The murmuring sound of water sloshing on my cheeks and a warm feeling greets me as I slowly open my eyes from what seems to be the longest sleep I've ever had.

Oh shit!

An electrifying sensation runs across my body as it tenses. I suddenly feel disoriented and lost.

Where am-- Oh yes. I remember…

I can faintly remember mom, the car, my younger brother Tenri, and… family vacation.

Yes. That’s it.

I’m on a family vacation.

Perhaps a lapse in memory because I’ve dozed off too long?

Well, it’s understandable. I've been busy in college, missing a few hours of sleep everyday, so this lengthy doze left me feeling quite good. The lingering tiredness I used to feel is no longer there too, and my eyes do feel soreness no more.

So after a few hearty squints, I gaze at the light blue sky, letting that tense feeling die down for a couple of minutes.

Ah, there is also that warm bright sun with its pleasant touch, the caressing prod of the waves and its mellow burbling sound, and the fresh breeze that passes by with a hint of woodsy fragrance. I let it all in- that captivating tranquility.

I remember doing this everytime we visited a tropical island in southeast Asia a few years back. Enjoying a tranquil state as I let myself drift by on the water wishing I'd stay there forever. The sounds of people playing on the beach disappear, and the mysterious enchanting powers of water embrace you.

But this time, I can feel the familiar texture of the sand on my lower body which I’m quite thankful for, considering that dozing off while drifting in deep waters would not be a good idea.

I shudder at that thought, reminding myself not to ever do that.

Now, I'm waiting for that ever pesky Tenri. God knows what he'll do everytime he finds me in my peace. Last time he poured a bucketful of salty water right at my face as I was about to doze off, even scared the hell out of me one time as he suddenly pulled my legs to deep waters appearing from nowhere, and actions even on lengths that even I am forced to think this is some sort of a brotherly abuse, and he must have murderous thoughts! But God, stray me from that suspicion.

But now there's a tickling feeling on my spine as I wait in anticipation for his ruthless attack. My peace shatters, and my blissful state shies away, unreclaimable, into the deep dark.

He’s taking too long.

It’s possible he’s still lurking around, slinking like a predator eyeing its prey, pouncing at the right time. But I’m maybe overthinking it. He might have gone somewhere else, doing better things than torturing me.

But perhaps I should look around. I'm also wondering what mom is doing right now, she might be chatting with a stranger on a beach hut not far from here, or maybe she might need help with something. I’ll bet on that second possibility.

So I stretch my drowsy ankles, curve my body to sit-

What the fuck?!

My body jerks upward.

At first glance, I thought there’s some sort of a festival happening and these huge bubbles floating around are just props, but as I go on looking around, I realize I’m all alone.

Where’s everyone? A sharp pang gurgles in my stomach.

“Mom? Tenri?” I call out. But no answers come back.

I call out again, this time louder. Still the same. Not even an echo of my voice.

Maybe this is just a fever dream. And once I wake up, everything will be back to normal. But oddly, it’s just too real. Maybe this is one of those times when you are aware you are dreaming in a dream.

This place seems to be a desolate world with only these mysterious transparent bubbles glowing with a faint prismatic glow floating around. And they are everywhere, although sparse, but nonetheless their numbers are perceivable as far as my eyes can see. They are extremely large, maybe the height and diameter of a one-story house, relatively.

So I walk towards the nearest one, still curious.

Slowly then, I reach out a hand, even though a nagging thought in my mind says that it might pop, but my irresistible urge overwhelms it. Besides, it looks harmless, no fangs, no hair, no other attack or defense mechanism. But maybe it swallows? I pray that won’t be the case.

I give in to the temptation, a vision of the Biblical tale of the first sin flashes in my mind. But this time it’s the man.

My fingers reach it. It's soft.

Contrary to that nagging thought, this giant bubble did neither pop nor shows any sign of resistance. The only resistance I feel is when I gently poke it and my fingers bounce off. Now it’s more of a balloon than a soap bubble. I poke--

It suddenly moves, swiftly gliding a few feet away despite its size. I chase it to poke it again, but everytime it’s on arm length it veers away. I try doing it to another one, but after the first poke it sidles away.

“They’re alive!” I cry out.

A gush of excitement fills my cup, and I find myself playing around- experimenting, wondering what sort of stimulus gives my presence away after one poke. Perhaps they are sensitive to touch, as what I also observe when one giant orb nearly strikes another one, veering sideways immediately. Or do they emit some sort of strange signals to communicate with each other?

