Nihilistic encounter

I am getting a strong sense of deja vu. This probably has happened before but I can't understand what's happening. I am at this place that is green. Too much greenery and there's someone sitting on a bench ahead.

The sky is clear and blue with the sun shining. But the heat is almost optimal. Like it's a good spring day.

I should have been sleeping in my room with Eden and Clea. So where am I?

There's only one thing to do. I walk towards the person sitting on the bench. He is just sitting there, staring blankly at the ground. But what's truly odd is that he has a snake hanging around his neck.

A green snake is hanging around his neck. A bird is sitting on his head. I have no idea what that bird is. And there's a raccoon on his lap.

I rub my eyes and look again. No, I didn't make any mistakes. It's literally that. How should I react?

Deep breaths…I take deep breaths and calm down. I have to be calm and unfazed.

"Good sir, are you well?"

Let's try to be a bit dramatic. He looks at me. Eyes, his eyes are just void. They're void of emotions, hope, expectations and most of all, life. I have never seen such empty eyes. Even mine didn't look like that.

"Well I am however who art thou?"

He responded dramatically as well. Let's drop the dramatics as I have no idea how to continue that.

"I am fine. But you don't seem fine. The bird, the snake and the raccoon…are they okay?"

"Don't mind them. They have a bad habit of hogging all the attention for themselves."

He pets the snake and the raccoon. The bird stayed unfazed.

"Here, have a seat."

He moved to make room for me. I sat beside him.

That's when I noticed it. He wasn't staring at the ground. It looked like the ground. But there's nothing there. After sitting on this bench, I see nothing. The greenery has disappeared.

The scenery has changed. We are sitting on a bench surrounded by nothing. It's empty. Vast emptiness of the void grasped me.

I almost fell from the bench. And in that vast void there's something else.

I look ahead and find a huge blackhole. What is that?

The event horizon is just ahead. I can see light swirling around the blackhole. But it's far bigger than I had thought.

"You can see it too, can't you?"

He asks.

"I do."

Was I in a trance?

"What do you see?"

"A blackhole. A big no massive blackhole swirling the light around it. It's as if it will devour me as well."

"Do you want to jump in?"

Clive is enchanted. He stands up and starts walking towards the blackhole. Nothing is stopping him. His body is trying to run away but he isn't in his right mind.

However, he stopped. No, he was stopped.

Someone held his shoulder and stopped him from taking a step forward.

"Just a few steps left. You had to butt in and kill all the fun."

The guy stands up from the bench. The bird, the snake and the raccoon have all disappeared.

He comes towards Clive who has passed out on his feet.

The one holding him is none other that Keith.

"Keith, it's good to see you."

"Bazarov, it's been a while. But I won't tolerate a prank like this." (Keith)

"What's the harm in it? He possesses the affinity for nihility. He should become a true nihilist." (Bazarov)

"Give up, Bazarov. I won't let Clive become a nihilist. And how did you find him anyway?" (Keith)

"It was a chance encounter. But again, I don't believe in encounters. Maybe he was drawn towards that. The core of nihility. The ultimate destination of everything." (Bazarov)

"That may be true but for now, let it be. I will drop him at his home. Don't try to pull a stunt like this again. Constant isn't exactly fond of such surprises." (Keith)

"That would be troublesome. Fine. I'll show my face sometime soon. Until next time." (Bazarov)

Just like that, the void disappeared along with the blackhole leaving Clive and Keith at the previous garden.

"Maybe I'll blur his memories a bit. He doesn't need to know about nihility yet." (Keith)

And Keith carried Clive home and made his memories of this encounter a bit foggy. Clive won't remember it vividly and peg it as a weird dream.