Idlewild

I instinctively whipped around, heart racing, searching for the source of the voice.

"Who said that?" I asked aloud, my eyes darting around the empty room, but I saw no one.

"I did, silly… Are you… feeling okay, Alex?" The voice in my head sounded almost too casual, too familiar, and it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

What the hell? Who keeps talking? There was no one around me. It couldn't be real.

"Oh no. Oh gosh. Uhh. Hey, Alex, can you tell me what year R1X is currently living in?" The voice asked, laced with panic.

"WHO KEEPS TALKING?" I demanded, my voice echoing off the cold, barren walls.

"JUST ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION, ALEX!" The voice screamed, sharp and commanding, causing a jolt of fear to shoot through me. I winced, feeling the intensity of its force, as if it were physically shaking my skull.

"No. I can't. I don't even know what an R1X is," I stammered, heart pounding in my chest, trying to steady my breath.

The voice groaned. "Ohhh shit. Oh no. Oh noooo. Hey Alex, pick me up, would you?"

"How? Where are you? I don't see anyone around me," I muttered, my hands shaking as I reached for the nearest object, trying to ground myself, but all I felt was dust and the rough, uneven surface of the old wooden table beside me.

"Oh, right. Am I really going to have to explain all this? Uh… you see that little baby-blue gem thing you were about to pick up? That's me. Go ahead, pick me up, and bring me to your chest."

I glanced at the gem, frozen in place. Something about it was... oddly familiar, like I'd seen it before but couldn't remember where. The strange sense of deja vu gripped me again.

Still, against my better judgment, I bent down and grabbed the smooth, cold gem. As soon as my fingers brushed against it, a surge of energy shot through me, more intense than anything I had ever felt. It was like adrenaline flooding my veins—raw, pure, and almost intoxicating. My body tensed, muscles locking up for a moment before an unsettling warmth settled into my bones.

"Addictive, huh?" The voice purred, and I could swear I felt something like a smirk in its tone. It made my skin crawl.

I didn't respond. I couldn't. My breath was shallow, every part of me buzzing with energy as the sensation grew stronger. My heart raced as I slowly lifted the gem to my chest. The moment it made contact with my solar plexus, the feeling spiked—more intense, overwhelming. I felt like I was invincible, like nothing could touch me.

Before I could fully process what was happening, the gem floated from my hands, hovering in the air. I stared, eyes wide with confusion, watching as it moved closer to my body, and then—without warning—it passed straight through my skin.

"AHH. WHAT. WHERE'D YOU GO???" I screamed, my voice cracking as panic surged through me, my hands frantically clutching at my chest.

"Hehe. It's kinda cute watching the legendary walker, Alex "Voidstrider" Vale, freak out over me," the voice teased, amusement dripping from its every word.

Alex "Voidstrider" Vale. The name rang through my head, and for a split second, I thought I recognized it. But it didn't fit. It felt like it should mean something—something crucial—but I couldn't remember why. I frowned, my mind racing to catch up with everything.

"My God. This is not good. Really, really not good. You seriously don't remember a thing?" the voice asked, sounding almost... disappointed. There was a slight tremor in its tone, as if it had expected something else.

"Correct," I replied, my voice unsteady. "But how'd you know? I never said anything about that."

The voice hummed with a strange amusement. "Go back to your room. I'll explain more there. Also, you don't have to respond aloud. I can still hear you when you talk in your head like I'm doing."

I hesitated, the confusion clawing at me, but eventually, I did as the voice said. I turned, unsure of what to expect, and followed its instructions—following the guidance of a mysterious gem that could float and apparently read my mind, what am I doing?

"Heeey. I can hear your inner monologue too," the voice added with a playful tone. "I'll explain later, but I'll have you know, I take offense to that."

Oh uhh. I'm sorry. This is all just so weird. I need some answers, fast. I pressed my fingers against my eyes, trying to soothe the pain and confusion this past day has brought.

I hesitated, but eventually, I did as the voice said. I turned and walked back down the bright hallway, stopping at the blue door marked 0998. My room. A wave of exhaustion hit me as I stepped inside, the air thick with dust and the scent of something old and forgotten. The walls still felt wrong, the shadows still moved in weird ways, the space felt as if it were pressing in around me. I sat down on the tattered old bed, rubbing my temples as I tried to make sense of what just happened.

My hands still tingled from where I had touched the gem, a phantom sensation crawling beneath my skin. Had it fused with me or something? And why did this voice know me—know things about me that even I didn't understand?

Okay. We're back. I exhaled sharply, trying to calm the storm in my mind. Start talking.

"Jeez, impatient much? Hmm... where do I even start?"