Faraway
Table of Contents
Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapter 55 Chapter 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 58 Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61 Chapter 62 Chapter 63 Chapter 64 Chapter 65 Chapter 66 Chapter 67 Chapter 68 Chapter 69 Chapter 70 Chapter 71 Chapter 72 Chapter 73 Chapter 74 Chapter 75 Chapter 76 Chapter 77 Chapter 78 Chapter 79 Chapter 80 Chapter 81 Chapter 82 Chapter 83 Chapter 84 Chapter 85 Chapter 86 Chapter 87 Chapter 88 Chapter 89 Chapter 90 Chapter 91Chapter 78
As his eyes opened with a gasp of air escaping from his mouth, Danny found himself in a surreal, empty city he never had expected to see.
The sky above him was cloudy, with a pastel-like atmosphere spreading across far from what the eye can see while revealing modern, beautiful buildings that are mysteriously still intact, regardless of how he could imagine them being destroyed already.
"Where the hell am I?" Mumbling under his breath, he then rubbed his eyes through the palms of his hands, clearing the haze from his vision.
Standing in a place he is so unfamiliar with, he has no clue why or how he was transported here; the last thing he remembers is falling unconscious on the cold floor of his own bedroom alongside Unity. "Wait a minute..."
Glancing around the strange-looking streets before deciding to call out his own name, his voice returned only with an echo in the empty streets as realization slowly dawned upon him. "I'm alone," he whispered, a shiver running down his spine at the eerie silence surrounding him.
What's more, his lucid dreaming again, Danny thought, recalling his previous experience of vivid dreams that felt almost too real: "This is just a dream," sighing to himself, "or a hallucination." Another possibility crossed his mind.
"Maybe I hit my head harder than I thought," a rational explanation that could explain his current predicament. "Regardless, I probably should wake up now, but..." He does not have a clue what happens if he does decide to wake up right now; his physical body in the real world might still be tired from the whole ordeal he had to go through last.
Thinking long and hard, there are many reasons why he should wake up, but also equally many reasons why he shouldn't: "If this is just a dream, then I don't have to worry about anything." Time here is fundamentally different, yet the real world is completely separated from illusion. Although Danny thinks it is best for him to enjoy this opportunity once more, it would not be a hassle to just explore a bit, as his own curiosity is being piqued by the beautiful sight of this city.
"What kind of place is this?"
His mind conjures the strangest and calmest of places he sets foot on before falling from the sky into the now silent city just all by himself. Accompanied by the calm, breezy wind blowing throughout the city, Danny started walking down the empty street, exploring the unknown territory in front of him, having no idea what he would encounter next.
The city's tranquility is soothing to his nerves, providing an odd sense of peace amidst the chaos of his thoughts. "I wonder if anyone else is here," the existence of inhabitants possibly living in this mysterious place is something he is trying to figure out. "It's so quiet," he remarks, remarking upon the eerie stillness that permeates the air.
Venturing deeper into the city, gently taking careful steps along the sidewalks, his eyes scanned the surroundings, taking in every detail, from the intricate architecture of the buildings to the strange, alien-like plants that line the streets.
"This place looks abandoned," curiosity piqued from the sights around him, "everything still intact," pondering at such a complex question, "There's no signs of decay or destruction; it's like time stood still here." Shaking his head, he couldn't believe his asking questions that had the answer already presented before his eyes.
Foremost, this is a dream or hallucination, whichever he wants to call it. His brain is creating illusions and making him believe these are real, yet it's so intriguing how everything behaves just as in real life that he sometimes almost forgets he was actually dreaming.
"My brain is trying to mess with me," he said, groaning softly to himself, "making me believe things that aren't there." He couldn't deny the fact that he was feeling sensations and emotions that were very real to him, tricking his mind into believing that this was reality.
Walking further down the road, it was impressive to see the way these buildings looked. While there were moments of deformity in the appearance of these structures alone, most of them appear to share the style in the City of Paris, something to note about whenever he sees such architectural design.
"I am starting to like it here," he commented at his surroundings, enjoying the serenity of the place. "It's peaceful," a complete difference from the chaos and noise he's used to back home, where crazy people run amok.
After a while of strolling through the streets like no tomorrow, Danny has grown bored with the repetitive scenery around him to the point of wanting to do something about it. "I need to find some entertainment," he said aloud, "or maybe get some food," his stomach growling at the thought of eating, which is comically bizarre as he shouldn't feel anything at all when he's dreaming. However, knowing his own brain, it's probably common for him to try to make his dreams seem more realistic than ever.
Spotting a restaurant nearby, he made his way towards it, hoping to fill his hunger. Walking towards what appears to be a French bistro with a 19th-century vibe.
Its exterior is painted in warm, earthy tones, and ornate ironwork decorates the windows and doors, giving off an ambiance of elegance. "Ah, finally," Danny sighed in relief, pushing open the door to step inside, "a place to eat." Deep down in his heart, he expected no one to be inside. But knowing the truth, he decides to do something about it.
"I wish there were people in there."
A simple wish he prayed to come true before pushing open the door, having expected it to be a completely empty place. Instead, he got the opposite. When he uttered those words, he was met with a with a crowd of patrons dining and chatting amongst themselves.
