[I never would have thought such memories would appear. Flashing before my eyes to what seemed like a film strip being inserted down in front of a projector aperture. Frame by frame, the projections continued to move from one frame to the next, effectively creating an illusion of motion. Reality, as it is, is filled with continuous movement. Nothing stays fundamentally still. But a camera can capture a state where an object was once, in an instant, stood completely still like taking of a single frame from a roll of film.]

[When I observed this, I always questioned myself until then if everything is real. If from what I see isn’t just some kind of illusion that a being more powerful than us would create. That said being however, claimed it so.]

"UWAAAH–! Denis is so fast! Not fair!!"

The trio as of right now, are currently playing tag and the 9 year old boy named Denis was IT.

The weather for today was fair. It was sunny with no visible clouds in the area. Though it was sunny, it was windy as well. This sort of combination makes the heat less noticeable.

The voices of kids screaming joyfully as they ran through the playground, the bustling cars that passes through from time to time, and the chirp of the birds, singing carelessly on top of the branches are the only things that could be heard at the moment.

"Tag you’re it!"

"Not fair!"

The girl, Elisa, complained like somebody had just stole her candy. She's a sour loser towards these kinds of games and doesn't want to be bested by anyone else. So when Denis had caught up to her, she drowned herself with the thoughts of herself being slow.

Then another boy approached the two. His name is Robert. A smart yet caring boy.

"Don't be such a cry baby."

Robert then caressed Elisa's head, the youngest of the three. About 2 years.

Just then, a smirk has appeared on Denis' face. What a perfect opportunity!  He thought. Robert is now completely distracted from comforting Elisa.

A gust of wind suddenly blew between them. With the thoughts of ending the game with his utmost victory, Denis walked towards Robert with a grin on his face.

And then...

"Tag, you’re it!"

"Wha–!"

Robert didn't notice that Denis was there, or rather, he thought that the game was paused while Elisa is weeping.

"WAAH–! See! He's cheating!"

Cheating?  Denis had thought. That wasn't considered as cheating, was it?

This was another episode of Elisa's unsightly complaining. Of course, being friends for 2 years already, Denis and Robert is already used to how Elisa acted. After all, Elisa is only 6 years old.

That being the case, Robert is in the middle, being 8 years old. A year younger than Denis.

"Stupid. That wasn't cheating." That is what Robert said but he too, originally thought that Denis is cheating.

"He is! I bet he made a deal with the devil to be able to run that fast!"

Stunned by the uncharacteristic remark of Elisa, Denis could only open his mouth widely while Robert is uneasy and worried. For his little sister to be accusing their friend of having to have a deal with the devil, he wondered why Elisa had thought that in the first place.

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"That's not something you should say to your friend!" So scolded Robert.

Because of his older brother's sudden scolding, she could only resign and apologies.

"I can assure you, I didn't have a deal with the devil."

Denis reassured Elisa from his suspicions. But to think that she already know the word devil in the first place... So thought Denis. Having to grimace.

Yes, Denis is a fast runner for his age. Even his parents were surprised on how fast he runs. It's just talent, they thought.

The three have been friends for two years and this is the first time that Elisa have accused of Denis to be doing something as ridiculous as having a deal with the devil. More so, if he were to have a deal with the devil, he wouldn’t ask for something as stupid as being able to run fast.

They both know for a long time that Denis is a fast runner.

Though it's strange, she didn't really mean it. Denis had thought to himself. It's probably just her copying a line in a horror film. Yeah that's it. Denis had dismissed what Elisa had said to him as nothing more than just how a mere child would get easily influenced by shows in television. He himself is the same also, he thought.

"Let's rest for a bit. My feet is tingling from all the running."

"Right."

As what Robert suggested, the three rested under the only tree in the playground. The tree is a bit close to the road though. They can still smell the carbon monoxide the cars have constantly released to the road.

It was the end of summer. Tomorrow, they would go to the same school but not the same grade. After school they would meet up, go to the playground to play tag or any other games they would think of then after that, they'll return home to be scolded by their parents for coming home late. Like always. This sort of already established schedule will never change.

Again, a gust of wind suddenly blew through them, giving Denis an idea to talk about... Somehow.

"What're you guys want to do in the future!?"

