Greyburn
Traveller of Worlds
- Local time
- Today 1:12 AM
- Messages
- 11
- Age
- 27
The night was like any other night. I lay on my back, head resting against the rocky ground as I looked up to the sky. All I see is a black void. All I see is a sky without stars. No one knows how long the sky has been like that. No one knows how long this night has lasted. It has lasted for as long as anyone could remember. The universe is dead, the elders say, but I know it is not. It is barely alive, I say, but I am called a fool and a dreamer for thinking such a thing. I am the only one who thinks such things. I am called a fool and a dreamer for thinking something that is obviously false. But I can feel the universe around me, teeming with life. Life, wishing it was free. I look up to the starless sky and wish I had the power to bring back the stars, but I am one woman and not a god.
I rose and began walking. I have long memorized this path I take. I take it to the village where I live. Lights dot the landscape before me, but they are sparse and with no other point than to illuminate the path others were to take. For me, they hurt my eyes and blind me at times. I have no need for so many lights. My mother tells me it is because we haven't had a star of our own in generations that our people are adapting to our lightless world. My skin is white as snow since I have no need for protection against a harsh sun. But, I know not what snow is, just that it is white. The village was a ways out still, but I could still see the lights bright and clear regardless of the distance. The rocky landscape around me was evidence enough of where we stand in the universe, destined to die a slow death. I eventually stopped my trek as something caught my eye.
It was faint, but I could see it clearly, a small blue light in the distance, separate from my village. I knew it was different since our lights were yellow. The new light was a ways out and looked to be quite a trek if I were to make it. I checked it compared to the position of my village. The village was a few minutes away with many lights illuminating it. It was impossible for me to tell how far this new light was. I hurried home, wanting to explore it as soon as I could. I knew no one would miss me, especially not the elders. They thought of me as a foolish little girl who dreamed pointless dreams. But, I saw an opportunity before me, an opportunity to change things. I knew deep down that I had to get to that light and see what it was myself. I ran along the path, knowing every loose rock and worn down step. I made it to the ramshackle buildings of my home and rushed through the blinding streets.
I dodged past the people, pale as me, but I did not stop for anyone. I made it home and raced through the front door and towards my room. My mother tried to stop me, but I did not listen. I took the stairs to my room two at a time and threw open the door. I pulled my bag out from the corner of my room and opened it up. The little light that filtered in from the main room was enough for my sensitive eyes to see by and I saw my bedroom clearly. It was a single room with a hammock hanging in one of the corners. I had a few shelves on the far wall with some odds and ends I had picked up in my explorations of the land around the village. In my bag was everything I needed for exploring.
I had a rope, food for a few days and a canteen. It would last me a week at most, but I needed more to take with me. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs to my room. "Tulli," came my mother's voice. "Yes Mama," I replied without hesitation.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked with worry in her voice. I quickly moved out of my room with my pack over my shoulder and I saw my mother with a look of concern. "Nothing is wrong Mama," I said with great deal of excitement in my voice, "I saw something on my way back and I want to see what it is." The look of concern deepened on her face.
My mother was old by the standards of the village. Her long black hair had streaks of white in it. Wrinkles lined her eyes, but she was the one I got all of my looks from. I heard she was beautiful when she was my age.
"What did you see?" she asked. I smiled, "A light in the distance, different from ours." She shook her head. "Tulli, daughter, the Elders told you to stop with your wildness," she began.
"Void what the Elders say," I snapped, "There are a bunch of scared old fossils who have accepted death for all of us too soon. I want to see what this light is. I want to see something new. I don't want to live a pointless life." I returned to my room and finished pulling on my pack. I marched over to one of my shelves and pulled a little metal insect off of it. It came to life and buzzed happily around me. "Hey there Glimmer," I said with a smile as it winked at me with the little light on its abdomen. I walked back downstairs and I found my mother had already set out some of our food rations. "For you," she said, "Come back safe." I hugged her and packed all of the food. I gathered a spare bedroll and attached it to the top of my pack. I kissed my mother on the cheek and hesitated at the door. I don't know why, but I felt like this was going to be the last time I would see her.
I didn't worry about my father, he was never in the picture, the bastard. I walked through the streets ready to start my adventure, then the smell of old hag hit me. I smelled the old woman before I saw her and wished I had been faster. "Where are you going little lady?" Elder Vorta said condescendingly. "Away," I said and tried to walk away. A powerful grip landed on my shoulder and the elder spun me around. "Child," she said, "Why are you leaving?" I looked at the old woman. Her hair was silver and her face was covered in wrinkles. He had a cane to help walk with a hunched back and bad leg.
