Chapter 1

Darkness.

All that surrounded him was pitch, black darkness.

He tried screaming for help, but no sound came out of his throat. He lifted his hand to touch his throat and realized that his hands were numb.

He looked down on his hands and saw that they were not there.

He looked all over his body and realized his body was non existent.

What was going on?

Where was he?

Leo was lost. Lost in the world of his dreams, or imaginations to be precise. In this world, time did not flow, solid and liquids did not exist, and light was non existent. It was an empty world with no physical form that orbited around the axis of nothingness.

The mid-afternoon clock chimed, startling Leo awake from his nap. He groaned and rubbed his eyes, fatigued. His neck slightly ached from the uncomfortable position in which he slept.

He glanced at all the open textbooks on the table and sighed. He had gotten drool all over them. How was he supposed to explain this to the librarian? He quickly got a tissue and tried to clean up his mess as best as he could. He then put the textbooks he was borrowing into his bag, checked out of the library, and walked home.

He stared at the sky and sighed with wonder. He then thought once again... what caused the trees to grow, the birds to fly and the sun to shine? What caused rain to fall every now and then? What made the birds sing and the flowers bloom? That was what he was trying to figure out in the library. He read textbooks among textbooks and several history books and yet found nothing that met his curiosity. He gradually began to grow frustrated... did no one care about the meaning of life? And then there was the most troubling question.. what happens to people when they die?

Leo couldn't find even a hint of a clue to figuring out the answer to that question. It's not like he could ask a deceased person. No matter how many people he asked or how many books he read on that topic he couldn't find any clarity or answers... and this really troubled him.

He finally reached his apartment in thirty minutes. He placed his backpack on his rotating chair and sat down on his bed. He then noticed a letter which was on his window. He picked it up and read 'To Leo... From Suki'

He immediately smiled and tore open the letter.

Dear Leo,

'I came by this afternoon but you weren't home. I bet you were busily checking out all the history textbooks again in the library, weren't you? I would have come there to help you out, really, but Father needed me to prepare his lunch and settle him down for his afternoon nap. Hopefully I'll come by again, then we can discuss our theories together.'

Leo smiled. Suki was the only one who got it. She was the only one who didn't laugh at him or think he was crazy or stupid when he told her about his thoughts.

'How is your mother by the way? When was the last time you saw her? I know it hurts a lot, but please try and visit her Leo... I know she appreciates it.'

Leo sighed. It really had been a while since he last saw his mother. He decided that he would visit her tomorrow.

'Anyways, Leo, I don't want to write a long letter, since I'll probably be seeing you later. Microwave some ramen for me, I'll probably not have eaten anything by the time I get there! Bye, Leo, and see you soon! Oh, and next time lock your doors!'

Leo smiled. He likes Suki so much. Heck, she's the only person he even cares about. Leo got up and took two cups of instant ramen and heated them in the microwave. Not long after he heard a knock on the door.

'Hey, Leo.' Suki smiled. 'How have you been?'

Leo would soon end up replaying this moment over and over in his head... for it would be the last time he'd hear her utter those words in a very long time.