"Welcome to the world, Garret." The faint, tender voice drifted toward the room, accompanied by the murmurs he couldn't quite comprehend, along with the sound of rapid footsteps that filled the air.
Suddenly, the little baby Garret opened his eyes to see the world. His eyes widened, and seeing everything bathed in a stygian-blue hue. He then sensed the heat toward the hospital room, the soft glow of the lamp casting light upon him, passing through his body, mingling with the warmth of his mother's embrace. Even though everything appeared blurry and washed in blue, he could faintly make out the sweet smile on her face.
As his gaze wandered, he noticed the tangled wire, arranged in an oddly orderly fashion, while the constant beeping sound echoed repeatedly throughout the space. Soon after, he felt the firm yet gentle touch of a man's hand, accompanied by the warm, comforting gaze of the little girl standing quietly beside him, her smile overflowing with joy.
"You did it, Laila! I'm really proud of you," the man admired his wife as she finally gave birth to Garret.
"Thank you, Joseph. You've taken such good care of me for so long, that's why I finally made it happen."
"It's my pleasure, babe. I always want to see you happy."
"Oww, Joseph. you're so sweet~~"
As Garret heard their words, a thought of cloying sweetness ran through his head. Normally, he would have clenched his fists and fixed a gaze on them with annoyance whenever he witnessed such lovey-dovey moments between couples. He would've typically told them to get a room—just for the two of them—but now, he could say nothing. All he could do was cry out.
"Aww, looks like my brother is crying. Take it easy, your big sis is here," the girl said, her words flowing with energy, her voice bubbling with cheer. Her eyes sparkled wide, and her heart raced, overwhelmed with excitement.
"Haha, you must really love your brother, don't you, Lylia?"
"Exactly!! I've always wished for a brother, every Christmas day!" she replied, her words tumbling out in a quick, eager pace.
As Garret realized, he muttered himself in his mind that, he might truly have been reborn in another multiverse. But he couldn't recognize anything from the old world, only a fainted memory. As if everything got resetted before the cube sent him to rebirth.
However, his thoughts were soon disrupted by an unusual sound emanating from his sister's mobile phone, its echo filling the air and drowning out the beeping of the medical machines. The soft yet eerie background music caused everyone to freeze, their faces stunned in disbelief.
In an instant, Lylia quickly hugged her father, her trembling hands betraying her fear. Her heart raced wildly, but not from excitement. She buried her face deep into his chest.
"Daddy, I'm scared!" she cried out, the drop of water flowing from her eyes.
Joseph, with a calm expression, wrapped his arms around her, his hand gently patting her back. His voice, warm and reassuring, tried to comfort her.
"Take it easy, it's just a video from the internet, my little girl."
"But... but! My phone was powered off!" she replied, her voice shaking with fear
"Can you give me your phone?" Joseph inquired, his eyes fixed on his daughter. A storm of fear and confusion surged through his mind as he let out a sigh. The air conditioner hummed louder, its chill creeping through their skin, intensifying the already unnerving atmosphere.
"Here! But, what if... my phone got hacked?
Daddy..." Lylia gave her phone to his dad.
Her voice trembled, her heart skipping a beat as the sound of the eerie rhapsody grew louder. Even Garret, a baby, noticed the rhythm, though her mother couldn't hear it at all. The music played in an awkward manner, the emitted voices incomprehensible, as if the musicians had lost consciousness while performing, accompanied by high-pitched notes that intensified its frightening effect.
Moreover, the murmured sounds that once filled the air were now gone, vanishing as if the hospital contained only the four of them.
"Daddy, where is... everyone?" she muttered, her gaze fixed on the door.
Before Joseph could speak, a distorted, chilling male voice began.
"Greetings, respected audience. Welcome to the show, the twisted universe."
As the voice faded, Lylia clung to her father more tightly.
"Ahhhhh, daddy, help me!!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in pitch.
Meanwhile, Garret, in his mind, thought,
'Sis, why are you so sensitive? I bet she'll go into a coma if she steps into the water.'
He glanced at his father and sister before surveying the surroundings.
"Alright, let's get to the point. Have you ever felt our mother universe dominated by nothingness?"
"What the heck? You shouldn't be speaking like this while you're drunk. Have you lost your mind, dude?" Joseph mumbled, his hand pressed against his forehead in frustration.
"Yes, someone's father is right, I am drunk and have lost my mind, but here, in this universe, shining so beautifully, and within those galaxies, solar systems stretching endlessly—nothing lasts forever."
"Sir! How do you know, who listening to you," she paused for a brief moment, her eyes gazing at her father.
"Daddy! Please turn of my phone, I can't stand anymore. Lylia letting out her voice, loudly. Her gaze fixed at her father face.
Joseph tried to turn off the video, his breath shortened, shallow and ragged, while his heart racing rapidly. "Dang it, why CAN'T I turn it off?"
Joseph repeatedly pressed the power button again and again.
Yet, everything seemed meaningless.
The screen continued playing the unusual video, its distorted voice growing more fractured, as if desperately trying to deliver a message.
"This universe is nothing... Everything is a delusion... Even—myself..."
Then, a sudden system alert flashed across the screen:
The man's voice abruptly cut off. His form glitched, flickering in and out of existence before vanishing completely.
But the show wasn't over.
The screen shifted to an eerily serene landscape—rolling hills blanketed in flowers, their petals an otherworldly blue.
Their name appeared in bold letters:
Sapphiret.
Just then, hundreds of thousands of insects emerged, swarming around the Sapphiret blossoms, twisting and dancing in unnatural synchronicity.
The text on the screen began running erratically, lines of code spiraling into gibberish, their origin unknown.
Hopefully, all of the unusual sounds vanished, the air that had been thick with tension now returning to normal. The murmurs of other people slowly filled the space again as everything went back to its usual state.
Then, Lylia's phone returned to its normal condition, and she could see all of the apps once more. Her heart, now racing slower, let out a sigh of relief. "Sighhhh, now everything is okay." She then turned her head to Garret and muttered softly, "Can you please stay with me for a long time, my little angel?"
The words of Lylia echoed in Garret's mind. Though he didn't reply, even as time passed, her words remained, lingering in his thoughts, accompanied by the image of her smiling face and her sweet voice.