Ethereal Flux
Chapter 1: Ethereal Flux
An endless ocean of yellow water, probably from the sunset. It wasn't too deep, yet it felt like it held thousands of memories.
The only two objects were a big tree with crystallized leaves which glowed with redness. And the second object was not an item but a human. It was Shyam — he stood still, staring at the tree like he knew what it was but couldn't remember it.
Suddenly, a voice awoke him. "BIG BROTHER!! Wake up already. You shouldn't sleep so much on Sundays!"
A little girl. Maybe 12?
Her dark black hair wove like ocean waves while she jumped on Shyam's back.
Blue starry eyes, soft white skin. She wore a red half t-shirt followed by a blue short skirt. Her short-long hair covered half her face.
Shyam opened his eyes, relieved it was a dream. He sat and stared at that girl. She was his little sister; Ayani.
"At least let me sleep a little more on Sundays," he said while walking down the stairs.
"Hey Shyam, are you awake?" said his dad Arav.
"Yeah," he replied.
"What's this! You are cooking today?" Shyam said, surprised by what he saw.
Arav — Shyam's dad almost never cooks.
"Yes, because today's your birthday, remember?" Shyam nodded his head.
Though he knew it was his birthday, he hadn't expected anybody else to remember it. He stayed silent, not knowing his dad actually cared.
26th of July 10:56 AM {Shyam's birthday}
"Food's ready!" Arav shouted. Shyam and Ayani sat at the dining table while Arav served the food.
"Well, I am off to the library," said Shyam after finishing his food.
"Bye big bro, try to make a girlfriend today at least!" said Ayani, waving hands above her head.
Arav too went to work; he had a nice little café. Not too fancy, it was made of pure wood. The smell of fresh coffee always refreshed whoever entered the café.
It is usually occupied by the old men.
---
26th of July 1:49 PM {Library}
Shyam looked through the shelves filled with books. Some old, some new, but the one thing common was their smell.
The smell of the papers never disappoints Shyam.
He picked up a random book to read, sat down on one of the chairs in the fading corner.
Not too bright, just enough for one to be able to read. That was Shyam's heaven — he would come here in the library on Sundays to read books.
The book he chose today was about a man who found himself lost with a girl his age, in a dream-like world where time seemed to stop.
They spent time together, grew feelings for each other, and soon after returning to reality, they lived happily ever after.
"As if..." whispered Shyam, looking at the credits at last.
He put the book back in and went home. The orange evening looked beautiful, nostalgic in its own way.
Shyam stared at it for a few moments before stepping inside the house.
Ayani was already standing beside the doors. Her eyes sparkled as soon as she saw Shyam.
"Welcome back," she said. Her soft white skin made her look like a living doll — innocent and lively.
Shyam was a guy whose humor and behavior would change by the person and situation.
But for Ayani, it had always been the same — the same as any big brother's:
Protect the younger sibling, and never, ever look at them the way you would a stranger.
"I am back," he said before walking up the stairs just to go back and sleep.
Ayani stared at him for a few moments before going back to the door to wait for Arav.
---
26th of July 8:21 PM
Yellow.
Everything was yellow again.
The same glowing tree with crystallized leaves in it. The leaves would fall as a crystal but dry out and become black ash before even touching the ground.
Or should we say, the yellow water.
Everything was the same until Shyam's sight stopped on a little girl. [5?]
She was running round around the tree.
With every lap she grew one or two years older until she stopped somewhere between 16 or maybe 17 years old.
She picked up one of the leaves but it too turned into ashes.
Shyam walked towards her, he barely made a sound yet she still heard his footsteps.
She looked at him and tilted her head 45° as if she were a beautiful fox brought to Shyam by the heavens above.
An angel...
Soft white skin, brighter than Ayani's, deep blue eyes with starry dots on them.
Almost as if she carried galaxies upon her eyes.
Her long red sari flew smoothly with the air, as if it was a part of it.
Her pitch-black hair too wove behind her back as if it wanted to run away and play in the air.
He did not recognize her.
It is said that humans can only see the things they have already witnessed in reality in their dreams.
But Shyam, no matter how much he tried, couldn't remember her.
"Are you an anime character?" he said, looking up and down as if he was choosing a wife for himself in a virtual reality shop.
She shifted her gaze towards the tree again.
"I wish I was," she said softly, touching the tree. "But, I am not."
Shyam walked closer to her, his gaze stuck not just at her beauty but at her —
"Do you feel sad seeing them?" she said, trying to hold the ashes of the leaves.
"What for?" he asked, looking both at the leaves and at her.
"They had dreams too, just like you and I do, but they never could fulfill them," she said.
She turned her head towards Shyam and before he could answer she said,
"And stop looking at my boobs. They aren't big."
"Well, for me they are," Shyam whispered.
He looked around for a moment and sat down in the not-too-cold nor too-warm yellow water.
The reflection of the dying sunset reflected too much today for who knows what reason.
"I wonder why the sun is always setting," the girl muttered to herself, looking at the fading sun.
"Have you been here before as well?" asked Shyam, surprised to hear her say the sun is always setting.
"Yes," she said and sat down beside him.
"Quite a few times actually," she replied.
"So do you know what this place is?" Shyam asked her once again, as she seemed more informed about this place than him.
"The crystal dreams... probably," she said.
"Crystal dreams?" Shyam said, looking at the crystallized leaves.
"Yes," she said, picking up a drop of water and throwing it at the tree.
The drop of water became a leaf and soon fell down and became ash.
"As you can see here.
The crystal dream happens to most people who are suffering from Ethereal Flux.
A rare disease in which one can see things or hear sounds and voices others can't.
For example, in this place either you or I are fake. But we both think we are real," she said as she stood up and touched the tree's skin.
"So I take it you experienced Ethereal Flux as well?" said Shyam, surprised by what she just said.
"I have, and I am certainly 100% sure I am the real one here."
She said, glancing at Shyam as if she'd kill him for no reason.
"I have a life as well, you know,"
Shyam said before he walked to the same area from where he came here.
"Will you come again tomorrow?" she asked.
Shyam stared at her for a moment and said,
"Only if I know your name."
"Raitha. And you?"
Shyam froze for a second.
He had heard that name somewhere before.
Or is he just tired from reading all day?
"Shyam," he replied and suddenly everything turned black.
Shyam heard a familiar voice.
"Wake up bro, today's not Sunday so go to school!!"
It was Ayani — she yet again jumped above his back.
"You are gonna split me into two someday," Shyam said, looking outside the window.
The birds sung songs and the leaves made sounds worth hearing in the morning.
"Just a dream, huh," Shyam whispered.
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You are reading {Ethereal Flux}
Chapter was {Ethereal Flux}
Thank you for reading!