I clambered over to the stone bridge. Had I not been in a rush, I would have paused longer to admire the structure’s intricacy. Though simple at first glance, the details it carried were nowhere near the description. Patterns weaved through each rock puzzled together, depicting images among the lines—almost like a painting, really.

As I crossed its length, a small tremor rippled through the bridge. I lost my footing when my ankles twisted into one another, which had me face-planting on the rock-hard surface. I groaned as I pushed myself off the floor, throwing a glance into the water to check on the state of my pursuer.

My guide had, at last, hauled himself to the bank after much difficulty. His hood no longer covered his face. It was thrown back to reveal dark brown hair matted to his skin like the rest of his clothes. “If you think you’re dead now, I’ll make you think again.”

The threat in his voice rang through the still night air and squeezed fear into my guts. He crossed the field in his soggy clothes and stepped onto the mouth of the bridge. Seeing him close on in on my tail, I resumed running, feet pitter-pattering across the cold surface until I finally arrived on the other side.

The whispering music from the stars came at me at full force. The misty cosmos that embraced the cliff thickened before me, inducing me in a state of exhilaration.

I blankly stepped forward, heart thudding.

“Don’t, you little aberrant!” my amber-eyed guide yelled. “That’s not—stop!”

I paid him no heed and went over to the edge, sticking my finger into the galactic clouds that whirled about. There was a faint, gentle force that guided me forward, tugging me step-by-step until my feet found nothing more to step on. I paused and looked down. Before me was a never-ending sea of stars drifting in cosmic waters—a blooming infinity of colors that seemed to stretch on for miles of inconceivable distance. There was no bottom. No definite end.

I was not usually acrophobic, but that distance—that seemingly never-ending space—made me pause. Long enough for my guide to catch up and pull me back.

“You idiot!” He grabbed me by the collar of my dress and dragged me with him.

“Hey!” I choked. I kicked my feet and struggled, but he didn’t stop. If it did anything, it was only to worsen my discomfort. “You’re killing me!”

“You’re already dead,” he said. “But if you don’t stop this, I’m going to kill you again.” He towed me with him. He didn’t even pause to allow me a chance to pull myself upright and walk on my own.

“What sort of hell did you spawn from?” I asked.

“I did not come from hell. Hell doesn’t exist. It’s a figment of imagination your people uses to beat you into submission,” he spat at me, seeming displeased I even dared to claim it so. “I should’ve known they’d be assigning me to troublesome souls. I do not deserve this,” he whispered. “What is this now, huh? Are you happy?” he yelled to the sky—only to have his voice disappear into the infinity beyond.

“Are you talking to me?” I asked.

“Why in the world would you think I’m talking to you?”

“It’s not like there’s someone else you’re dragging along with you, now, is there?”

“You think you’re smart now, huh?” he spat at me.

“I am smart. I graduated top of my class from a top university. You bet I know I am smart!”

“The arrogance!”

“You’re the arrogant one here! Don’t lose your crap when someone talks back and throws you in the lake after you try to drown them! I may not be a package with it taped over my head, but handle me with care!” I said, not even pausing to take a breath. “Is decency not a part of your vocabulary? If you had that, we wouldn’t be here!”

He continued spewing threats and complaints under his breath. Probably because he could do nothing else.

“Look, I’ll drink from the river if it’s going to help your case.” I said, arms crossed indignantly below my chest. To be quite frank, I was tired. Maybe it would be much easier if I went along with everything. It wasn’t as though this guy would even care about my feelings. Like he said, it didn’t matter. “But, please, let me walk.”

“Not a cha—”

The ground rumbled.

We stopped.

The tremor startled small, but it grew intense within the span of a few seconds.

“What is this now?” he asked, looking around with furrowed brows. “Is this another game?”

A thundering quake tore through the land. Me and my guide went still quiet, waiting for what was to come next. Neither one of us knew how to react.

The previously tranquil river rippled restlessly. Large waves rose and fell, splashing past the banks and sweeping by our ankles. The ground started convulsing, growing in intensity as seconds trickled by, rendering our legs useless. When the earth could no longer endure, the ground broke right beneath our feet. I was unfortunate enough to be in the very mouth of that crack, so I fell in without warning.

“Holy mother—” Thankfully enough, the amber-eyed man kept a tight fist on my dress and pulled me back before I truly fell in. Shrieking, I kicked myself away from the fault.

The land withered and crumbled into many pieces. The debris fell away to the infinite nothingness. A loud snap resounded next.

I scampered to my feet where there was still room to stand, wiggling out of the grasp of my baffled guide. “Let me go!”

“Ingrate!” he huffed.

I ignored him, turning to take in more of what was happening. The bridge had broken into many pieces. The river, meanwhile, only continued rising, swallowing the debris whole.

“Hail Mary,” said the amber-eyed man.

“She exists?” I asked.

He didn’t even spare me a glance. “This is not possible…”

The songs of the stars turned into screams and something…something that couldn’t be explained…broke. It was as if the whole universe had fractured.

There was an explosion. And not a simple one. It was as though space itself gave in and allowed true emptiness to exist for one second. The resounding bang blew right through my head and my surroundings became a whirl of confusion. I could not even react when we were thrown high in the air.

I landed after a moment of weightlessness, rolling on the hard ground and banging my head. I wheezed, feeling my lungs emptied from air. I knew I was supposed to be dead, but these sensations didn’t make it seem so. Worse of it all, the earth beneath me finally gave in. I screamed, heart pounding, as I rolled off and skidded down the edge. Pain fluttered all over as the jagged rocks punctured and scraped my skin.

“Shucks.” I managed to blindly grasp the edge, nails breaking as it scratched the sharp and uneven surface. “No. No.”

My breathing had now turned ragged. Adrenalin rushed through my veins. Fear clouded my sight as I dangled dangerously at the edge, bare feet kissing the misting clouds of pink and blue below. I didn’t know where I was taking the strength to hold on. However, should another one of those quakes tear through, I would no doubt be in trouble.

“H-help…” I pleaded.

“This isn’t a part of my job description,” I heard the man say. He peeked over the edge as he rolled to his knees.

For the first time since we met, I was actually glad he was there.

He reached out for my arm and clamped on my wrist.

I looked up with a crooked smile. “Let’s just hope this place offers insurance.”

He huffed and managed a small grin.

There was an ominous roar as the water came rushing for us. I held my breath. I didn’t dare open my mouth as we plunged into the infinite space below.