"I am leaving because I saw something new," I said, "Something that was not there before." Vorta leaned closer to me, "Child, your foolishness has gone on long enough. Return to your home and be a good girl for once." At this point the rest of the village was watching the exchange and I was tired of this same old conversation. I twisted sharply and aimed my pack at her. Her grip faltered and I felt a connection with the pack. I did not bother to see if she was alright. Instead, I bolted and made my way to the edge of the village.
No one stopped me. No one called out to me. There were cries of surprise, but that was to be expected. I rushed over the rocky landscape and put those lights of false hope behind me. Those lights that represents a decaying people.
The lights behind me did nothing for me. All they did was reject me. The only good they did was illuminate the land before me. The lights that so many rely on, only one I call friend.
The little drone called Glimmer buzzed next to me, unable to comprehend my anger. He did his best to comfort me by blinking his light in a fashion I could not understand. I held my hand out and let him land. I felt his metal body snuggle into my hand and I pet him. Despite the fact that Glimmer was a machine, he seemed to have a mind of his own. I looked behind me at the village.
It was farther away than I realized. My breath was ragged from running and had recovered some during my brief stop. Then realization dawned on me, I had assaulted an elder. Whatever decision, whatever may lie in store for me ahead, there was no turning back. If this run down village was ever a home to me, it was not a home any more. Now, the only path for me was forward, towards the unknown.
I would be lying if I said I was not scared. I was, but I was also excited. There was something new waiting for me. Something new that could change things. Something new to see. Something that is not barren rock and rotting wood. So I pressed on.
The ground lay uneven beneath my feet. I stumbled and fell several times from loose rock and cracks I could not see. For days I had walked. For days I had tried. My supplies dwindled, and eventually, I lost Glimmer. His little light had got out and I was stuck in darkness. I cried and mourned his loss. The loss of the only friend I had. As I walked, the light I chased grew. I could see the world better the closer I got. When I finally reached it, I had run out of supplies. No food, no water. No going back. And I saw what the light was.
It was a portal to another world, a portal to an endless day. I could see green ground, animals that flew. People who were tanned by the light. I saw a world of life. I stepped through the portal, its cold surface chilling me to the bone. The bright light blinding me as my eyes adjusted as best they could. I looked up to see the ground curve inward, surrounded by a ball of fire. I looked up, to a sky without stars.
I rose and began walking. I have long memorized this path I take. I take it to the village where I live. Lights dot the landscape before me, but they are sparse and with no other point than to illuminate the path others were to take. For me, they hurt my eyes and blind me at times. I have no need for so many lights. My mother tells me it is because we haven't had a star of our own in generations that our people are adapting to our lightless world. My skin is white as snow since I have no need for protection against a harsh sun. But, I know not what snow is, just that it is white. The village was a ways out still, but I could still see the lights bright and clear regardless of the distance. The rocky landscape around me was evidence enough of where we stand in the universe, destined to die a slow death. I eventually stopped my trek as something caught my eye.
It was faint, but I could see it clearly, a small blue light in the distance, separate from my village. I knew it was different since our lights were yellow. The new light was a ways out and looked to be quite a trek if I were to make it. I checked it compared to the position of my village. The village was a few minutes away with many lights illuminating it. It was impossible for me to tell how far this new light was. I hurried home, wanting to explore it as soon as I could. I knew no one would miss me, especially not the elders. They thought of me as a foolish little girl who dreamed pointless dreams. But, I saw an opportunity before me, an opportunity to change things. I knew deep down that I had to get to that light and see what it was myself. I ran along the path, knowing every loose rock and worn down step. I made it to the ramshackle buildings of my home and rushed through the blinding streets.
I dodged past the people, pale as me, but I did not stop for anyone. I made it home and raced through the front door and towards my room. My mother tried to stop me, but I did not listen. I took the stairs to my room two at a time and threw open the door. I pulled my bag out from the corner of my room and opened it up. The little light that filtered in from the main room was enough for my sensitive eyes to see by and I saw my bedroom clearly. It was a single room with a hammock hanging in one of the corners. I had a few shelves on the far wall with some odds and ends I had picked up in my explorations of the land around the village. In my bag was everything I needed for exploring.
