Often we do not look at things we do not want to see. We ignore the truth because it is inconvenient, not satisfactory, and most of all it kills our hope. It's called denial.
I didn't want to believe the facts that were laid bare right in front of me. It was hard to believe. I often imagine living in a different world after reading all those mangas and novels. But then I abolish those thoughts as they were not possible. Also, deep down, I knew I cannot live in a foreign place fighting off monsters. It sounds easy in books to kill off something or someone.
Maybe I can. Who am I kidding? I'm the guy whose weapon is a mic. Only thing I have ever done was writing songs and singing them. Music has been my life. I have faced a camera since I was a toddler. There was no other life apart from filming sets, concerts and practice room.
That reminds me I have hardly gone on any trip or roam freely on my own. It always has been…..
Anyway, on our world tour, we met with this mishap. I was so out of it. I hardly understand any English. I was absolute worse in language classes. And here I was, apart from the communication gap, there had been a continuous ringing sound in my head. It was because of the concussion. There was a doctor who was helping people. I could have asked him for help. But really, should I?
That doctor was busy saving the lives of so many people and meanwhile, I will go to him for a prescription of what? Ringing ears?
that would be so annoying.
Jun, Minyoung and Jin were also fine. Hwang Ahjussi was also fine. We barely had any scratches. That was a miracle in itself.
But then my eyes went up to the sky. There was this thing which looked bigger than the moon. that wasn't the moon. I ignored it. But it kept bothering me. Then there were these animals, birds, worms. There were blue worms. They looked beautiful and utterly disgusting at the same time.
There was some people discontent by us. We were not helping anyway. I have been too out of it, that I didn't realise what was the most crucial. We were in a foreign place. Nobody would come to our call. I should have lent help to others from get-go. But it seems my brain had frozen.
Then Hwang Ahjussi went off. I tried to stop him. I wouldn't say I stopped him just for his good. I wanted him to stay with us. He was our manager. He was a good guy but in this place, he wasn't obligated to stay as one.
I was pissed when he called me selfish. I know I'm selfish but it doesn't feel good to hear it from others. Other kids had never gone against me. They still chose to follow me even in these circumstances. Even though I was the most hopeless one out of them.
We had a tacit agreement about not to talk about the thing in the sky. It was not just us bandmates, every survivor was unwilling to talk about it. It was like a self-defence mechanism. It was denial.
As expected it was a tiring journey. we were going at a very slow pace, but it was still too much. Aarav was a really good leader except communication wasn't his best suite and neither was mine. He could get his ideas conveyed by his body language and actions. Others didn't have a problem understanding him. Was it just me?
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Aarav and Asahi were teaching basic defence tactics during nights. It looked simple except it wasn’t. I’m an idol but a bad dancer. My choreographies were really simple and I avoided dancing in most occasion lest I embarrass myself. Anyway, now you know, if monsters were attacking, I will be the one resting in peace.
We met some people who were riding this huge condor like birds, a scene straight out of a fantasy movie. And then, they were speaking a foreign language. But that was okay. What was not okay was the mumbo jumbo that man did?
And then we finally reached the village and here came the shocking but the expected truth.
The survivors from Earth were in denial. Earth was huge. We could have been anywhere on Earth. An unexplored part, unidentified animals, flora-fauna, everything can be deciphered as the vastness of the earth.
But no, we were not on earth. How could a plane take-off and crash on another planet? We weren't on some spaceship. What's with the transmigration?
There were gloom and exasperation. Everybody had lowered heads and was grieving. No one was happy to be thrown off in that world.
Kiara was sitting on a wooden bench. Tears were trickling down her cheeks. She had begun missing her family. She always dreamed about magic, fantasy and all sorts. She had read tons of book on them. But truthfully, they only look good in books.
Aarav came behind her and stroke her head.
"What are we gonna do?", Kiara spoke struggling to keep her composure.
"Rest for now"
Aarav was deep in his thoughts. The old chief had told them they could make a call from Caito city, she was saying stuff about interplanetary communication. What befuddled him was, the old chief assumed that they were from a neighbouring planet. Where on earth anyone would be calm if someone says they are not from their planet.
Aarav wanted Kiara to calm down as she was the only one who could communicate with the natives.
After some time, when Kiara calmed down, Aarav and Kiara went to ask for books related to planets and stars.
Kiara’s knowledge of reading and writing in Santhali was limited. And what met them was another obstruction. The books were in Sumerian language. Like their country India, this planet also had a ton of languages and dialects. So, they were literally illiterate here. They can only stare at the pictures.
Brandon saw this book and eyes shined as if he had seen some treasures.
"This. This. How could this be? This is the Sumerian language. My life's research..", Brandon was too excited that he could hardly speak.
"You can read it?" Aarav asked.
" Yes. Haha", Brandon was behaving like a mad man.
Kiara gave him the book and waited for him to translate it to them. But Brandon was too much into his own world. He was in ecstasy.
"Earth to Prof. Dominic, we need a little help here", Kiara pulled back Brandon from his own little world.
He deciphered the book to them. He told them that they were in a galaxy called Elysium. 'An' solar system is one of its systems. The whole galaxy and nearby four galaxies are under the Elysium govt. This Elysium govt was in Elysium city of 'El' planet. And the book had mentioned a dozen planets and galaxy, but their Milky way galaxy wasn't in it. Neither there was any that resembled it.
This was a groundbreaking find for them. If they go back to Earth and report it, there are galaxies millions of light-years away from where humans live and their knowledge on space travel was beyond time. No doubt this matter will cause a commotion. But only if they can go back to the Earth.
Aarav had a frown on his face while Brandon was ecstatic. Groundbreaking or not, it was no help to their situation.
The only help they could get was going to this Caito city. From where they will have to go to Elysium city, oh it's on another solar system. When they reach the Elysium they may or may not get a ticket back to the Earth. All this travelling was sure to eat up their whole lifetime. It took them 560 hours to just reach this village, another city on foot, no way. Unless they had a mode to travel.