I don't think I've ever wondered about life and death, and questioned the world around me, as much as I did that day.
I was never a curious person. Always a bit too normal and a bit too boring, and very misunderstood by everyone around me. I lived a relatively normal life. At least until I met her.
April 8th 2025,
That was the day my life changed.
My name is Altair, and my life changed the moment I met that girl. A new joinee to Tsukishima Private School.
We rarely got new joinees, considering our town was small, with barely any scope for expansion. And people kept moving out but never moving in.
I still think about the time the teacher introduced her to the class,
"Everyone, please welcome our transferee, Miss Alice Newark. Ms Newark, please introduce yourself."
I kind of missed her entire self-introduction, as I was enchanted by her beauty. I kept staring at her till she sat down.
This was the point in the story where the handsome, comedic, best friend character would tease me.
Sadly, that didn't happen, I had no friends.
"Altair", I thought, as her blonde hair reminded me of what happened back in 19'. Those were my sister's last words, "Altair".
I didn't talk to her much, nor did she notice me. The whole school was abuzz, and as always, I was reading about the world.
Oh yeah, I do have a quirky habit. To read about the world, politics and wars. There was something so intriguing about the nuance that always got me hooked.
These stories of men, diplomats, terrorists, freedom fighters, leaders and war mongers ignited something in me I never knew I had.
The day passed. So did the day after that, and the day after. And just like that, we were nearing our semester examinations.
And our teacher, Ms Brook, had the genius ideas of splitting us into study groups.
We all drew straws, and you'd think I'd be matched with her at this point, but no. I was with a group of 3 other guys.
I had never heard of the first dude-I didn't even know he was in this school. The second was Jose, an outgoing guy who didn't necessarily specialise in anything—he was not a bookworm or an athlete. But somehow, everyone knew him, and most of them liked him.
And the third was someone I had known since my first year in Tsukishima, Bethel Swan. He was a superathlete (in lacrosse), but no one ever teased him about that. He had gone on to win multiple national level trophies for the academy and even got featured on national television. He was someone I'd always been envious of.
We all introduced ourselves,
"Hey, I'm Bethel. I hope we all work hard"
Said the person with the bright face,
"Hello, pleasure to meet you all. I'm Jose"
Exclaimed the one with fish eyes,
"Uhh, I'm Steph-Stephan, and I hope we all do well", stuttered the one with the dark circles,
And lastly, it was my turn.
"Hey, I'm Altair. I hope we get our work done"
I exclaimed. I prayed to every god I knew not to make me stutter like Steph.
______
Being a part of the study group helped me pass the time, although I barely understood whatever they were going through. Linear Algebra. Something reserved for Final years, yet it was being taught to us juniors.
"Determine the magnitude of the vector", said Jose, looking diligently at my sunken eyes.
"I....Its-"
"RING-RING-RING"
As I was going to admit to not knowing, but the bell rang. And we were all heading home. The harsh pattering of raindrops with gravel could be heard. Luckily, I had brought an umbrella with me.
I walked down, alone, towards the entrance.
She was there. Alice, the one person who made me get up every day and come to school.
I glanced at her and saw that she didn't have an umbrella. And I did. You might think this was finally the time. The time where I'd bravely go up to her and ask,
"Do you wanna share an umbrella?"
Unfortunately, I wasn't that brave a person. And I just walked past. I felt her eyes on me and turned back. She wasn't there anymore.
I thought about the possibility of what could have happened. She could've said yes, and we could've walked home together. I would've dropped her off, and that would blossom into a friendship. Maybe someday, something more. Then I thought about what else could've happened. She could've rejected me, laughed in my face, and spread the story to the entire school. And my reputation would go farther down the drain than ever before.
I walked forward, thinking, through the second cross street, thinking, towards the mini-bridge, thinking, and past it, thinking, up the hill, and onwards, thinking.
And somehow, I saw her again. She was there, walking, alone. Her blonde hair was drenched. She was walking towards the yellow cones. The ones that signal that there was a steep fall. And she was walking straight ahead.
The water fell and dripped down her and her uniform and merged with the layer of water on the road.
I ran. I don't know how I got myself into this situation, and I didn't think for a second about any consequences, nor about if she would spread rumours about me. I couldn't let her fall. Not like I did her. I ran faster than I knew I could run, and I tackled her.
We both fell into the mud as she pushed me away.
"What're you doing?"
"There's a steep fall that way. you may be new here, but that isn't a place where you can hang out."
I said, once again praying to every god not to make me stutter and ruin this moment that made me feel cool.
"Didn't you hear me? That side is dangerous. You can cut through the riverside, and you'll get past the pit..."
"I heard you. And I know about the fall. And I know why you tackled me. I'm not the one you tried to save, am I? You tackling me won't bring your sister back."
I.... I didn't know what to think. I didn't know what to say. I had no idea she had already found out about my sister. And about that incident. Was this all a practical joke? Did she know I would pass through here and do this just to trigger me? I felt my blood boil as she smiled.
"I know. I wasn't the person you were trying to save. Yet, you didsave me. I have to thank you for that, don't I?"
As her sentence had barely finished. A bright white light enveloped me.
____
I opened my eyes, and I was there. The same place where I was knocked out. However, I couldn't seem to find Alice anywhere. What the hell happened? Did she flash bang me, somehow? As these thoughts raced through my mind. I saw something.
Something that made me realise. Maybe this wasn't the same place I was knocked out in.
A creature stood around 500 feet from me; it was grotesque, with three arms and holes all across its face. A warped version of a mouth was found on its Trypophobia triggering face. Was it smiling? I couldn't tell.
And then it opened that grotesque mouth.
"Altair, save me"