But something else caught his attention: the people in this very restaurant have their bodies completely shaded and blurred, giving him the impression they are weirdly drawn to be terrible background characters from some anime show.
Their clothes consisted of modern 90s attire; some wore hats, others had sunglasses on, but all of them had this odd, ghostly quality to them. "This is getting trippy," its words echoed in his mind, find it both amazing and creepy nonetheless that his expectations were proven false; otherwise, he would be deeply disappointed if he didn't see anyone at all.
As he stepped inside, a waiter dressed in fine clothing—a white apron and white suit—greeted him with a friendly gesture. "Undefined tvt fg le cafe, undefined!"
Brows raised in surprise: "What?" Danny did not understand a word this person has said other than hearing gibberish. "Um, sorry, I don't speak your..." he trailed off, unsure how to respond to the waiter's peculiar greeting without sounding rude, "your language."
Finishing his sentence in a polite manner, hoping he would not get in trouble for his mistakes. Getting harassed or worst attacked is one thing, but in a surreal dream, coupled with made-up people in his head who barely look normal, it is a horror sight to witness.
"Berred vo, Pum wirr roaxad ug te yeep taxafro."
Suddenly, the waiter spun around in motion and walked towards the public counter, leaving Danny standing there in confusion.
"What just happened?" Having no idea what to do next, he decided it was best to follow where the waiter went as he might find answers to his questions, even though he probably won't get one hundred percent certainty if his questions would be answered in the first place when the entire place is completely weird in every sense of the word, no matter how someone would look at it.
The interior of the restaurant is a feast for the eyes, a vibrant tapestry of colors, textures, and tantalizing aromas. Soft golden lighting bathes the space, casting a warm glow over the elegant decor.
Rich wood accents adorn the walls, complemented by plush red velvet booths that curve like the petals of a flower. Patrons sit in these cozy nooks, their blurry faces still obscured, while the tables are clear as day, laden with steaming dishes of French cuisine.
While the air itself is spilled with the savory scents of roasted meats, fresh herbs, and buttery sauces, Danny's stomach growls loudly, betraying his hunger despite the fact he shouldn't have been experiencing any sensations in this dream.
Waiters in crisp white aprons weave between the tables, their voices rising and falling in a melodic cadence of French phrases that sound beautiful to his ears, even if he doesn't understand a single word.
Before long, he eventually notices the familiar waiter waving at him to come over, gesturing the young man to take a seat on an empty two-person table. "Cemo evol pi sit, pum'rr kot yeep eldol," the person said verbally, still gibberish in the ears of Danny as he still has no clue what the guy spoke off.
Despite the confusing situation, he understood the body language of the waiter's gestures. Complying with the waiter's order, Danny then walked in his direction and sat down, expecting something to happen next. "I hope you can understand me," the young man said, trying to communicate with the waiter in simple English.
Not wanting to deal with the confusion anymore, he decided to ask for food within his head rather than his lips, finding it likely better when he has full control of his dream.
Without any warning, the waiter left him again, sitting alone at his table as Danny waited patiently, hoping to get some answer to, "why am I here? Why is everything so weird?" Musing aloud, he looked around at the bizarre scene before him.
"My dreams are so strange." Far from the truth, he nonetheless wishes to have something normal for once, as this is getting out of hand every moment. Making him wonder, "Will I ever wake up?" A new troubling question entered his train of thought.
Of course he will; he chose to stay here because of his curiosity in addition to needing his physical body and mind to rest. However, his anticipation of expecting the unknown is interesting at its finest.
He had grown bored to death with his life back home, and now he finds himself in a place where anything and everything is possible. The only thing he knew for sure was that he needed to explore more of this enchanting city and uncover the secrets that lay hidden within its ancient walls.
For now, Danny simply sat and observed, letting the surreal atmosphere wash over him like a warm, soothing balm while he looked down at the surface of the table with his head down and said, "I wonder what they serve here," pondering the menu options.
Since this is his dream, he can basically have everything he wants. So it's not possible for him to wish for the very delicious meal he always wanted, but instead, he feels a sudden pang of sadness that the food he eats is not real, even though he feels like it.
"Excuse me," a familiar voice different from the waiter spoke on his side. "May I sit with you?" The voice is nostalgic, a hint of someone from the past he has forgotten. What surprises him the most is how character from his dream is speaking clearly like the day one.
"I apologize if I'm bothering you on something," the figure said as Danny could feel his presence standing beside him. "I just couldn't help noticing you sitting alone without anyone to talk to." It was a very unexpected turn of events that the young man himself had thought about encountering anyone who is coherent enough to understand.
"Who are you?" Lifting his head up, he turned to face the supposed figure and said, "You look familiar." His eyes widen like saucers, and it was extremely clear that he felt he was speaking to a real human being based on how clear this person looked compared to the shaded and blurry individuals around them.
In addition to that, the appearance itself reminded him of a person he probably knows that he can't put a finger on who or why. "I think I know you from somewhere." Conflict and confusion sprung within his mind at the same time. "Are you from my dream too?"
"I'm Tom; haven't you forgotten about me?"
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