66 Volume 3: Building a New World (1/2)
It seemed like her life was just eating ”marble candies” and sleeping for a very long time. At first she didn't think there was anything odd about what she was doing, but as time went on, she began to suspect that what she was doing was… abnormal.
That everything about her whole situation was just… strange.
She woke up with her stomach gnawing itself in a raging and ferocious hunger, again, and looked at the light. He was sitting just a little off to the side, just out of reach. It was hard for her to focus due to the sleepy and hungry feelings still swirling inside her.
”Hey… Mister…”
”Hm?”
”..why… am I… so hungry?”
”Because you are very weak.”
”I… am?”
”Yes. The hunger is because you are weak and you need nourishment.”
”…do the.. marbles.. make me strong?”
”In small increments.”
”…but the hunger doesn't go away…”
”They are too small for that. It is like droplets of water on a scorched land. You need a real rain to fix the weakness in you.”
”Do you have anything like that?”
He shook his head. ”If you desire something larger, you must get it yourself.”
”…but can't you…?”
He leaned forward slightly. ”I am a guest in this place and bound by limitations. What I have given you is what I am able. And what I've given you are not simple candies shaped as marbles, but water and wood elements from nature. If you desire them in bigger quantities, you must get them yourself.”
”Is that something I can do…?”
”I said this at the beginning, this is your world. You make the rules. You know what water and wood feels like, tastes likes, smells like, so seek them out and bring them in. Draw them into your world. They are near you, it will be easy if you try.”
”Can I have some of those marbles while I—”
”No.” Despite his facial expression not changing, it seemed to harden. ”The hunger is motivation that keeps you awake. This world is yours. Make your own food to satisfy yourself.”
She whimpered, more frustrated than hurt by his sudden hard-hearted behavior. But the hunger was still there and he was right. The hunger overpowered the desire to sleep.
What had he said? She knew what water and wood feels like, tastes like, smells like… smell… if she sniffed hard enough.. Could she find more? She concentrated, her angry stomach driving her, and she was surprised to find the smell of wood and water nearby.
She shakily stood up and started following the smell. Unnoticed, the light stood up as well, staying a few steps behind her.
After a little while, she found a spring that bubbled up from the ground and right next to it a full grown apple tree, both were giving off an intense fragrant scent. The ground spring was pushing water up and over some large rocks, creating an almost artful mini-waterfall; while the the tree was laden with brilliant looking apples of all sizes and colors.
She stumbled to the water, sticking her face in the small waterfall and drinking greedily. She drank for a very long time before she felt her thirst was somewhat quenched. Then she turned to the tree and started grabbing apples and devouring them.
Locusts were more civilized at eating than she was in that moment. No matter how much she ate, the tree seemed to produce limitless amounts of apples. When the edge to her hunger finally lessened, she sat down with a thump, dazed.
”I don't understand this place.” She finally said, looking at the light.
”If it bothers you, simply change it.”
”I'm tired though.”
”Then sleep first.”
”…ok…”
She curled back into a ball and slept again. The light moved closer to her and looked down at her still, sleeping form. His hand reached out, as if to touch her, before stopping. It hovered over her body for a moment before he sighed and walked a few steps away and sat down. His appearance wavered for a moment, before suddenly disappearing. The world around her darkened as if on a moonless night and cooled at his absence.
But she didn't notice that he was gone, just as she'd not noticed many times before. When she woke up again to eat and drink, he'd be there, warming everything and keeping her company. The only light in her strange little world.
———
As she greedily drank spring water and ate never-ending apples, her times of wakefulness increased. Her hunger gradually dimmed into a tolerable background annoyance.
The shabby shack house was slowly changed into something respectable.Then, after she'd created a real house, she made a garden and filled it with beautiful flowers, delicious herbs and vegetables (which she ate with a gusto). The island transformed from a monochrome world into a vibrant rainbow wonderland, beautiful and alive.
When that became a little monotonous, she looked down at herself and realized she was naked and filthy. This didn't cause shame or embarrassment, not even knowing the light had been staring at her that way this whole time. Rather, she just felt a little bit irritated by it and that she ought to do something about her predicament.
So she made soaps and shampoos from the plants from her garden to clean herself. Why she didn't 'will' the final products into existence to save herself some work, she didn't know. There was just something fun about creating soaps and such from scratch.
Next, she created cloth of every hue and texture. Unlike the soaps and shampoos, the idea of having to make clothing from scratch was not at all appealing to her. So she 'willed' them into existence, and then 'willed' them into proper clothing she could wear.
She would strut around her little island, showing off her newest clothing creation to the light. Though his face remained unmoving, he sounded amused by her behavior and always had something nice to say about what she'd made. When he complimented her, she'd blush and giggle, feeling both deeply satisfied and intensely nostalgic at the same time.
Without a sun or moon, there was no way to keep track of time. Did all these events happen in a few days, months, years?
”Tell me, are you still hungry these days?” The light asked out of the blue.
She tilted her head in thought and realized that she wasn't hungry at all. In fact, no matter what she made now, she's never tired from it. The spring and the apple tree had gone unvisited for quite some time. She told him as much.
”Good, that's very good.” He turned his head. ”Do you remember the cold of the depth?”
”Yeah?”
”It is still there.”
”Okay?”
”You must drive it out.”
”…huh? Why do I have to do that?”
”It is dangerous.”
”How? I'm here and it's—” She waved towards the ocean. ”—out there somewhere. As long as I don't go into the ocean, I'm safe.”
His eyes narrowed. ”Are you? Let me ask you then, what is your name?”
She opened her mouth and then closed it several times. Her brow crinkled as it occurred to her that she didn't know her name. In fact, until he mentioned it, she hadn't even thought about names or having one.
”…even if I don't remember what my name is,” she muttered, vexed, ”what's that got to do with that cold?”
”Do you think it's unrelated? Then, I will tell you your name.”
She brightened.
”It's — —.”
”Er, can you repeat that?”
”Of course. It's — —.”
”…what kind of joke are you playing at?”
”I'm not. As long as the cold remains, you can not hear your name. No matter how many times I say it to you.”
”W-well, it's just a name though. I've spent all this time not knowing it, why bother finding out now?”
”Is that so? Are you sure you are fine with not knowing your name? It represents more than just what you're called.”
She frowned and wiggled uncomfortably.
”Let's just say… Hypothetically… I wanted to do something about that cold, what could I do? It's really strong you know.” Even thinking about it made a shiver run down her spine.
”You said that the cold was in the depth of the ocean, right?”
”Yeah.”
”Then sweep it away with the current.”
”Current..?”
”This world is yours, even the ocean is yours. When we first met, you were too weak to push out the cold. But now, it should be alright.”
She was silent for a bit. It was true that this world bent to her will and she supposed the ocean was part of that. Still though, that cold… something about it was very intimidating.
”Is it possible… you could help me?”
The light's eyebrows rose slightly.
”It's just… you're really hot, right? And that cold is really cold. You haven't felt it so you don't know… but it's super bad. If.. If maybe I can borrow some of your heat, I could maybe push it out. What do you think?”
”Borrow my heat… hm…” He closed his eyes, deep in thought. After a bit, he nodded. ”En, I think that can be done. Here, as long as you have the power and desire, it should be possible.”
”Then you're fine with helping me?” She asked in surprised.