12:55, May 25th
Miss, do you know what you'd like to order?— I had drifted off again, maybe for the second... or was it the third time? I've been having this odd feeling lately, detached from my emotions. I suppose I shouldn't be overthinking and try to get at least a couple of hours of sleep, despite the pounding headache. You 'kay?... Eeeeey.— The waiter's face seemed to be inches away from mine, which was resting on the table with my arms crossed. I was lost in thought once again. I jumped startled, completely disoriented, bringing my hand to my face, rubbing my eyes. Sorry... Sleeping isn't my thing.— Before I could continue speaking, the waiter placed a salmon-colored drink with two ice-cubes on my table. This will pick you up... It's on the house!— All this was done with innate speed, continuing his work with the same swiftness. I suppose everyone adapts according to the strength they were born with. I haven't had that chance yet, and I don't know if I ever will.
I tried that drink without hesitation, although perhaps I should have been more cautious. But it didn't matter; it had already burned my throat. Whether it had a lot of alcohol or not, it helped wake me up and sharpen my senses, accentuating the pounding pain in my head, near my forehead. The atmosphere of that restaurant might have been one of the reasons for my discomfort; it was a huge dining hall that recently opened; it's not expensive, but they offer high-quality menus. What makes it even more impressive is its glass dome shaped like an octahedron, allowing you to see the outside completely, mainly the city and the traffic; and its even better at night, being able to see part of the constellations from one of the lacrimal areas of the universe.
Silence.
An absolute silence encased the building, or maybe it was my head. Everything seemed to have stopped; I couldn't hear anything. The air began to feel heavy; a force seemed to pull me as well as objects towards the ground. Not only the air, but the sky lit up completely as if the Sun had risen. A great explosion shook the entire space, breaking the formation and creating a gap in "The Wall," a vast nebula that protected us from a large part of the universe. The explosion made the dome rumble, as well as the beams that held it, knocking over a large number of objects like plates or glasses to the ground, causing panic in the restaurant. A brief light crossed one of the glass panes of the dome above me, breaking it; shards of glass fell on me, cutting my arms and even my face. In addition to this affliction, the pain in my forehead intensified exponentially, leading my hand to the pain. People around seemed to be staring at me; my hand found a strange, sharp object that seemed to be stuck. I saw eyes everywhere; everyone was staring at me, I wanted to leave. The anxiety and adrenaline, combined with the increasingly intense pain, made me get up with the little strength I had left, stumbling over tables and people. I pushed the doors forcefully, which opened to the outside, with the sky still completely illuminated by that great explosion. Alarms were roaring everywhere; the traffic had come to a complete halt... I wasn't the only one feeling all this. Was this the end of the world? Leaning against the wall, my head seemed to shut down, my eyes blurry, swaying, I leaned on the railing next to me, trying to go down the ramp slowly. I was slowly losing consciousness; my surroundings were fading more and more; I had no more strength. After six steps, I collapsed to the side of the railing, falling to the ground face-first.
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. . . ?
C3, he...re!— Was that a voice? ...calling base! You co-!— I heard a female voice in the background, reverberating in my head over and over again. With blurred vision, I saw the figure of a not so tall mestizo woman. She was wearing some kind of silver suit, something improper for a soldier. I was gradually regaining consciousness, feeling movement at the same time; I was no longer on the ground; that woman lifted me, holding me under my arms, wrapping me with some kind of belt; I didn't understand anything; I didn't know what to make of the situation. How lucky I am to have found you...— There was no hint of malice in those words; she didn't even seem to have a cold or professional attitude like that of a soldier. Her eyes were full of joy and hope. Still, I had a strange feeling that prevented me from fully trusting her. I tried to escape by pushing her body, but it was futile as I was fixed to her by that belt. Let me go... what are you...— Still regaining my senses and strength and offering no resistance, those words escaped me, seeking to understand the situation. Nothing made sense. I know everything seems so weird, but you'll understand soon. You're in danger... we all are.— Simultaneously, she was hurriedly adjusting her strange plated armor and boots, putting on a transparent mask around her mouth. Without a second thought, she put another one of those masks on my face. Hold on tight!— My vision became clear at that moment, being able to see her face completely in addition to the giant explosion in the sky, which seemed to have wreaked havoc on the city. WAAAAAIT!— I shouted, but it was too late. With a great leap, we shot upwards at great speed, performing a series of maneuvers to dodge different traffic and airborne objects. Where was she taking me? Am I in danger? Who was that woman? What was happening? I didn't understand anything.
The ground, the air, and the sound faded away, leaving us surrounded by the cold void of space.
/ / / / /
C∞