Part 76: Okabe Rintarou has another ominous dream
I'm on my back, face up, towards it.
I do not know this vast yet sinister sky.
I have never seen this before in my life.
Where is this?
I try getting up.
From horizon to horizon, rocks and sand dominate as far as the eye can see in this desolate land.
No plants. No water. A dark sky.
No sun. No moon. No stars. Nothing.
No warmth. No cold.
No breezes blowing through. No bugs walking atop the sand.
It's just like a scene from hell.
A stationary world.
I don't think this is a scene from Earth.
I'd believe you if you told me I was on Mars.
Why am I here?
I stop thinking so deeply about it and lie down again on the sand.
I guess I'll wake from the dream soon.
I should just wait idly until then.
That's what I thought,
but this dream doesn't seem like it'll end any time soon.
It's a very lucid dream.
I can't sleep because of the severe ringing in my ears.
The world's silence is noise to my ears.
I have none of my belongings. Not my watch. Not my phone.
My sensation of time goes numb because nothing moves.
It might just be one second.
Or maybe I've already been here for three days.
I don't know.
Now I'm fully aware
that the concept called time is nothing but a human construct.
It’s a concept unknown to space.
Humans placed themselves inside their own cage of time just for a peace of mind.
They just wanted to delude themselves that they're not insignificant.
I'm awfully thirsty.
It's painful just to breathe.
This void is too painful for humans.
Humans lack the strength to live in a world without time.
Tears overflow.
What is the significance of those dripping drops? I no longer know.
I want to die.
Let's die.
But what does "die" mean?
To stop time?
In that case, it's been stopped long ago.
In this world where everything is dead, how can I die?
I don't know.
Inside of me, every single concept collapses.
I can no longer do anything.
I'm starting to lose sense of myself.
The existence of myself is disappearing.
Is nobody
around?
Suddenly, a shadow slips into my sight.
I'm surprised.
I try to move my eyes,
but I don't know how to move them.
A voice.
A pleasant sound resonates through the buzzing in my ears.
Because of that voice, I regain my existence as Okabe Rintarou.
I try to move my eyes.
They move this time.
There sits a girl.
She is familiar.
My brain activates.
My stopped brain, which had lost its breath in this still world, begins to move.
...Mayuri?
My brain is still half asleep, so I can't use my voice well.
It's Shiina Mayuri. My childhood friend.
"You know, this is the Earth, 70 million years ago. Okarin got caught up in a conspiracy and was sent here by a time machine."...This is a dream, right?
"Actually, Mayushii chased Okarin, and came searching through all the Okarins of many, maaaany, maaaaaany world lines. The Okarin here is just one of many Okarins, and also the original. The Mayushii here too is just one of many Mayushiis, and also the original."
This is a dream, right, Mayuri?
"But... I think that Okarin and Mayushii's wills will continue into Akihabara 70 million years from now. So everything's A-OK♪"
My entire body is wet with sweat.
"...A dream."
Apparently, I fell asleep during the day. What a bad dream. I guess I'm feeling like this because of that threat mail.
But even if it were a dream, I won't accept being saved by Mayuri. I'm the one who should save Mayuri. It's more suitable that way. It's not like Mayuri can make such troublesome conversation in the first place.
I try searching for Mayuri. Of course, she's still in this room. She's sitting down flat in front of the TV. The TV's showing a DVD of RaiNet Kakeru. Upa is riding on the shoulder of the protagonist, Kakeru, making an ambiguous cry for some reason or another.
This airheaded optimistic girl is my object of protection after all; that dream was wrong. I'm convinced.
Nothing especially new came. Several hours ago, I sent Titor a private mail just to make sure. Of course, the subject was Suzuha, but he hasn't replied yet.
"It's Hououin Kyouma."
