VOID

It was dark. A figure suspended in the endless darkness, floating in an unknown space with no means of support. An unconscious mind drifting away in the endless, suffocating abyss, yet she seemed ethereal. There was a heavy silence enveloping the delicate girl who floated, unconscious, in space, unaffected by time or gravity. A peaceful mask covered her exterior, with her eyes closed and her breathing that of a slumber. Her golden locks hovered around her, her hands embracing each other in tranquility over her abdomen. She looked to be suspended in a trance void of time.

A whispered voice spoke in the dark, "Is she the one?"

Another hushed whisper replied, "It would seem humans have grown more and more savage. This is the five hundredth case just this month. Tsk, they just can't control their nature."

"Do we have to go through the entire process again? Will she be lost in the void too?" another unidentifiable whisper emerged from the darkness surrounding the girl, defying gravity.

"Such a burden, I tell you. The things we do just so they won't be lost souls. I should take it up with the administrator to reconsider. We really ought to let them suffer and allow them to haunt the very people who did this; that way, at least we'll avoid extra work," came a reply with a twisted chuckle, suspending their words in the air like a sinister fog.

"Honestly, how can you be so blunt about that?" came a disappointed reply.

"What? Don't tell me you didn't think of that at least once?" replied the same voice.

"Tsk," came a clicked reply, as if trying to deny the claims but was unable to.

The conversation grew heated and louder as an unarguable topic was being discussed. The girl stirred, indicating her slumber was being rudely disturbed due to the unwanted noise. She shifted comfortably in her position. An unconscious groan escaped her due to the unwarranted disturbance. Her eyes slowly opened to the surrounding eerie darkness and the slowly dying whispers. In an attempt to see in the dark, she squinted her eyes, but to no avail, as the darkness enveloped her in a blanket, rendering her sight useless. Unaware of the eyes focused on her every move, she attempted to sit up in her position only to find herself floating in the air. A surprised gasp escaped her lips as she began to look around, trying to assess her situation. However, as she took in the bizarre surroundings, a strange sense of calm washed over her. It was as if her mind, dazed and disoriented, had decided that accepting the surreal situation was the most logical course of action.

"Hello!" she whispered into the darkness hoping for a reply yet fearing one at the same time.

"Is... Is anyone there?" Her voice broke as she found her throat unpleasantly dry, like she'd gargled with sandpaper before settling in for the world's longest nap.

"Hello, little lady! Bet it's not much a thrill hearing me chat you up behind the darkness especially since this isn't- as you humans like to call it- one of those blockbuster flicks, but hey, if you stick around I promise to entertain; it won't take that long...Here, let me fix that for you." An unfamiliar and unpleasantly chirpy voice, blurred in autotune, spoke from somewhere in the dark, followed by a snap. Her throat suddenly felt as if someone had mistaken it for a Colgate commercial—minty, fresh, and burning all at once.

In a shaken daze, the girl looked around trying to figure out who spoke to her but to no avail. A stuttering, "Who's there?" escaped her as she looked around in the dark.

"Ah, my apologies, I had forgotten how blin—excuse me—how difficult it is for humans to see in the dark," came a reply from the same voice.

He was definitely going to say 'blind,' wasn't he? The girl's inner voice interjected with a sardonic twist, maintaining a sense of skepticism amidst the surreal encounter. Despite the gravity of the situation, she couldn't help but find irony in the predictability of the response. The notion of being relegated to a mere observer in her own narrative added a touch of existential absurdity to the already bizarre circumstances.

A snap of the finger followed by a sudden blinding light yanked her back to the present, making her squint in agony. Seriously? Is this place running on Siri or something?

As she cautiously opened her eyes, a blinding spotlight enveloped her, casting her into stark relief against the darkness. The harsh glare illuminated her surroundings, revealing a surreal stage set amidst the void—an otherworldly theater of shadows and whispers. The spotlight bore down on her like a relentless interrogation, stripping away the comforting cloak of darkness and exposing her to the unknown.

Perfect. Just what I needed—my very own Broadway debut, minus the talent and preparation.

Suddenly, a cough broke the silence, jolting her out of her reverie. She turned, her attention snagged by the unexpected sound. The shock of the bizarre situation settled in, but instead of fear or confusion, she felt a creeping numbness spreading through her. Apathy and indifference wrapped around her like a familiar blanket, shielding her from the unsettling reality unfolding before her.

"Excuse me! Coming through!... Make way, please, yes, thank you!... uff, that was a hard run," came a childlike voice from behind the spotlight, the place that was the least visible. The figure started appearing under the light, illuminating her vision of the speaker of the voice. "Sorry about that! I ran a little late today. Not that I'm to blame; they are all just too cruel to us juniors..." came an announcing voice under the light, addressing the girl. "Did I keep you waiting too long?"

As the shock settled in, a whirlwind of emotions swept over her. Astonishment painted her features as she stared at the spotlight, her heart pounding in her chest. But beneath the surface, there was more than just surprise—there was a flicker of excitement, a sense of anticipation for what lay ahead. Despite the surreal circumstances, she couldn't help but feel a surge of curiosity and wonder at the unfolding events.

A hedgehog? And.....its talking? she thought as she looked at the hedgehog-shaped animal speaking to her as if it were the most natural thing.

"Please excuse my appearance, I had no other choice but to take a form that was... acceptable?" the hedgehog spoke as it looked at her with a glint of desperation for her consideration.

She felt the urge to pet it, but those spikes looked like they'd make for a great acupuncture session she didn't sign up for.

" So, What is going on here?" The girl's gaze shifted from the hedgehog to the darkness where she had first heard the voice.

"Hmmm... " Came a deep hum from the dark amusement lacing it's voice.

"Umm, Am I being ignored right now? " Spoke a soft voice to her right.