The crimson sun sank below the horizon, casting a dark shadow over the sprawling metropolis known as Nyx. The city’s neon lights flickered, illuminating an eerie glow on the damp and worn-out streets, while the shadows cast over the alleyways whispered secrets of another world just out of reach.
It was in one such alleyway that I found myself waiting, my heart pounding in anticipation. I glanced at the time on the cybernetic implant in my arm, noting how every second seemed to take an eternity.
My thoughts drifted to the ever-looming presence of the totalitarian regime governing our lives with an iron fist. The iron-fisted grip of The State had tightened within recent times, imposing stricter curfews and harsher penalties for those who dared defy their rule. My actions grew bolder with each passing day, seeking new ways to resist their control and assert my own freedom.
And that is why I stood here, in this dank and hostile alleyway, preparing to take a leap of faith into the unknown.
The air was thick with tension, I could feel it seeping through my synthetic pores. The meeting was supposed to happen here, but who could say for sure? Trust was a luxury few could afford in Nyx. Loyalty was just another word for betrayal waiting to happen. And yet, in spite of it all, I had placed my trust in a shadowy figure who had promised me something precious – freedom.
My thoughts were interrupted by a faint sound echoing through the alley. I tensed up, straining my enhanced ears to catch even the slightest hint of danger. But there was nothing – just the whirring of drone engines high above and the distant hum of traffic. It was quiet for a city that never slept.
My contact was late. They said they’d meet me here at exactly twenty-three hours. Every second that ticked by grated on my nerves, made me more suspicious. Was this a setup? Was I about to be apprehended by The State?
My suspicions were put to rest as a figure finally emerged from the shadows. Their face was obscured by a hood, but I recognized the slight limp in their step. The figure approached me cautiously and spoke softly, barely above a whisper.
“You’re late,” I accused, my voice cold and unwavering.
“Better late than dead, no?” they retorted with an air of defiance.
I didn’t reply, finding it hard to dispute their point. They reached into their coat, pulling out a small device. It was unremarkable in appearance, a small black square of metal no larger than my palm. And yet, I could feel its potential energy pulsing, like a dormant beast waiting to be unleashed.
“This is what you need,” they said confidently. “A ticket to freedom.”
I took the device, my fingers brushing against theirs – an unusual moment of physical contact in a world ruled by digital communication and synthetic barriers. I met their eyes, searching for any hint of deceit. But their gaze remained unwavering.
“How does it work?” I asked.
“It’s a one-time-use teleporter,” they replied. “It’ll take you far away from here, to a place where The State doesn’t have control.”
I studied the device, noting its weight – not just the physical heaviness but the emotional burden it represented. To use it would mean leaving everything behind: the life I had built for myself, the few friends who still remained alive, and any hope of resistance against The State from within its dark heart.
“And what’s the cost?” I inquired, knowing that nothing came without a price.
The figure hesitated, their gaze dropping to the ground as if seeking an answer among the wet concrete and discarded wrappers.
“Your memories,” they finally said, raising their eyes to meet mine. “All of them. The price of freedom is a fresh start, with no ties to the world you’ll leave behind.”
I felt my heart tighten as the full weight of their words hit me like a sledgehammer. Was I truly willing to give up everything that made me who I am for the promise of escape? Was freedom worth that heavy cost?
The rain began to fall once more, beads of water running down my face like tears. I looked at the device in my hand, feeling its cold metal press into my synthetic skin.
“Will it hurt?” I asked, unable to keep the tremor from my voice.
“No,” they assured me gently. “It’ll feel like nothing. And then you’ll be free.”
With a deep breath, I made my decision. The price was high – too high, some might argue. But in this dystopian nightmare of a world, it was a price I was willing to pay.
I pressed the button on the device, feeling a surge of energy course through me like an electrical storm. The world began to blur, the colors blending together until it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began.
And just like that, I vanished – existing somewhere between nothing and everything, on the edge of a new beginning.
Author: Opney. Illustrator: Dalli. Publisher: Cyber.
