( pov ki-moon)
I walk without stopping.
One step. Then another.
The sound of snow under my feet became regular. Almost reassuring.
In front… more white.
Always.
I maintain the same pace and follow my path.
I see it.
– (Here we go again)
I moved away, but the further I advanced, the faster my steps doubled.
A noise.
Light.
Irregular.
I'm stopping.
Silence.
The footsteps continued
Then-
crunch!
One step.
I turn my head slightly.
She's here.
A few meters behind me.
Out of breath. Hands on her knees. Shoulders trembling.
She raises her head.
Our eyes meet.
– …I'm leaving too.
I stare at her.
A long time.
She does not back down and moves forward using her strengths.
I exhale through my nose.
– You could die.
She shrugs.
Go ahead of me without waiting.
Don't twist my words against me.
She continues to move forward.
– I can protect myself.
I watch her walk by.
Petite silhouette.
Apparently fragile.
But she's making progress.
Without hesitation.
I stifle a laugh.
A barely audible whisper.
– …if you say so.
Resuming my walk.
Next to her this time.
–...
Silence returns.
But not the same one.
Less empty.
–.....
After a few minutes-
– Do you know where we're going?
His voice breaks the calm.
I'm not looking at her.
– no.
Lie
But that doesn't change anything.
She nods her head, as if that were enough.
She doesn't ask any further questions.
"Well," she murmured, biting her lip.
The terrain changes, becomes flatter and more regular, it looks like a simple walk, hot chocolate and a park, the end-of-year festivities.
The snow is getting harder.
More compact.
The wind subsides and the mist dissipates.
I squint to see through it better.
Something is moving in the distance, a sort of fixed silhouette floating above the ground, much too far away to be clear.
An illusion?
I slow down.
Her too.
– …did you see?
I'm not answering.
I fix the shapes.
– Back up.
She stops abruptly.
She obeyed without argument and went behind me, clinging to my coat.
I'm taking a step forward.
Then another one.
The shape doesn't appear to be moving.
So I moved closer, again and again.
.....
It was nothing more than a point.
A kind of ticket window, and on its face
[PLACE THE MAP HERE]
I took out the roll he had entrusted to me and unfolded it on the frame, then stepped back a few steps.
She follows.
Short of breath.
Heavy steps.
The snow bursts beneath our feet.
CRIIIIIIKKKK!
A long whistle made me lower my head, and the map disappeared.
Tac!
Tac!
Tac!
Tac!
It's getting closer.
I don't turn around.
Useless.
To the left, to the right, there is nothing.
I'm changing direction without warning.
She slips.
Almost fell.
She catches up and follows.
"What's going on?" she exclaimed abruptly.
I didn't know either.
I had just become defensive, out of reflex….
- What ?!
I'm not answering.
She hesitates for a fraction of a second.
Then he stood up.
I remain motionless.
– there is no danger
I clenched my jaw and regained my composure.
The floating point was now a half-open blue door
I extend my hand to her and go through the opening with her.
A great white light blinded us for a moment before dissolving and revealing a landscape that I knew very well.
I'm backing away.
The island where it all began
I turned around, but there was no way out.
– I should have thought of that, that sadistic game.
She looks at me.
– You didn't even check if I was okay.
I stroked her hair.
- How's it going ? .
She breathes a sigh of relief.
Annoyed.
But she follows.
– I'm doing wonderfully
The landscape remained the same.
- THANKS…
She whispers.
Almost.
We walk a little further along the beach, getting closer to the place where I first woke up.
And-
A metallic sound echoed in the distance.
Regular.
– the test is about to begin
I'm stopping.
Her too.
- …it's what ?
I stared at the sky.
The black screen rose against the blue sky, displaying that face I hadn't seen since.
I smile.
Slowly.
– It had been a long time
She doesn't understand, she must think I'm crazy.
But she clung to my side.
– the rules are simple
[THE RULES ARE SIMPLE]