Untitiled6Terra

Mama and Papa came from beyond the frontier. Apparently it's an infinite amount of times much better than here. They loved talking about the White Sun that bathed over the territory beyond the frontier. Till this day, when they call it Adam’s Apple, their eyes glisten with joy. Shortly after, you can see the light die off in their eyes. “It’s a really good place to be in though” Mama reiterates to me with a fixed smile. She’s falling apart. I'm old enough to see her worn out skin and mind now. In my world, having a mind is equivalent to wandering. She can’t wander anymore. The time for her to wither away like the rest of the people that eventually do in Terra is inevitable. So is the fate of those of us who reside in the neglected Terra. Terra wasn't always doomed like it is now. Beaten down by toxicity. The natural end result of a bombardment of lesser humans trying to coexist together. Eating whatever rotted food is available. And the heat of the Red Sun destroys all forms of ways to produce natural food.. “Our rightful place is in Adams Apple.” The elders said to us before they turned to dust. “My sight is leaving me soon” Papa preaches to me relentlessly. “Need I remind you of The Great Separation that happened years ago? Me and your mother lived under the white sun in Adam’s Apple and received blessings” Papa said at the top of his lungs as his bones seemed to be shaking.

I replied sharply “Yes Papa, I remember. The people beyond the frontier took all the White Light away by controlling the White Sun thereby leaving us all here to rot and wither away.”

“Good good. I’m glad you know that it is very crucial that you make it to Adam’s Apple. You cannot survive in this world if you don’t make it there. The light will give you comfort.” He says to me with a demanding look.

This is why when we offspring are of age, we are sacrificed to travel beyond the gap to find eternal comfort under the White Sun of Adam’s Apple. According to Mama and Papa, my generation was gifted with the opportunity to journey beyond the frontier. Our generation was the future of Terra.

Soon I came of age and it was time for me to embark on the journey that would determine the future. As my people would call it, it was time to “cross the bridge of fate”. Papa and Mama didn't have much time left. Now they could barely speak words. They could only point to the direction of Adam’s Apple while their teeth began to crumble and decay. Time wasn't so kind anymore under the Red Sun and aging sped up rapidly. That much was very apparent when bits of Mama’s skin began to disintegrate to dust that was carried away into the toxic winds of Terra. I knew what had to be done so I set out on a Journey towards to White Sun. I arrived at the border of Terra after walking out of the villages that my people resided in. Here, the rays of the Red Sun were much hotter than expected. I noticed that a girl had also come from the villages. She stood there, eyes locked onto the village. She was looking back at Terra with her hands clasped together in a white hood with white gloves on. Some words were uttered from her dry and semi cracked lips. In her hands, a heart shaped locket tied around her fingers. It finally occurred to me that she was praying. What was she praying for? And who in fact? “Everyone in Terra is doomed,” I thought. Accidentally I also blurted it out loud. She turned her eyes slowly. I was met with an expressionless face. Her lips gently rested on each other. Then both the top and the bottom lip tightened up. Specs of dust flew off. I uttered with an instinctive response to her blunt reaction “Sorry, I-” met with an interruption as the journeyman arrived and asked “Are you the crosser?” The journeyman was as skinny as my Papa. Sucked off all the water in him. He looked like he could still walk a ways though. With his black robe and his charred eyebags. His intense stare which I'm sure was not done intentionally put me in a short trance until the girl walked up and grabbed my hand.

“Yes we are.” she says. She then cracks a smile as she squints her eyes and nods her head turning towards me. I could tell she was signaling me to respond to the journeyman.

I responded back swiftly, “Yes we are.” The journeyman smiles ear to ear and chuckles a little as he takes a step backward. Barefoot with openings of flesh on his heel and nearly insane he starts to walk towards the outskirts of the precipice. The edge. Beyond the border that separates Terra from Adam’s Apple.

“It is time crosser. Let us journey beyond the border. I understand this is your first time so try not to lose me. There will be obstacles after I have led you far enough. Don't trust your instincts. And remember you are the future.” He says as he opens the small gate to the bridge.

A sudden anxiety looms over me. But why? I don't recall feeling anything prior to this moment. I was always a sole carrier of Mama and Papa’s beliefs. Nor have I questioned my purpose. The message is clear. And I know what needs to be done so why did I think everyone in Terra was doomed a while ago? Every second I walk towards the bridge I question my conviction. Is this the test? I have to stop. I'm wandering too much.

“You're wandering too much!” The journeyman says aggressively.

“He can hear your thoughts. Just try to stay calm. The heat is hottest here so it can cause hallucinations. I’m Jane by the way.” The girl whispers to me.