He excitedly asked as he stood up with a smile on his face and pointed his finger at them.

"What we want to do? What do you want to be in the future, Elisa?"

Having been asked suddenly, Elisa sunken deep in thought.

After a few seconds, she spoke.

"I want to be an artist!!"

"Oh?" The two said in unison.

Elisa does love to draw. Even the notebooks that should have been used to write notes, she'd drawn all over them with stickman drawings or doodles.

Being the big brother, Robert had to erase all of them. As per the orders of their parents.

"What about you, big brother?"

Having been asked suddenly too, he is also deep in thought. And so did Denis.

While Robert is thinking, Denis is also thinking of what he wants to be.

Denis never really had thought of anything and having something to dream of never crossed his mind. Not the slightest.

What should I be in the future...?  He is now also deep in thought.

Then came Robert's answer.

"I want to be a writer! I will write stories about how robots take over the world!!"

"Wow!"

"That's interesting."

Denis and Elisa nodded to his plans.

"Elisa, since you want to be an artist, why don't you be the one to do all the illustrations for my stories? We'll be a duo!" With him raising his fist as he finished his sentence.

Elisa tilted her head.

"What's an illustration, big brother?"

"Ah... Yeah. Well it's basically just drawings."

Elisa's eyes sparkled. Being introduced with a fancy word with meaning equal to that of a simpler word is exciting for her. Even more so when she can do that said word's intention.

"OK! I will draw cool pictures for you!"

"I'll look forward to it!"

After smiling at the sight of his little sister's cheerful answer, Robert then turned to Denis.

"How about you, Denis? You’re the one who asked and yet you’re the one who answered last..."

Denis sunk into deep thought again.

Dreams, ambitions... Why can't I think of anything?  He murmured to himself. Anything will do fine just think of something...

Just then, suddenly having a vision.

Glimpses of something flashed before his eyes. The flashes of white and black, one by one, crossed his thoughts like a strip of film running through a camera. This took ages but the time didn't move, not even a second have passed. All these flashes swooped by like an instant but felt like centuries.

Then, the flashes became clearer. It shows a series of images about an angel. And then the story starts.

There was an angel who had fallen from heaven. For reasons of betrayal, the angel is banished to hell and thus became a fallen angel. This certain fallen angel wondered over hell, coming across feral demons as it made its way through its treacherous journey.

Journey to where? It wasn't told. The images then reverted back to black and white. The time slowly regained momentum and the flashes steadily became transparent until it's no longer visible.

| A small strip of what this angel is shown. For the rest, thou shall come in a later date. | dorL nomeD~

Confused to what he had seen but not scared. Not even creeped out nor startled. Not an emotion showed on his face. Like it was all natural. Like nothing ever happened. This was odd...

The last message that this sudden vision had shown him made him more confused. To his judgement, he can only expect more of these in the future.

Time had fully regained speed and now time moves in a normal pace.

Why did time also stopped when the images crossed my mind faster, like it was real? Was it even real?  Who is that angel? What is its name? What happened to it? This is all so confusing... Is what he asked to no one in particular.

Then a thought came to Denis.

P...ho...tograph...y...

That word suddenly came to mind. No reason he noticed to why this word comes out, no reason to why this word specifically. It just did.

So by now, a mere 3, seconds have passed from the time when Denis was asked by the question.

"... photo..."

"Can you speak up?" The two requested him.

"I want to be a photographer!"

Denis triumphantly announced to his friends and fiercely pointed his index finger to them.

"Eh? Why?"

Because of how proudly Denis had answered the question, Robert unconsciously asked him why photography.

"...Why?" So thought Denis to himself.

He never answered that question.

Unbeknownst to him, this feeling of having known his true purpose in life was artificial.

[Even now, I still can't answer that question. “Why?” Is the question I always ask myself every morning. Why? Why? Why? WHY?

Until now, I wondered over my answer. Till now, 9 years later, I still wonder. I might have, more or less, forgotten something important. It's probably the answer to why photography specifically.

But I get the feeling like this isn't the answer that I meant to go with. I feel like someone just lead me to it.]

...

And it maybe wasn't...

...So I forgotten about it.

Too, those friends I dearly cared for. Their existence is gone.

And so I ask myself again. Is this world an illusion?