Darkness, as far as I can perceive. The variation of scenery were the lightning streaking through the clouds that even light can't illuminate its shape.
Heavy rain blurred my vision furthermore. I tried to move but my neck felt stiff and my body felt cold and frozen. Moving felt sore and my eyes felt dry.
I was awake. For how long it took to dishevel my body and freeze to this extent, I was finally awake.
Where am I?
I tried to move and understand my surroundings, but my muscles felt didn't cooperate. Straining to try and just move my eyes, and yet however little I was able to achieve, peerless darkness was all that greeted.
As consciousness grasped the state of my body, my senses awoke. The sound of thunder growled persistently through every strike. The ground felt muddy and rough, soil filled with stones sharp or otherwise. The wind was cold, crashing through like waves of the ocean passing by.
Discomfort, all I could feel was discomfort as the moment passes by. But as consciousness developed, discomfort turned to pain. Pain that rushed the blood in my rusted veins, the freezing numbness turned into searing pain.
Breaking and crushing. The wind inside me desperately escaped through my shattered windpipes. And every cell that moved felt like fire within this freezing storm
My senses were overwhelmed. I could feel my body panic, from the stress consciousness brought upon it. Was it a mistake to wake up?
What's so different between this and my unconsciousness? Have I truly woken up or was the dreaming mercy upon my soul?
"..."
Did I pass out? Or is this death? I hear myself still in pain, struggling to be contained. I feel it but at the same time, I just see it, the flashes of red pain blinded me.
How did I end up here in this place? How did I end up in this miserable state?
Torturous, this reality is torturous.
In here, away from reality, at least the pain is forgetful, every moment is forgetful. All memories and torture will be consumed by the slumber.
Maybe, not waking up is the right choice? Being here, I don't have much of a choice once I wake up again. Maybe I should just stay asleep.
"Kal..." Amongst my breathful pain, I spoke my name?
And my name is Kal?
"Wake.. up.." Through gritted teeth I managed, but why do I still resist?
Why do I want to wake up? Only suffering awaits once I awake, but why does my heart pull me to open my eyes? You will only suffer, stay down, fall asleep, rest in peace.
"Anne..." Whose Anne? No..
Where is Anne? How did we separate?
"Anne..." I remember her, so vivid in my mind. Is that why I refuse to die?
But how, how did I end up here... The rapture, a gate opened and a tree grew from it. She's... alive, far away from the gate, but I? They... The tree had to be cut from inside, for the gate to close.
"Wake up..."
You promised her that you will return to her. She knows a man who knows how to keep his word, not someone who submits to death. Grit your teeth and endure the pain, you've endured worst then this, and you will endure more worse.
"Wake up.. this is not where you end.." This is not how you will die.