floors and white walls. It wasn’t furnished but I can already envision how it would look like if I ever lived here. The mirror stood before me. I had the same clothes on as today ,but new.

I observed my face closer. I look like how I did at thirteen. How did they know it was me and why didn’t they notice the difference.

As I walked to the windows I looked out from the seventh floor and I could see the creatures picking up people that were in the streets. The dark veiny arm reaching for someone and bringing them up to eye level. I stared in horror as the person saw me and screamed for my help, but I couldn’t move. The Tazer palm beamed red and began to crush the poor girl. My window had suddenly become covered with blood. It crushed her! The Tazer licked the window and stared right into my eyes. I couldn’t move. I tried so hard but I wouldn’t budge. It licked the blood off its palm and kept on walking. Hearing its screeching voice fade away I soon followed and everything was a blur from then on.

I looked back to Valen and tell her everything that I know. I can see the green tint coming into the store from the windows.

“ Do you know why you only remember the first two days?” I looked at her and shake my head. “Because it belongs to you. At some point in your journey you’ll come across that place and it will have a major impact on your life. Either its the first time you meet your soul mate, you saved a life, you lost someone close to you. It has a major impact on you and shapes you to who you become towards your journeys end. So those places help save what ever you remember as days pass by in this hell hole.”

The doors close harshly and we jumped as we hear the Tazers roam the streets again looking everywhere for someone to consume. “ So, am I safe here? In this store?”

“ Are you blacking out and feeling any sort of dizziness?”

“ No…”

She looks at me with the biggest smile ever and stands in-front of me with her hand's out,“ Well then get up and and try to figure out why this location is a great impact on your life.”