Staircase to Heaven

A deep silence settled over the group after the thunder faded, its echo still trembling in their bones. For several long moments, no one dared to speak. T

They stood motionless in the white expanse, held in place by a shared tension—part fear, part anticipation. Everyone seemed to wait for something, anything, to change. And then it did.

There was no pain this time. No searing light or torment ripping through their bodies. Instead, a delicate, almost melodic sound filled the air—a tinkling like glass cracking under pressure.

Above them, a translucent dome shimmered faintly, one they hadn't even known was there until now. It encased the space around them like an invisible prison, and now it was breaking.

The sound grew louder.

Adam's eyes widened as fine, hairline fractures appeared in the empty space above. The dome—previously invisible—became perceptible as the light refracted through the spreading cracks.

Cracks spiderwebbed across its surface, growing rapidly until the entire dome was veined like broken porcelain. A deafening crash echoed across the void as the dome started breaking apart.

Then, without warning, it shattered — not with violence, but with an eerie beauty. The pieces dissolved into glowing white specks, falling gently around them like snow before vanishing completely.

No debris. No pain. Just freedom.

Adam slowly lowered his arms, heart pounding. He opened his mouth to ask something—anything—but the words stuck in his throat.

For the first time since their arrival, the environment changed.

In the far distance — though distance was a relative concept in this space — a long staircase appeared, rising infinitely upwards into a blinding white void. There was no end in sight. Just a spiraling ascent toward the unknown.

The soldier stepped forward, his eyes locked on the staircase. "So that's the Staircase to Heaven," he muttered.

The words struck Adam oddly. Not because they sounded strange, but because no one else reacted to them. The others simply nodded as if they knew exactly what he meant.

Only Adam frowned, confused. "The what?" he asked, stepping forward. "What do you mean? What staircase? What's up there? How do you know what that is?"

The soldier glanced back at him with cold disinterest. "Let's go," he said to the others. "That's the only way out of the interdimensional space."

Interdimensional space?

The term rattled around Adam's mind like a foreign object. He tried to grasp it, but it slipped through the cracks of his understanding like sand through fingers.

"Don't order me around," the boxer snapped, yet still took the lead walking towards the distant staircase.

One by one, the others followed, all except for Adam.

He remained where he was, paralyzed by the strange scene. What just happened? Why did they all seem so calm now, so certain? A few hours ago, they had all been just as lost as he was—hadn't they?

Why do I feel like I'm the only one still blind?

His breath quickened. A sharp pit opened in his stomach. He was being left behind.

No. Not again!

He forced his legs to move and began walking after them. His steps were hesitant, dragging. The group advanced ahead, but then he noticed one figure slowing down—matching his pace.

It was the Moroccan teacher. She looked at him, her expression gentle.

"You okay?" she asked softly. "You look… overwhelmed."

He let out a bitter laugh. "Because I am. I am lost. One minute we were all clueless, and now you're walking with purpose, like you've known this place your whole life. What the hell happened? How do you all suddenly know things?"

The teacher nodded slowly, as though she had expected the question.

She glanced at him, sympathy softening her golden-streaked eyes. "It's… hard to explain. But during the transformation — the pain — I received knowledge. Like knowledge being shoved into my brain. It wasn't just agony, it was… information being forced in. I think the others went through the same thing."

Adam blinked. "Information? What do you mean? Like… memories?"

"Not exactly memories," she said. "More like knowledge. Awareness. I know things now that I didn't before. I'm guessing the others do too."

A chill ran down his spine.

"Why not me, then?" he asked quietly. "Why was I left out?"

She didn't answer immediately. Her eyes lowered.

"I don't know," she said finally with hesitation. "But maybe… maybe you're different. Maybe you were never supposed to be in this place from the beginning."

He swallowed hard.

"Can you tell me what you do know? About this place? About that staircase? And why were we brought here?"

The teacher nodded. "What we're standing in… it's called the Interdimensional Space. It's not Earth. It's not even a world, really. It's the void between worlds, the space connecting diffrent planes of existence."

She paused, letting it sink in.

"Worlds? Planes? Like parallel universes?" Adam grew even more confused.

"Sort of. More like a hierarchy of existence. Earth… isn't here. This place is beyond it. The staircase is the only way out of this space and into whatever comes next."

"And the rest of it? Why am I the only one left out? Why didn't I get the information?"

Even faced with Adam's barrage of questions, Nisrine didn't show any signs of impatience or anger, instead she hesitated, then said quietly, "Those are answers you'll have to find yourself."

Adam tried to process her words, but they came like waves, each one crashing before he could catch his breath. Everything was unraveling faster than he could grasp.

"Why do you all just accept this? Why aren't you asking who gave you this information? Why it was forced into your heads?"

Her expression turned sad. "Some of us are just grateful to have answers. Even if they came without warning. But I agree with you. Something about this isn't right. I can't say anymore than this."

She looked away, as though ashamed. "I wish I had more for you. But the rest… you'll have to find it yourself."

Just then, a harsh voice cut through their exchange.

"Why are you wasting your time with someone who isn't even part of us?" It was the boxer, glancing back with a cold sneer.

The teacher's expression hardened, but she said nothing.

The soldier's voice followed. "We should hurry. The staircase may not stay open forever."

Though he didn't say it aloud, his meaning was clear: Don't waste your time on him.

Adam's chest tightened. So this is how it was now. They had become something else—something more—and he had been left behind. Was it by design… or by mistake? It didn't really matter either way.

He said nothing. Just lowered his gaze and followed in silence.

Step by step, they moved through the white emptiness toward the so called staircase to heaven.