Hypothetical, but something that will sate my curiosity… for now.

This time, I feel like I need to walk in a direction. Maybe an island or something might just be around the horizon.

But what still perplexes me is that I am standing on a low-ankle length of fresh not sea water; and wherever I step, the water never deepens nor does the sandy floor curve downwards. This place is just an ocean of the shallowest water ever surrounded by countless gigantic floating sentient orbs. The only sound is the faint wail of the wind as it passes by my ears, and the splashes of water as I step.

But I still step forward, walking on towards that horizon. Whatever dangers I might face, I ought not to faze, this is all just a dream anyway.

So I lift a wet finger, figure out the wind’s direction, and start strolling that way.

A gentle pull urging me further and further, the prickling sloshes of the water at my feet strangely calming, coaxing me to walk on, until it’s not a gentle pull anymore but a forceful tug. But I’m not agitated, not one bit.

“I’d stop right there if I were you.”

A voice from behind startles me enough that I feel myself leaping out from my skin.

“W-who are you?” I growl as I quickly turn around, nervous but punk enough for a fight. My body instinctively tenses to a guarding stance.

Calm down, Jayr. You got this. This is just a dream.

“Woah! Calm down. I’m not gonna hurt you… I’m not a threat.”

It’s an attractive woman that looks like in her early twenties wearing the whitest robe with a golden hem that glints too brightly. Her light flaxen hair waving even though at times when the wind is absent, her porcelain skin too blinding, and her feet barely touching the water.

She raises her arms towards the sky, as if it was ever gonna make her harmless.

“A-are you an angel? W-what I’m supposed to be dead? So this is not a dream?” I speak out my mind without any hesitation.

She rolls her eyes. “Ugh… This is why I hate this uniform.”

“What?” I feel my face muscles distorted into a confused appearance.

“Come on, just follow me.” She waves her hand, telling me to follow her. “You’ll soon know.”

“Why do I have to follow you?” I ask, still confused as to whether I should. But, honestly, I’m just asking for the sake of assuring myself. There’s no choice except to follow her.

She sighs. “Do you even want to know why you are here? Or do you want to stay here-” she narrows her eyes, piercing it at mine- “forever.”

I gulp. “N-no.”

“This is not a dream. This is real. All of this. You have been transferred into a different world. As for the comprehensive understanding of the event that had happened to you will be explained later on. But for now, I am given the task to answer the common questions newbies like you would always ask.”

“What are these bubbles… they’re alive!” I say, but I remember there are important things first. “Forget about that… Why am I here? If this is not a dream, then who brought me here?”

“These are mysterious orbs for us too. But if you pop one and pour its juice on your injuries it gets healed.” She suddenly smirks and glances at my crotch. “Well, if you want to ask for a bigger schlong, I can cut yours now and maybe the orbs will give you a bigger one.”

I can see she’s rather obnoxious.

“But that was a joke, to make you feel comfortable with me,” she says wryly.

“Well, I’m not getting comfortable,” I retort. But I have to make do of what I have. I feel a sigh left my mouth. “Who brought me here and why? Answer that please….” I say again, firm.

“I don’t know, and no one knows either.”

I lock my eyes into hers, doubtful. But I resign myself, good things come to those who wait. And maybe she knows something about that mysterious enchanting pull. “Earlier… I felt like I was being led somewhere… It was a strange feeling.”

“I haven’t felt anything like that… just your imagination.” She places her hands on her hips.

“Is this a dream?”

“Once again, this is not a dream. This is real. Want me to give you a punch in the face to see if it hurts and feels real?”

I swallow a ball of spit. “I see you’re rather rude.”

“This old man….” She bursts out laughing.

“What old man? Who? You look older than me!”

She roars in laughter, her face flushing in pinkish-red, and I have to wait for her to calm down. “Look” --Laughs-- “Look at yourself again… . By looks, you could even be a year or two older than me.”

“What?!” I inspect my body in panic.

“Hehe. Do you need a mirror?” Rude lady procured a mirror from her pocket. It really seems like she was waiting for this moment.

I reluctantly accept it and stare at my face.

Shit, it’s true. “This… This doesn’t make sense. No… I’m supposed to be 19 years old.”

I look like I’m in my mid twenties.

I start to walk backwards in agonizing confusion, helpless and lost. A spiky lump well in my throat, my heart racing. Tears start streaming down my cheeks. The energy of excitement I had earlier vanishes as I drop myself to the sands.

