Project Eliora

—

I was drawn towards the persistent flashes of light, unable to resist their pull. With each step, my movement accelerated, propelling me forward at an incredible speed. The sheer force of my momentum caused my body to contort and bend backward.

A kaleidoscope of vivid colours suddenly erupted all around me. I was violently thrown from one place to another, my body battling the strong feelings of compression and stretching. Pain seared through every bone and muscle, immobilising me in its grasp. However, the beckoning flashes of light continued and drew nearer with each passing second.

I forced myself to push through the pain because I was determined to get where I was going. I came closer, inching forward with unwavering determination. I ventured closer, fueled by an unyielding resolve.

I was on the verge of reaching my destination, where answers and revelations awaited me.

—

—

—

“I wanted it to be her. When she denied being Eliora, I didn’t want to accept it. I wanted to end this and bring it to a resolution.”

“It seems Mrs. Graham is furious; that woman is a pain in my ass.”

“I just need ten minutes with him, please. I’ll accept any punishment later.”

“I was contemplating if I should kill my parents. Even though it was for a moment, the fact that I even considered such an idea is messed up.”

“Oh, and Elisa, you can call me Reuben.”

“Trust you, why? Reuben is desperately searching for you, which means you did something that is worth all of his wrath. I cannot just trust you on your word.”

“We have tried this your way, Elisa; now it is my turn.”

“Eliora, am I right?”

“Though it can be challenging to deal with, uncertainty is a natural aspect of life. It’s acceptable to not have all the solutions.”

“I’m wondering why I wasn’t lying down on a couch like they do in the movies or something.”

“No, it is not him, so what are you going to do now? Go over to the next house and terrorise their entire household.”

“If I don’t hold onto my own morals, what’s stopping me from becoming a monster? One day I might even do things I never thought I was capable of.”

“If I were to kill someone here, they may not remember it, but I would. I would carry that guilt with me forever. I would always see myself as a murderer.”

“Kill me, please.”

—

My head hurt like it was being torn apart. A torrent of memories flooded my consciousness, surging through my mind relentlessly. One by one, they unravelled before me, revealing fragments of my past.

Visions and emotions intertwined, replaying scenes from my life with vivid clarity. My breaths came in shallow gasps, unable to keep pace with the rapid rhythm of my pounding heart. My senses reeled under the onslaught of memories, trying to make sense of it all.

—

“I get where you’re coming from, but don’t make things complicated or weird; just hear him out at least.”

“They have always been present in the physics lab. It is a way to travel across loops. I don’t have the exact mechanisms down yet, but I can still use it to do that.”

“Even though you all do see the proof at noon, your memories will reset in the next loop, so you will have no recollection of all this.”

“Elisa”

“Sorry for killing you without warning back there.”

“This is Reuben, a friend from school.”

“Imagine having the opportunity to do whatever you want without any consequences.”

“If you were in a world without consequences, what would you do?”

“Yes, it truly is. Amidst all the chaos and uncertainty, there’s still beauty and wonder to be found.”

“The outside world is crazy, Elisa. Be prepared.”

“Oh right, take care, but remember to come back early to set up the party.”

“You can call me Elisa.”

“How did you get powers?”

“You’re free to do whatever you want here because there are no consequences.”

“I am sure of the exact number of loops you have been through, but since I have been here, I have experienced more than a thousand loops.“

“The only way to end all of this is to find Eliora.”

“I am sorry, but I will still have to ask you to leave. If I recall, the Nunez live there, and I do know they have a daughter, but how about I go over there another time to greet you all?”

“Sixth loop? Can you remember anything from the first loop? I reckon our answer will lie there.”

—

—

—

“I don’t know what you mean by all of that, but one thing I’m certain of is that we will find you and we will stop you.”

“I hope you do.”

—

—

—

The culmination of events brought me to this pivotal moment. My body violently trembled as the searing brightness engulfed me. The overwhelming surge of energy seemed to be met with resistance from every cell in my body.

Time stretched and warped, simultaneously dragging on and flying by in a bewildering paradox. The overwhelming brightness blocked my vision and clouded my perception. Then, as abruptly as it had begun, the brilliance dissipated, leaving me enveloped in profound darkness once more.

—

—

—

—

—

—

Slowly, my senses began to return, although it took considerable effort. I felt ethereal, suspended in the air, as if I were suspended in mid-air. My finger started to move a little bit over time, but any attempts to move it proved difficult.

Enveloping me was a viscous substance akin to a thick liquid, confining my movements. I struggled to open my eyes, only to find that I was enveloped in a bright yellow colour. Struggling against the constraints, I realized I was suspended by this unknown substance. Questions flooded my mind. What is this? Why am I naked?

As I strained to turn my head, I encountered resistance—a pulling sensation. Then, a revelation struck me. Summoning all my strength, I cautiously lifted my hand to my face, discovering foreign objects invading both my nostrils and mouth. Panic welled up inside me. I was losing control, trapped in a bewildering and disconcerting situation.

I cocked my head, trying to make out what was around me in the thick, yellow liquid. Despite the difficulty, I managed to see a floating figure nearby. A surge of alarm coursed through me, causing my breath to catch in my throat. It was another person—a jarring realisation.

Instantly, panic overtook me, and I fought against the viscous liquid, determined to break free. Every movement was a struggle, as if pushing through an unseen barrier. In my haste to find a way out, I shot in the direction I thought was upward.

As I manoeuvred carefully to avoid damaging the tubes connected to my mouth and nose, the source of my sustenance in this strange place, the strain on my muscles increased with each effort.

I finally caught a glimpse of a surface above me, exhausted but steadfast. Placing my hand against it, I pushed with all my might, feeling it stretch and yield against my palm. Using my other hand for support, I broke through the liquid’s surface and pulled myself onto a floating platform. I collapsed onto the firm surface and took a moment to collect myself, my body trembling from the exertion.

I reached out, my hand trembling, and began to pull on the first tube connected to my mouth. The feeling of it sliding up my throat nearly made me gag, but I steeled myself, anticipating the worst. With a surge of determination, I yanked it free, tossing it aside. The length of the tube sprawled out before me, a ghastly reminder of what had been inside me.

Revulsed, I braced myself for the upcoming ordeal while shuddering. I grabbed the tube that went into my nose tightly while contracting the muscles in my face. Bracing for the searing pain, I tugged with all my strength, emitting an anguished cry. Slowly and agonisingly, the tube began to dislodge, eliciting torrents of blood from my nose as it emerged.

It felt as though the foreign object had been disturbingly intertwined with my very being, connected to the core of my being. I expelled the last bits of the tube before collapsing to the ground, tears streaming down my face. My nose continued to bleed, a testament to the trauma I endured.

I stood up after gathering myself and wiped the blood from my nose and mouth with the back of my hand. A profound sense of awe overcame me as I looked around, rendering me speechless. With a sense of wonder, I walked towards the edge of the floating platform. I stared out the window, my hair gently fluttering in the breeze as my breath caught in my throat. Any expectations I had were surpassed by what I saw.

I found myself within a colossal megastructure, its advanced design evident in the numerous spacecraft and shuttles darting through the air. The structure covered a massive portion of the sky and was supported by multiple massive towers that stretched all the way to the ground. Buildings and structures dotted the landscape below, forming what could only be described as a city, and astonishingly, they resembled human architecture.

From my vantage point, perched high above the earth at a height surpassing ten kilometres, my view stretched far and wide, capturing the grandeur of it all.

“Damn”

I muttered, finally comprehending the enormity of my surroundings.

The breathtaking view unfolded before me, and every detail etched itself into my memory. It was a sight that defied imagination and left me in a state of profound astonishment.