Followers

He felt lighter. In fact, it was lighter than he was ever before, and he was not quite sure why. But in a sense it felt definitely peculiar, the way thick fogs around him kept everything blur to his eyes until all he saw was complete white structureless walls. He was not certain if he was even breathing, or if there was even air. It felt light.


Everything.


His lungs were at ease. He did not hear his heart throbs, though it was pin drop silence that he should actually be able to. It was as if he had flew in a tunnel, was blown; or rather sucked by a giant vacuum to the end of the tunnel that had not still come visible. Too much easiness did not make him feel a bit comfortable at all, in fact it freaked him out to death. Death?


"What is this place,"
"This is where you belong, now."
"But I don't even know this place. And who are you, what is this place?"

There was no reply.

"Please, I need to see my daughter..are you a doctor? Who sent me here, did he send my daughter too? My daughter's not fine but I am, she's hurt, listen to me!"
"I don't think I need to, but I think you must come with me."
"What-what do you mean-"
"Oh don't you get it Mr Henders. Your time is up. What's done is done; and you are now on your own. You have lived life and it's time to return home."

Alex tilted his head to see where he was standing. What he thought should be in a hospital wasn't there. There were no nurses, no beds, no windows, no exit doors, no nothing. And the man he was talking to was the only one there. A classy suit that fits him in don't even relate him to a group of paramedic; even. How could I not notice that! He asked himself.

"You know, I'm not talking to you anymore-why am I even talking to you?! When I wake up I'm going to laugh at this foolish dream and meet my daughter."
"If you are, Mr. Henders-"
"GET OFF! And I know just what I'm going through, I passed out and that's it! When I'm back I'll run to see my daughter!"
"You would?"
"I told you I'm not talking to you any longer!"

While his senses started to fail Alex, the man in front of him laughed, seeming to enjoy the drama.

"Then why are you still talking to me?"

He pretended not to hear him laugh. He thought he'd better get started to walk but nothing seemed to move around him. It's as if time itself is not ticking anymore. He grew more and more tired and soon, he fell on the mists of thirst. When he opened his eyes, he saw the face again.

"Did you find what you're looking for?"
"S...top, m-mock..ing me. You, you...are nothing. You hear me..? N-nothing."
"I pity you. You don't understand a thing but you think you do."
"Shush. Shushhhh..!"
"What were you looking for?"
"-ARE. Told you it's my daughter. Why...are you still around? Are you an alien or something? I told you to get away, didn't you hear me?"
"Haha, you make great jokes Mr. Henderson! Have you found her anyway?"
"No. And I'm not joking. You'll stop that at once...or I'll do something to make you."

The man turned around and walked away from him. Alex felt helpless though his hatred towards the man had grown even greater than his helplessness.

"Hey...hey, wait! Can you...can you help me?"
"You are nobody to ask me for assistance. I don't serve you."

If Alex was a child, he would-at this time-be one that we'd call stubborn little one, oddly courageous and who knows if it was at a wrong time. But he couldn't care less. What mattered was to get to his dear girl.

"-everything around me don't seem to move at all. I'm sorry I was being rude-but you know, this feels quite weird for a dream... I'm really confused, I should be awake by now. I don't know for how long I have been-"
"Sleeping?" The other snapped in. "Oh no you're not, you're not sleeping fellow. Look around you."

And he smiled, clutching Alex's collar and forcing him up. I'll lend you a hand, he said; but his 'helping hand' was too harsh for Alex that he felt as if it was a murder attempt instead; as if he was strangled instead of helped up. But again, it didn't hurt. Nothing did, other than his awful thirst.

"Oh, did I make you choke?"

Alex was silent, balancing himself as if he was a newborn. It was not long before he started to moan.

"No, no, no...how did I-my daughter, and my wife, I want to see them, please!"
"And why do you think you deserve a chance? What made you think that you can even ask for one? Foolish!"

Then his voice grew thunderous. Alex was struck panic, he feared nothing as much as he had then. Struggling to believe that it was all a very bad dream, he begged for mercy.

"Please...I...I thought I could see her so I can tell her something very important..I missed it, but I think I deserve a chance...Please, you must've been along, you must've seen me! I taught her good things, and-and-I did treat my family well-my friends, my,my...everyone around me! I deserve another chance,just one more, please!"
"You should have done what you didn't, Mr. Henders. You thought you did and that's why you're nothing more than all the other fools! Now watch yourself perish with the ashes and weep for your sins!"