Epics of Noche 1, Anchor

EON CH 28

"It feels like there's a void in my being. I'm scared... That I won't recover my past." She said, "The only thing I remember is waking up on a beach... A beach where even the ocean vanished... A beach which became that desert."

Noche felt her throat go dry. She was forced to swallow her spit.

"I was trapped in a desert as void as I am."

Due to her head being lowered, neither of them noticed the pinhole developing in Noche's left eye.

"I still have nightmares... I wish it was just horrible nightmares... I wish it wasn't real... But it was... Everything that occurred to me in that desert." Noche said, "I still have nightmares about it... Of returning to that desert... To that nothingness..."

She could taste the sand upon her tongue.

"All I have to do is pass the Cross entrance exam... If I pass that exam and join Cross, I can begin to search for my memories." She said.

Noche went silent as she became lost in her thoughts.

"But if I fail... I'll have to wait an entire year before I can retake the exam...Wait an entire year... Wait... Wait, just like I did, in that desert." She thought, "Wait... Trapped in that feeling of NOTHINGNESS... For a whole year... If I fail, I'll be forced to suffer such emptiness."

Noche's hands began to shake uncontrollably. She clasped her hands together, intertwining her fingers so tightly they turned white. Yet the trembling did not stop.

"No... No... I need to recover my memories. If I recover my memories, then I won't feel empty... I won't be empty like that desert." She thought, "And to search for my memories, I need to find DeathTech. That requires resources. The kind ONLY CROSS can provide. So I NEED to join Cross... I NEED to pass the Cross entrance exam!"

Noche gulped.

"But... If I fail... Then I would rather drown in the abyss than live in that desert."

The little ornament anchor on her choker felt heavier. Noche could feel the weight pulling her under the waves. Accepting the abyss, and letting her anchor drag her down there, was much easier than letting the desert turn her to sand. After all... She had accepted it before... Noche shut her eyes and shook her head.

"No... I will keep moving forward." She whispered under her breath.

"EVERYBODY, THE TRAIN HAS STOPPED." The intercom spoke, "THANK YOU FOR RIDING."

Noche snapped back to reality as Dreg shut his book. He casually looked over to the aisle and motionlessly waited as passengers walked on by. When enough space was clear, Dreg got up and Noche grabbed the drucket.

As Noche followed his lead, she happened to bump into a man with a trench coat. He turned towards her. Revealing a mask that looked like an incredibly realistic heart.

"Ssssoo sssorry." He said.

This man tipped his hat, and Noche noticed that the index finger of his hand was an extra knuckle joint long. Noche was a bit terrified as he walked away; holding a silver suitcase labeled for MoveCity. Dreg tapped Noche's shoulder when she stopped moving, and this brought her back.

They both walked out of the train, albeit Noche a bit more slowly, and Dreg retrieved the jeep. Both stood in the freshly rained world; surround by rocks and pine trees. Noche dramatically patted Dreg on the back with the same hand holding the drucket.

"I love petrichor," Noche said, "I'm ready to go home. You ready?"

"Don't touch me." Dreg said.

"Alright! Let's race back to Cross!" Noche shouted, "We'll run on zero. Ready"? Three-Two-"