Chapter 07: In the dark place

It felt like days had passed in that dark place but even after some time, he didn't feel any hunger or the need to go to sleep. He just stayed at that place listening to the voices from outside. The adults talk about strange things. Oftentimes he would hear them talk about wiping out something and making everything and everyone normal. He heard once from the lady that, "emotions are such unimportant things that hinders us from achieving our goals." He only heard what the adults say but he couldn't really understand anything they say.

Aside from listening to the voices outside he would also think about something or someone and make them appear in that dark place. For example one time he thought about Miss Shiro and she did appear. He tried asking questions from her but he only heard the same reply from her before. He also noticed that the words coming out of her mouth was from him too and whatever he was thinking of is what she'd say.

He would also think about his rose and what would appear in front of him was the perfect lovely red rose that he always thought of. He could easily make these objects appear and disappear right in front of him but he made this rose stay with him so he wouldn't feel so lonely.

It felt like weeks had passed and he was still in that place. He tried to knock and shout at the flat surface but it would not light up like last time. The little prince had been alone in a long time and he felt so lonely. He wondered if he was ever going to get out of there.

There was nothing to really listen to outside except for a beeping sound. It has been weeks since he heard the lady and Mr. James's voice. Have they abandoned him too?

***

While in the middle of playing with the aviator in his mind, his surrounding lit up. Something was happening and the little prince, even if he had no idea what it is, felt excited.

"Turn the power up," he heard the lady's command.

He heard Mr. James mumbled words under his breath.

His surroundings lit up more and the whole room was illuminated. After that event certain objects appeared around him.

These objects were all familiar to him: the pilot, the sheep, the fox, baobabs, his rose, and many more.

The little prince smiled and closed his eyes, he was finally getting out of there.

"Push the button," the lady shouted.

Upon hearing that his surroundings went black again and he can no longer hear voices from outside. The little prince opened his eyes and was surprised by what just happened. He tried to focus on hearing the voices again but he can no longer do so.

He looked at the objects around him and they started to disappear one by one. He tried to think of these objects but no matter how hard he did, they would not reappear.

He looked for his rose and upon finding it, he held tightly to it. "Please don't go too," he said with tears in his eyes.

Soon the other objects disappeared except for the rose he hold on tightly to.

"I don't know where I am," tears began to flow on his cheeks. "Please get me out of here," he desperately called out even though there is nobody there.

***

As days passed he had difficulty recalling memories he had before he got into that place. He tried so hard to remember but the longer he stayed there, the more he forgets.

"How did I get here again?" the little prince asked the rose which he held on tightly. It did not answer him.

The little prince smiled at the object. "I'll get us out of here, I promise".

He looked around the place searching for a possible exit. He had tried so many times to get out of that dark place. He tried to break the flat surface by imagining a heavy object and tossing it there to break it. However no matter how hard he throw it, the flat surface won't break and not a single scratch can be seen.

Next he also tried to drift into the darkness looking for a possible end to it but after a long time that seems like days of drifting in the limitless darkness, he stopped and considered the possibility that this place he was trapped in doesn't end.

The little prince heaved a sigh. He was starting to lose hope that he would be able to get out of that place. He closed his eyes and held tightly to the rose, his only source of hope at the moment.

"I don't know if I can get out of here," he said to the rose while caressing its petals, "I really am doing my very best but if I don't come back, I wanted to apologize for leaving you all alone".

He paused as he tried to recall about his past. The little prince don't possess a bad memory but this time he's having a difficult time remembering his past. No matter how hard he tried he doesn't remember where he came from. All that was left in his memory of his origin is that he has a lovely rose waiting for him back home.

Tears started to flow down the little prince's cheeks. He began to cry as he thought about how lonely his rose must have

been feeling. He badly wanted to go back and be with her and he had already tried several times but to no avail. He doubts if he would ever be able to go back to his rose.

The little prince while in the middle of sobbing heard a familiar voice calling him.

The little prince looked around, "anyone there?"

No one else was in that dark place but him. He examined the flat surface but there doesn't seem to be any hint of cracked surface nor a scratched area.

"Who are you?" the little prince asked with a loud voice.

"Never forget who you are," the voice said.

He really had heard this voice before. This is someone from his past. He tried to recall his memories of whoever owned this voice. After minutes of recalling he found out who owned it. It was his rose!

The little prince jumped up and down with glee. He had been longing for her a moment ago and now he's hearing her voice.

"Where are you?" the little prince shouted at the rose he was holding on tightly for days now.

There was silence and he heard no reply from her. He began to worry whether what he heard was real or was he was just hearing voices. He waited for a reply from her, he was really hoping it was her really talking to him.

Minutes had passed since he last heard the voice. He let out a sigh. He must have been longing for his rose so much that he started to imagine hearing her voice. That's what he thought until-

"Come back to me, I miss you"

He heard it again and this time her voice made him feel something inside. A warm fuzzy feeling that he forgot about its existence of for a long time.

***

"Cyrus are you okay?"

He snapped back to reality. He looked around and saw the instructor in front looking at him sternly.

"I said are you o-," the man repeated himself.

"Yes I am, apologies," he replied.

"Do you not feel well? If not I would call a health official to examine you," the man in front of him offered.

"I feel well, please proceed Sir Luke," he answered, he doesn't realize why something seem to worry him with this idea.

"Okay take your seat Cyrus," the man replied and so he did as he was told.

What was that he heard just now? Come back to whom? Who misses him?

His mind was preoccupied by these thoughts however he tried his best to clear his head. The assessments are coming up and he can't be distracted by anything else right now.