Chapter 3

I slowly opened my eyes and looked up at the roof of this room, wait? Roof? Didn't I faint on the sea sand from exhaustion trying to lift the giant steel door? but why am I here? Where is this? I got up from the bed, I pulled out the infusion needle that was in my arm and walked towards the door, when I looked in the mirror, I was surprised that my face was still the same as it was several decades ago? Why do I feel like I've been trapped at the bottom of the ocean for decades?

I opened the door and a very, very bright light entered my eyes and immediately I saw that there were tens or even hundreds of people passing by, and this place looks like a city, I was surprised to see so many people living here and doing activities like nothing happened, but I was more surprised when I saw the ceiling that was covered with concrete and there was no sun here but there were so many bright lights adorning the ceiling that it looked like stars, and I realized I was underground.

"excuse me sir, you're a patient who just came last night right? You better not move too much and go back to your bed." A female voice came from beside me.

"Who?" I said, still feeling weak.

"I'm a nurse here, let me help you to your room." the nurse took me back to my room

The nurse's face was familiar to me, but I immediately dismissed the thought 'Maybe it's just my feelings.' I climbed up and lay down on the bed.

"Let me put the infusion needle back, sir" said the nurse as she inserting the infusion needle back into my hand.

My eyes were focused on the birthmark that the nurse had on her arm, which was halfmoon-shaped and black on her right upper arm, I had seen that birthmark before.

"How do you feel right now?"

"I'm fine, but feel a little weak"

"No wonder, since you have low blood pressure, a few days rest will restore your condition"

"Okay thank you"

"You are welcome, then I'll excuse myself first" she said as he stepped out of my room

I looked up at the ceiling of this room, the room in the hospital where I woke up after passing out yesterday, this room looks like a hospital in general. I looked to my side and found a calendar hanging on the wall, then I approached it because I was so curious how long I was stuck at the bottom of the sea.

I tried to get up from the bed with all my might I walked limply with both hands holding the wall while supporting my limp body. My breath hitched and my heart seemed to stop beating after seeing the calendar '2044 calendar.'

It meant that I spent decades of my life trapped at the bottom of the pitch-black sea, my head aching so much because it was filled with the possibilities that had happened to my family during those decades. My body fell because my legs were no longer strong enough to support my body, my strength disappeared and I lay on the floor and I felt short of breath.

Then someone came to me, it turned out to be the nurse who had helped me, without waiting long she helped me back to lie down on the bed, the nurse corrected my IV tube and checked my condition.

"What happened?"

"I was just surprised to find out what year it is today"

"So, what's wrong with this year?"

"Forget it, by the way what really happened to this world?"

"What do you mean? Do you live under a rock?" The nurse looking at me weirdly

"Yes, short of"

She raised his eyebrows then took a deep breath and began to explain "decades ago the mermaids attacked the human race accompanied by a very large tsunami which then destroyed human civilization, but humans tried to survive by creating an underground civilization. My mother told me I have 2 older brothers, but they became victims of the tsunami, I also lost my father and mother ten years ago because they saved me from the mermaid, they stall time so I could survive.

Then ten years ago humans began to have powers, like the power of the mayor, he can use electricity which is now used to power lights and elevators, where does that power come from, only the higher-ups here know about it. "

hearing the story from the nurse I felt like a stranger, suddenly I remembered something and tried to ask the nurse.

"How long have you worked here?"

"When my parents died, I was adopted by an old woman, she was a nurse in this place, her fate was the same as me, she lost her family killed by the mermaids, I often came here and helped her take care of patients then a year later I was promoted as a nurse too"

"Oh yeah I forgot to ask your name, I'm Albian, and what's your name?"

The nurse seems shocked, she looked at me with teary eyes then shook her head and answered my question.

"Sorry I just remembered something… my name is Aria"

My chest felt hot, my heart stopped beating, and I tried to stay calm, but the wall that held the water in my eyes collapsed and spilled everything that had been contained for decades.

The nurse looked at me tearfully and asked "w-why are you crying?"

"Did your two older brothers… disappear when you and your family… went on vacation to the beach?" I asked while shedding very heavy tears.

He was surprised at what I just said to him. "h-how do you know? I've never told anyone about it, including grandma."

Tears began to flow "may I know... your full name?"

"My name is Albian Fallery, are you perhaps… Aria Fallery, and your father's name is Adam Fallery"

Aria jumped at me ignoring me who was feeling sick, I hugged her tightly, I was very happy to find my only family still living in this world, although I felt sad when I found out that my parents and my younger brother were gone, but most importantly for now is I have to take care of aria, so that what happened to mother, father, and Amar won't be repeated.

I removed my arms from her, I saw the face of Aria, my little sister who had grown up, who struggled without a family, who endured without giving up, I was very sad to imagine what Aria went through without anyone by her side, I hate myself, why can't I go back earlier before something happens and prevent everything from happening.