“Oh-Sorry about that, nice to meet you Jane.”

“The girl is very aware. You’ve got yourself a good partner, isn't that right boy?”

I chuckled haphazardly, “What do you mean sir?”

“Are you saying I'm in the wrong boy”?

“With all due respect to the journeyman it is too hot to argue about who is right or wrong. If we stay under the rays of the Red Sun too much we might not be able to make it. Your purpose is to lead us as much as you can not question us.” Jane was very direct.

“Sharp mouth with a sharp brain you have there. Would be a shame if you lost it…” the journeyman smirked at Jane.

“Journeymen are sacred to our land. So they feel entitled a lot. They are offspring who ended up exploring the gap between the bridge and Adam’s Apple. By exploring, they are able to find the best ways to reach Adam’s Apple.

“How do you know all this?” I whispered back to Jane as we continued to cross the bridge at a steady pace. The heat of the sun now almost blurred my vision. We were getting closer to the gap now.

“Nevermind then, I’m just brushing you up. Your mind seems lost. What's your name? “ITS ME JANE!!” It felt like Jane yelled at me when she asked that last question. Or did I hear things wrong? Could the rays of the Red Sun be manipulating my perception? Was that even her voice?

“JANE, JANE ARE YOU THERE? RESPOND TO ME JANE, PLEASE..PLEASE I CAN'T GO ON WITHOUT YOU. WE NEED TO GO NOW!.” A voice said that. Rather I heard that loud and clear. I was trying to respond to Jane’s question but that came out instead. Auditory disorientation? I could blame it on that except I recognize that voice. I start looking around and suddenly it feels like I’ve been walking on the bridge for quite a while now. The journeyman waves towards me as he points to the gap. I have to catch up to him. He’s heading into the gap but it doesn't seem like he’s waiting for me. I start to walk faster. My breath is stunted. I mean there is no way I can pass the test if I lose sight of the journeyman. Speaking of losing sight my vision is blurred and the closer I get to the gap at the end of the bridge I can't help but feel like I’m forgetting something. The light from the rays couldn't be any more blinding and at the same time I turned back to get one last look behind me. To my surprise, I was met with an uncomfortable rumbling noise, the bridge was collapsing and barely any part of the border or villages were visible.

“JUMP. JUMP NOW!” that voice again. Where was it coming from? I was stunned. The word “JUMP” kept echoing in my head. All around me everything was collapsing. The rumbling noise got louder and louder till I lost my sight and blacked out.

“The journey. THE JOURNEY. YOU HAVE TO FINISH THE JOURNEY JANE-” I came to in the dark with nothing but shock.

“ w w What's going on” I stuttered. The only words my shivering mouth could produce. Heavy breathing caused by lack of sight. I couldn't comprehend how I ended up in a dark space. There was no sound for a while. At least it wasn't hot I thought. Actually I wasn't feeling anything. Rather my limbs were limp.

Stiff and numb. “Hello? Is anyone out there? Jane? Journeyman? Hello IM STUCK PLEASE HELP. Where am I?” I was still for a while. As still as I could be. Trying to retrace the past. Predict the future. How did I end up here? Everyone in Terra is doomed and they'll never be able to come back, “YOU'RE WANDERING TOO MUCH!”

“No I’m not! The bridge has crumbled. It's all over. Why are you lying to me?! Who are you? What are you saying to me?!!”

“It's me Jane!! Wake up!!” She broke through the silence with a desperate scream.

Panting at the top of my lungs in complete darkness. Some light is now piercing through. I couldn't see much yet but I could feel her tight grip. She seemed to have grabbed me by the collar of my attire. Her white satin hood is stained with some dark reddish dye. Smelled like rust and iron was the new air. Too much dust but not more than rocks. I say this because I know I swallowed some. At this point I figured that there was blood on her forehead. So many veins popping out. Her distressed look and sweaty pores. She somehow got me to stand up. Barely any of my help. I vaguely remember how I even got up. She diverted her face to the side. I looked too. Trusted my instincts and found an intense stare. Not done intentionally but it put me in a trance. He was charred completely. I gurgled out blood as I coughed in reaction to the sight of his black robe burnt into his skin. I remembered we were in the gap. Surrounded in flames and nothing but chaos. Jane fell to her knees. Coughing up blood and gasping for air. I was stumbling. Needed balance like a baby would want it. Desperate. She fell to her side while clasping the heart shaped locket with her bloodied hands. With a body that looked to be vibrating as the last of life left her, she cracked a smile with her squinted eyes. I knelt by her then she shoved the locket into my pocket aggressively. She looked like she didn't want to die. Swallowed her blood with grit and uttered faintly-.”Finish the Journey”.