Theia

               I open my eyes and experience nothing but darkness. Rather, I can see nothing more than ten feet away from me. I'm standing on a circular platform that is completely shrouded by shadows, and my feet feel as if they are glued to their spot.

Odd. I thought, this isn't how my dreams usually go. Usually, they were filled with bright colors or flowery meadows, and occasionally there was a fluffy dog. After all, since the tragedy of October 7th, 2025, no one can see these things when they are awake, no one can see anything when they are awake. Everyone that exists in the world since that date has been stripped of their sight.

Unlike in my regular dreams, I felt completely aware, and yet, I could not wake up. It's as if I was stuck in this soundless, cold, and dark abyss. I could feel fear start to flood its way into my mind, creeping up my back and sending shivers down my spine. What if I could never escape this dream? What if I'm stuck asleep for eternity?

"Nonsense Theia, it's just a dream, don't be scared" I muttered, trying to reassure myself, I stay in my place for fear of venturing out into the darkness.

I'm thinking of a way to get out of this place when a loud voice interrupts my thoughts. A figure materializes in front of me in the darkness. She is wearing complete white. It's a woman who seems to be in her twenties. She appears to be sitting or laying down in a position as if she were lazily sprawled out on a couch. She is reading some sort of paper but the only words I can make out are October 7th, 2025.

I know that date, I pondered, that's when everyone went blind. I started pacing, wondering why she was there and why she was reading the paper from 7 years ago. Before I got the chance to ask the girl about the paper she was reading, she started screaming. It was an earsplitting screech, but not of pain, oh no, it was of fear. I whirled around to face her, and saw her clawing at her eyes. She rolled out of her laying position and ended up crouched on the floor. She faced me and let out a bloodcurdling cry for help.

At this position, I could see her eyes, although wish I hadn't. They were slowly becoming more and more clouded and red. The skin around them was cracked and the veins had become black and were protruding from her skin. She cradled her face with her hands tried to wipe at her eyes.

I looked away and felt sick from the repulsive picture that was still lingering in my mind.

"Make it go away. Go away, go away, go away," she whispered, her voice cracking and shaking. I snapped my head back to her.

"What?" I inquired, was she talking to me?

"Go away, make it go away!" She cried, holding her head. She murmured her sentence repeatedly, whimpering and sobbing all the while. Then, she stopped.

"I- I can't see." She wailed "I can't see! Help! Someone, anyone, help!" Just as she was about to let out another shout for help, she disappeared along with her cries.

I stood there, astonished. Had that really just happened? I thought I couldn't do anything to help her, I just stood here useless, glued to my spot. Could she even hear me? Just as I was debating why I couldn't speak to her, another figure appeared.

This time, it was a man. He's also dressed in white, but he has some sort of mask covering his face. There is a bag in his hand dated October 7th, 2025.

That's the same date I concluded, something strange is happening, Why is day the world went blind appearing over and over again in this dream?

"Get the money" he hissed "Get the money and let's go" he  waves someone to go faster. Was he robbing someone, or maybe something? Maybe he's robbing a bank. Another voice speaks but this one is warbled, and distant, I can't figure out what they are saying. The masked man responds.