“Why am I here? This is a dream!” I scream.

“No one knows. And this is not a dream. Nope.” The woman walks closer towards me and deeply sighs. “Hey, get yourself together.”

“But what about my… about my… mother? Tenri?” Somehow I begin missing that devilish brother, still expecting he would pop out from somewhere and tell me it’s all a prank. And mom. I hope Tenri won’t be too much of a nuisance if what that strange girl said is true.

At that exact moment, a flood of memories flash in my mind. My childhood memories, school days, parents divorcing… going into a nearby university. My last memory before the blackout is my room? I search deeper… and deeper. There’s something there, a black spot in my memory that I need to know. Something I feel like I need to know.

So I'm not on a family vacation? Where the heck did I even get that idea? Fuck. But I search deeper, concentrating all of the sensation on my head, probing every memory I had before I blacked out.

“It hurts. My head hurts.” I clutch my head.

“Hey.. you alright?” She stoops down, and gently strokes my head. Her voice suddenly sounds concerned. “You aren’t the only one who's been there. All of us, you’ll meet some of them later on. But things have gotten complicated, you know. We’ve all missed something… “

I hear the rustle of her clothing as she slowly shifts closer, her hesitancy obvious. “Sorry I was being a little inconsiderate earlier. I- didn't-- But who the fuck wants to go back to that shitty Earth anyway. It’s a new adventure right here.”

My head bobs up, as I quickly stare at her, taken aback by that sudden change.

She starts waving her arms around as she speaks, trying to picture out what she is describing. “Dragons on this planet, godlike creatures, monsters….”

I raise my eyebrows. "You’re on another planet other than this? But can we go back to Earth?” I ask, hopeful, the pang in my head receding.

She purses her lips and looks upward as if she’s trying to think. Wayward hairs slide to her forehead, but she fixes it back with a flick of her hand. “Yes we are on another planet, and big folks, who are also transported, are trying to figure out a way back to earth. But there’s no progress so far…”

A peal of laughter escapes from her mouth, catching me by surprise again. “But I’m sure a week in that place, and you’ll never want to go back.”

It is enchanting. One that can drive kingdoms to war, something straight from Greek mythology, like the tale of Helen of Troy. One that can melt the hearts of men in blazing desire and have the gods tore the sky asunder just to witness.

She starts to walk, still floating, and I follow her like a stray puppy. I feel like a kid, and it’s disgusting- this icky feeling all over me. But I have no choice. I’ll have my own share when the time comes, I’ll show this woman what I can do.

“Mr. Frido will be the one to brief you about everything you need to know. He’s better than me at explaining to newcomers. I just started recently, you’re my third guy. Overall, just think like this world is a video game, though it feels oddly like one for real.” She chortles.

“How long have you been here?” I ask. “And how are you floating?”

“2 years… Cried too when I realized it. It’s just a strange coincidence that we almost have the same reason for us to miss earth… Our mothers. I really can’t help but resonate with you. And for the second question, I’m flying because of magic. You’ll soon get a chance to learn it.”

“Nice!” I say, excited. I wonder what that planet she’s talking about looks like. A fantasy land… straight out from novels.

“But don’t feel special or anything just because I said something sensitive to you.” She gave me a sharp look over her shoulders.

Her mother? I pay her nonsense no heed though.

“Anyways, about that age gap thing, theory says transport took about six years. Six years all lost.”

She chuckles at that thought.

“By the way, where are we heading? We’ve been walking for nearly an hour…I think.” I’m sort of expecting an island or a cave for the exit.

“Oh shit.” She glances at a golden pocket watch that is tied to her wrist with a well-crafted chain. Her eyebrows furrow deeper. “I’m sure it was supposed to be around here…”

She frantically glances around searching for something, squinting her eyes as if waiting for something to appear. She looks at her pocket watch again. “I’m confused… The map tracker says it’s here, but why are there no portals here?”

“Is that some sort of a GPS?” I ask, curious about the golden pocket watch.

“Yes. We use this to track newcomers inside this space and the exit portals.” She sighs and stares at me as if searching for an answer to her problem.

She sighs again. “I guess the NAC is having a problem maintaining the portals again. Don’t worry, this happens all the time during peak hours. Give it a couple of minutes and it’ll be back.”

“NAC?”

“Newcomers Accommodation Center. It’s their job to integrate newcomers into the world through education and training… payment in installment.”

I groan at her last words.

The portal never appears.