Chapter .... Until Dawn

Standing at the dawn of the sun, as the still and crystal water reflects it, he looks at the wall next to him. He scans it up and down, right and left, but fails to find an end.

He touches it and discovers its texture to be plastic-like. So, he tries to push it with his hand, and it stretches quite easily.

He keeps walking and pushing at the stretchy wall.

It stretches and stretches and stretches.

As it does, it becomes more and more difficult for him to push through, and he reaches a point where his arms are exhausted and his body tired.

The wall only gets harder to stretch, yet he keeps on pushing and pushing until his body can no longer give and stretching the wall any farther is impossible.

The wall springs back with a great force, sending him flying away from it and towards the dawn, laying down on the shallow water.

He rests.

. . .

Finding himself stronger after training all dawn, he attempts to break through the wall again. He runs towards it with all his might and keeps going and going. He gets farther than his last attempt, yet still can't break through.

The same results catch up to him, haunting him. Grabbing him by his neck, his waist, his wrists, his ankles, the wall flings him back towards the dawn again.

. . .

He sits in front of the wall in contemplation.

"Maybe try going around it?" suggests Daki, floating above.

He notices him and looks at him, stands up and starts walking beside the wall. He keeps on walking and walking.

Running and walking . . .

Walking and running . . .

Running and running . . .

Until he stops and sits down.

"I don't think this wall has an end," murmurs Daki, looking at the dawn.

He falls on his back, laying down next to the wall, defeated yet again.

Daki lays next to him to experience the nice water with him.

They stay there . . . until dawn . . .

. . .

Splash!

He opens his eyes hearing the noise and springs upwards, looking around curiously.

Splash, splash, splash!

Things are falling from the sky.

"This must be her," comments Daki, laying down. Water drips down as he floats up in the same position and then straightens up.

A huge car drops in front of them.

"Well . . . let's try that?"

After teaching him how to drive, they drive towards the wall after building up some speed . . . reaching a new high score as they keep on pushing.

Vroom, vroom!

The car struggles and keeps on pushing bit by bit against the massive force of the springy wall.

"Come on! Break through it already! Jeez man, what is this thing?!" exclaims Daki in excitement, next to him with a seatbelt.

Vrooooom!

"Come on!" screams Daki in sync with the increasing speed of the car when suddenly the engine of the car dies.

"Uh oh . . . " he mutters as they both look at each other in a moment of realization.

The wall sends the both of them flying away farther than ever in a car crash.

. . .

He stands, looking at the wall in frustration.

"Here," calls Daki, floating over and pointing at a katana.

"Maybe use this to cut through? If it's sharp enough . . ."

He grabs the katana and strikes with all his might at the wall. Yet, it does not cut through.

After many attempts, he lets go of the katana with a defeated look upon his face.

All of him giving up and not caring anymore . . . he falls on his back yet again, and sleeps . . . until dawn . . .

. . .

"Wa – e u –"

He opens his eyes slowly, seeing Daki in front of him.

"Wake up!" Daki is shaking him.

"I got it!" he grins, pointing at a small tank that contains a very cold gas and a hammer sitting next to it.

"Freeze the wall and smash through,"

With a disinterested tone of existence, he slowly walks towards them and grabs them.

He takes aim and fires at the wall. The stretchy walls begin to freeze, and he grabs the hammer and strikes, as per Daki's instructions.

"Once more!" calls Daki, as he strikes and strikes, and the wall finally starts to crack.

"You are doing it! Keep going!"

He strikes over and over, unrelenting.

"Hahh!" he pants, and with a final strike, he finally breaks through the portion of the wall.

He freezes.

The rays of sunrise shine through on the other side.

Daki flies through.

"We made it! Finally! Come on, let's go!" he waves his hands around, gesturing for him to come along to the other side of the wall.

Yet merely looking at him . . . Daki knows deep down . . . that he won't join him.

Dropping the hammer, he falls to his knees. He looks down at his aged hands, a wrinkled body collapsing with a white beard and hair.

He sits down, looking at the hole in the wall . . . until dawn.