Seagulls Calling in the distance.

Nur, who failed to drown himself, thinking of his choices, floating once again on the surface.

The drifting clouds in the distance dancing as if to console him.

The light I saw earlier!

That fleeting glimpse, sharp and beckoning.

Nur’s eyes darted across the vast emptiness. Was it still there? He scanned the horizon, heart pounding, searching for the impossible in the middle of nothing.

The waves rose and fell.

And through them—a flicker of light.

It was real.

Without thinking, his unathletic body jerked forward, instinct taking over. He swam, his arms moving in uneven strokes, pushing against his weakness.

As he closed in, his heart leapt, and something twisted in his chest—a mix of relief and disappointment.

The pen.

The one he’d lost.

He realized that it was this, calling out to him earlier.

The black pen, gleaming silver engravings catching the dim light. A diamond-like stone glinted on the clip. It called to him, the weight of its return more unsettling than its absence.

He realized that what he saw earlier was this one calling to him.

He couldn’t celebrate his reunion with the pen any longer; he felt weirder than before.

The once-lifeless ocean, now as if brimming with life. The seagulls calling, he could clearly hear it. Even though it was supposed to be normal, he felt it immensely weird.

He didn’t think anymore. He needed to get out of here, and the only way for that was—

Pain!

Nur attempted to stab himself, but this time, it was much harder than in the desert. The cold water kept him painfully aware, every nerve in his body alert. The memory of the last time—of that sharp, searing pain—was etched into him, making his hands hesitate.

And the ocean resisted.

The water pushed back against the force, dulling his attempt, as if the sea itself refused to let him go.

Gritting his teeth, he adjusted his grip, pressing the pointy yet dull edge of the pen against his thigh.

Then, with all his might—he pushed.

Ag!

Stab!

His inner self screaming!

The blood gushed through, slowly dyeing the water around him crimson.

“…”

Water started to tremble.

In the distance, the storms were coming to his side faster.

Nur felt the tremble of the water, as he concluded it was because of the storm coming from the distance.

He was wrong. He felt the water underneath him swirling like a vortex.

From deep within the water, shadows rose, rushing towards the crimson-diluted water.

They rose to the surface, their fins piercing through the water.

Nur’s worst dream was right in front of him—no, all around him, circling.

The rains poured on his face, suffocating him.

Haha, this is insane!

He let out a dry laugh, as if of madness.

Great. I’m bleeding in a shark-infested area. This might be my smartest moment yet.

The sharks didn’t wait any longer. The first one attacked his left arm. Nur was able to dodge it by pure chance, but it slightly scratched him.

The second one didn’t wait and immediately took the chance of his moment, attacking his right side and tearing off a piece of flesh.

Nur didn’t want to die slowly with the pain of being torn apart like this.

His consciousness started to fade, the water suffocating him as he was drawn to the dark, deep blue.

The pain stung his mind.

Miel.

Taliah.

…

In the depths of the abyss, where the wrecked spaceship lay, life began to stir.

Green vines crept over its shattered hull, moss and grass weaving a delicate embrace around cold metal. Tiny, vibrant flowers bloomed, their fragile beauty defying the void.

From within the ship, a faint cry echoed—a child’s weeping, soft yet unrelenting. A girl, alone.

The life around her seemed to listen, to sympathize. And from a crack above, a sliver of light streamed down—perhaps the only kindness she would ever receive in this death-bringing black void.

The void loomed, eager to consume everything. Darkness clawed at the fragile platform formed by the light, but it held firm, shielding the little life inside the ship.