Where am I? I’m floating, drifting. It’s dark. It’s warm.
This isn’t right! I shouldn’t be here. How do I know? It’s a feeling.
He floated longer. Then another question came to his mind.
Who am I? It seemed odd to even ask inside his mind. It struck him that he should know.
A name flashed. “Javin Cox.”
Mine.
There’s nothing with it, though; nothing telling who I am.
I am myself.
I don’t know who that self is. I should know. There is nothing other than just the being I am now, this instant.
He felt confusion.
I am a blank. A non-being. Yet I’m aware. He waited for a time in warm patience.
What am I?
A picture came to mind. I am a -- _____________. The name doesn’t register.
‘Man?’
Again a picture flashed in his mind. A form, head, arms, legs . . . another word. Human.
Oh, that’s what I am.
How did I get here? His mind darted back and forth. Do I belong elsewhere? I don’t know. This drifting, it’s all of my existence, all I remember. Yet I feel I don’t belong. It’s not . . . natural.
He continued drifting in the blackness. Then another thought came.
Time?
How long? Short, I think.
More time passed.
Drifting. Warm.
FLASH!
He wobbled, finding he was standing now, surrounded by white. He looked around. There was no contrast, no depth to measure size, just endless white. This place, is it big? It seems infinite, yet small, comfortable.
He looked down at himself. I have a body? Yes, that’s it. Pale. Appendages. Arms, legs, feet . . . Head. Hands reach to touch . . . hair. What color? Don’t know. I’m naked! Strange he should wonder about that. He didn’t know anything else. And of course he had a body. Why wouldn’t he? Something told him he should be surprised. Something deep within told him he shouldn’t even be . . . Alive?
Hesitation.
Something is definitely not right.
Again he looked around. Still no depth, no sense of distance. A no-place.
Should I worry? I don’t think so. There’s no threat.
Amazing! Threat. Another concept I just know.
He shook his head.
At least it's warm.
“Who is that?” Someone is here but I can’t see.
“Where are you?”
“Wait! I hear you. What do you want?”
“Come on! Talk to me.”
There was no answer.
A dark spot appeared at a point directly in front of his eyes. It was the first contrasting thing he’d seen since coming to this . . . place. Is it a spot on a wall or an opening far away? He felt himself moving towards it and noted it started looming larger. He realized he was moving at a high rate of speed!
Javin started to turn, but it was too late. He was engulfed!
He was floating again in black. Wait. There were dim points of light streaking by. Awkwardly he turned, flailing just a bit, but noting the continued movement. I’m traveling fast!