Waves surround me, they have always surrounded me. But before I had the land to look for. Now, I am lost. I don’t know how much time has passed, it might be an hour, a day, or even a year. It doesn’t matter.

In this haze I couldn't think, in this haze, I felt empty. I had a longing, but I couldn’t understand what I was longing for. I could see land, it was distant yet reachable, just like my thoughts.

I used to feel calm in the ocean, but not anymore. I was nearer to the land than I was before, the waves were taking me to it. But, I had a repelling sensation. ‘I did NOT want to go there, I did not want to be there.’ I did not know why.

The boat pulled onto the land, but I did not get off it. I was shivering, I tried to get down, however, my body protested as if it was being repelled by the land. I forced myself on the earth and fell face first on the sand.

I sighed in relief and rose, Up ahead I could see a mountain, and I wondered, “Does it really wish to stand there? Or maybe it’s just waiting for its inevitable end, for it gets so lonely up there, doesn’t it? Just standing above the rest, towering over them. Having the power to destroy everything below it, but yet it can’t experience the joy, the beauty of life. Yes, life can grow around it, but it perishes, yet the mountain stands. Constantly viewing the cycle of birth and death, waiting for its imminent destruction.”

My legs were like noodles, they ached and creaked like a door being opened after a century, yet I walked. As I passed the groves, I saw a village-like place ahead of me.

It was quite uncanny, the house looked the same, the clothes people wore were mostly the same, hell the way people moved and worked was the same.

A light hand tapped me, I jolted away from the source. It was a broad old, man with voids for his eyes.

He grinned, “I didn’t mean to scare you.” He got closer to me, I tried to step back but my body refused to budge. My throat had gone dry.

“What’s your name son?” He asked

I opened my mouth and shut it again, My eyes widened and in horror, I stared at his face, his eyes looked a bit different, didn’t they? But that was the least of my concerns as I had forgotten my name.

“What’s wrong son?” he asked, I couldn’t understand what was happening. My head was spinning, even thinking was taking so much effort.

My eyes were burning, my hands and legs were shaking. I was on the ground, trying to breathe, and a moment later light left my eyes.

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I woke up in a pitch-black room, the room was empty not even a single piece of furniture was there, just a door. As if the room was meant for prisoners.

I pulled the door, and there was a kitchen in front of me and the same old man was dining in it.

I glared at him, “You asked my name yesterday, didn’t you? My name is Aoyama Aoki.”

I was a bit baffled, the voice was mine, but the way I sounded felt a bit strange

“My name is Leo Vongotski.” The old man said and gestured to me on the chair beside him. I sat beside him. And after a long time, I felt at ease, yet I shed a tear, not of happiness but of grief. I wondered why I had shed that tear when I was finally at home.

A distant memory tugged me, but it just felt like a vision from a dream.

“Where had you been son?” Mr. Vongotski asked as he poured me some tea, in the entirety of the conversation he hadn’t for once faced me.

I raised the cup to my mouth, the tea looked and smelled different. It was brown and a bit thick, and it had much more ingredients than just tea leaves and water.

“I was lost in the ocean,” I said instantly without putting much thought into the word, and I still feel lost, I thought.

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The market was bustling today, more so than usual. Kids were tugging their gossiping mothers, and traders trying to sell their items at the cheapest price possible.

I was here looking to buy baits.

A heavy hand tapped me, “Hey Aoyama, can I crash at your place tonight?”

I recognized the man and quickly bowed, “It would be my honor Lord Harztone, but I have to ask my wife first so as to make arrangements in my modest hut.”

Harztone looked at me bemused, “Don’t you live alone?”

My mind screamed, “Apologies Lord Harztone, the last few days have had a heavy toll on me, I can’t think the way I used to.”

Lord Harztone burst into laughter and said, “It’s fine man, also stop with the ‘Lord Harztone’ shit, call me Harz.”

I gave him a light smile, as everyone gasped and looked at the sky. It was early, but the Stars had begun to fall. It was like a beautiful tapestry, and felt grateful to the lord for giving me life.

Until one piece of falling star pierced my spine. I was on the ground, and my head was aching like about to explode, I tried to relax, but those breaths were like breathing in fire.

I was crying with pain, as Harz shouted for help, panic set in the crowd as everyone ran for shelter, stars were hurled at people here and there.

Images and sound began to unwind in my mind all at once, but it wasn’t chaotic, it was cathartic.

Suddenly the pain calmed down and my mind was at peace.

And for the first time in ages, I felt complete and at ease, and a voice whispered in my head “Run!”