The Dark Blue Sky

Javi kept his promise, keeping her aware of the days passed. Two weeks later, MenMen was off the painkillers.

"The pain should now be bearable," Javi explained. "Even without the painkillers. Let's get you re-accustomed to your body."

MenMen nodded. The numbness receded, letting in a strange discomfort that couldn't be put into words. It wasn't unbearable though. Only now did she truly realise that her hands and legs were imprisoned in healing casts. And her back was continually tingling, like insects with innumerable legs were crawling up and down her spine. It was the weirdest feeling.

"It's fine," Javi consoled. "What you're feeling. You've been through something traumatic. Give your body time to come to terms with the changes. I told you it's going to be a long recovery. Let's make sure there's no lasting effect."

MenMen agreed in silence. She allowed herself the time to slowly adjust to the new reality, and she didn't fail to notice her changing mood. She was becoming cheery again, like the her from before, like the her from the orphanage. It was something truly unexpected and a startlingly warm surprise.

Kira showed up every afternoon. The first couple of days, he just kept her company in silence. Then, he started bringing books, children's stories, that he read to her. And then, he brought the comics she was so fond of. He sat by her side, holding the comics for her, turning the pages when she was done, bringing water to her mouth so she was hydrated. She felt like a real princess.

She knew it was impossible to truly share the responsibility for how she was feeling between the three – the accident, Javi and grand uncle. She was fine leaving it unresolved. She was comfortable with her two companions, and what could be more important?

Two months later, the casts were gone. Her hands and legs were free, and she felt an overwhelming relief. When the casts were removed, MenMen smiled her brightest smile. Javi, who was there then, smiled his most indulgent smile in return. The orthopedic doctor and the nurses in the room were astonished. Even a blind man would see that MenMen was special to Javi. Word spread, and by evening all of the hospital was talking about Javi and MenMen. That night was bound to be a sleepless night for all those who had secretly given out their hearts to the handsome doctor Javi.

None of that made any difference to MenMen. She was going to finally start with the longest and the most painful part of her recovery, rehab. For the first time, Javi and Kira were in the room together with MenMen.

"Rehab is going to be tough," Javi said. "I recommend she extend her stay here. We'll be able to take care of her to the best of our abilities, assuring a swifter and more complete recovery. We have one of the best rehab facilities in the state."

Kira stayed silent, looking at MenMen, as if to say it was her decision.

"I need some time," MenMen said.

Kira nodded.

"Of course," Javi replied. "Let's talk again tomorrow." And then left.

When it was just Kira and her, she explained herself.

"There's no real reason. I don't know. I just need some time."

It wasn't the whole truth. Earlier, Ms Jones from rehab had massaged her back. It felt great. But as she lay on her stomach, MenMen's hands went under the pillow, where she felt something. After Ms Jones left, MenMen pulled out the thick, black card, and recognized it as the card grand uncle had left for her. She had completely forgotten about it. Before she could take a good look at it, however, Javi and grand uncle had walked in, and she quickly returned the card to where it was hidden for so long.

Kira nodded, with a small smile. He could see through her. There was something on her mind, something she felt a little embarrassed about, something that in some way had to do with him. He didn't know exactly what, but it didn't matter. He was sure she would tell him when she was ready. And he could wait.

"I'll leave you by yourself then," he said. Brushing her hair gently, he left.

When she was by herself, MenMen reached for the card again. It was thick, plain. Looked almost unremarkable. On the front, four words were printed in a simple font, with small letters in white colour.

The Dark Blue Sky

"What are you?" She asked aloud.

She didn't expect the card to give an answer, and it didn't surprise. She ran her thumb over the card, feeling the smooth surface. It was a while before realization dawned, this wasn't just a simple card, it was an access card. At the orphanage, they had access to the internet. On one of her aimless journeys through the internet's vast landscape, she came across something called dark sites. Intrigued, she read on.

Dark sites were sites on the dark web, which had no domain names and didn't even share their addresses. Instead, they offered alternate ways to access them. One such way, one of the more elaborate, was the access card. These dark sites allowed access only with access cards. And additional rules could be added unlimitedly.

MenMen had wondered if she would ever have the opportunity to encounter a dark site. And here she was, holding an access card to one in her hands. She was delighted, as she reached for her phone.

The blue brick was something grand uncle had given her the morning after leaving the orphanage.

"It has my number stored in it," he told her. "Call me whenever. Whatever the matter. However small the emergency. Even if it isn't an emergency. I will answer."

She accepted the phone, but had never called. In fact, she left it underneath her clothes in the closet in her dorm, and had forgotten about it entirely. Those at the orphanage didn't have their own phones, and they weren't expecting her to call. And she knew no one outside of school. So she hadn't felt the need for the phone, until now. It was no mystery that her grand uncle had gotten her phone from her dorm. No one else could possibly know. And it wasn't as if anyone cared enough to look.

She opened the browser, and paused. What was she supposed to do? The card was an access card, but what was she to do with it? While searching for a clue, she brought the card close to her face, and near the phone. The moment the card touched the phone, something happened. The phone's screen went black. After a few seconds, an empty circle appeared in the middle of the screen, that was slowly filling up with light green. When the circle was completely filled, it disappeared, and the four words appeared in white.

The Dark Blue Sky

She kept staring, but nothing else happened. She tapped the screen, still nothing happened. Could it be voice activated?

"Hello," she said softly.

A robotic voice answered from the phone. "Do you wish to enter?"

"Yes," she answered.

A stream of beeps of different lengths followed, after which there was a click from the card. A tiny tray slid out from the side of the card, and in the middle of the tray was a small blue dot.

"Please place the dot on your temple, on the side of your stronger hand," the robotic voice said.

She followed the directions, placing the dot on her right temple. The dot stuck to her skin but she felt no discomfort.

"Initiating ingraining," the robotic voice said. "Please confirm."

"Yes," she answered.

And then, something extremely strange happened. It was as if hundreds of needles grew out from the dot, pricking all of her temple, slowly pricking lesser and lesser area, before slowly disappearing entirely. When she touched her temple, she couldn't feel the dot. It was gone, as if dissolved into her head. Her phone had gone back to normal. And the card seemed to have lost its lustre, looking more ordinary now.

What happened, she wondered.

The robotic voice answered inside her head. "Ingraining process successfully completed. You are in The Dark Blue Sky. Welcome."

She was speechless.