I had a rope, food for a few days and a canteen. It would last me a week at most, but I needed more to take with me. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs to my room. "Tulli," came my mother's voice. "Yes Mama," I replied without hesitation.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked with worry in her voice. I quickly moved out of my room with my pack over my shoulder and I saw my mother with a look of concern. "Nothing is wrong Mama," I said with great deal of excitement in my voice, "I saw something on my way back and I want to see what it is." The look of concern deepened on her face.
My mother was old by the standards of the village. Her long black hair had streaks of white in it. Wrinkles lined her eyes, but she was the one I got all of my looks from. I heard she was beautiful when she was my age.
"What did you see?" she asked. I smiled, "A light in the distance, different from ours." She shook her head. "Tulli, daughter, the Elders told you to stop with your wildness," she began.
"Void what the Elders say," I snapped, "There are a bunch of scared old fossils who have accepted death for all of us too soon. I want to see what this light is. I want to see something new. I don't want to live a pointless life." I returned to my room and finished pulling on my pack. I marched over to one of my shelves and pulled a little metal insect off of it. It came to life and buzzed happily around me. "Hey there Glimmer," I said with a smile as it winked at me with the little light on its abdomen. I walked back downstairs and I found my mother had already set out some of our food rations. "For you," she said, "Come back safe." I hugged her and packed all of the food. I gathered a spare bedroll and attached it to the top of my pack. I kissed my mother on the cheek and hesitated at the door. I don't know why, but I felt like this was going to be the last time I would see her.
I didn't worry about my father, he was never in the picture, the bastard. I walked through the streets ready to start my adventure, then the smell of old hag hit me. I smelled the old woman before I saw her and wished I had been faster. "Where are you going little lady?" Elder Vorta said condescendingly. "Away," I said and tried to walk away. A powerful grip landed on my shoulder and the elder spun me around. "Child," she said, "Why are you leaving?" I looked at the old woman. Her hair was silver and her face was covered in wrinkles. He had a cane to help walk with a hunched back and bad leg.
"I am leaving because I saw something new," I said, "Something that was not there before." Vorta leaned closer to me, "Child, your foolishness has gone on long enough. Return to your home and be a good girl for once." At this point the rest of the village was watching the exchange and I was tired of this same old conversation. I twisted sharply and aimed my pack at her. Her grip faltered and I felt a connection with the pack. I did not bother to see if she was alright. Instead, I bolted and made my way to the edge of the village.
No one stopped me. No one called out to me. There were cries of surprise, but that was to be expected. I rushed over the rocky landscape and put those lights of false hope behind me. Those lights that represents a decaying people.
The lights behind me did nothing for me. All they did was reject me. The only good they did was illuminate the land before me. The lights that so many rely on, only one I call friend.
The little drone called Glimmer buzzed next to me, unable to comprehend my anger. He did his best to comfort me by blinking his light in a fashion I could not understand. I held my hand out and let him land. I felt his metal body snuggle into my hand and I pet him. Despite the fact that Glimmer was a machine, he seemed to have a mind of his own. I looked behind me at the village.
It was farther away than I realized. My breath was ragged from running and had recovered some during my brief stop. Then realization dawned on me, I had assaulted an elder. Whatever decision, whatever may lie in store for me ahead, there was no turning back. If this run down village was ever a home to me, it was not a home any more. Now, the only path for me was forward, towards the unknown.
I would be lying if I said I was not scared. I was, but I was also excited. There was something new waiting for me. Something new that could change things. Something new to see. Something that is not barren rock and rotting wood. So I pressed on.
The ground lay uneven beneath my feet. I stumbled and fell several times from loose rock and cracks I could not see. For days I had walked. For days I had tried. My supplies dwindled, and eventually, I lost Glimmer. His little light had got out and I was stuck in darkness. I cried and mourned his loss. The loss of the only friend I had. As I walked, the light I chased grew. I could see the world better the closer I got. When I finally reached it, I had run out of supplies. No food, no water. No going back. And I saw what the light was.
It was a portal to another world, a portal to an endless day. I could see green ground, animals that flew. People who were tanned by the light. I saw a world of life. I stepped through the portal, its cold surface chilling me to the bone. The bright light blinding me as my eyes adjusted as best they could. I looked up to see the ground curve inward, surrounded by a ball of fire. I looked up, to a sky without stars.