Zolly

I had nearly a million friends partying with me last night. We were all warm, bouncing around, and slapping tails as we became more acquainted.

My body was on overdrive. I wiggled from side to side desperately trying to get clarity, because I was confused. Luckily I had trained extensively in water. Otherwise I’d be doomed.

I tried squinting my eyes.

I also tried rubbing them, but the results were always the same.

I WAS SUBMERGED IN LIQUID AND I COULDN’T SEE ANYTHING!

My friends could have been right beside me and I wouldn’t have known.

As I walked through the crowd, if you could even call it that, because every step I took there was a body. I merely collided with a drink someone was holding.

“Where did all this volume come from?” I asked. I noticed a circle of people staring at me questionably as I gradually approached. I was self-aware of the growing crowd and I didn’t know whether to be excited or nervous.

“Hello. I’m Tulla. You look a bit anxious and lost,” a female voice squealed excitedly over the overlapping voices all around.

“I’m Nemes,” I replied awkwardly.

“I’m Ballack,” a voice to my left roared.

“And I’m Virgil. Drink?” he asked as he grabbed one from the numerous servers walking around adding to the already increasing population of the Sack Lounge.

This lounge had a pleasant warmth with an ambiance radiating togetherness.

“It feels like I’m wrapped in a tight hug from my mom,” Nemes said, smiling. Soaking in the feeling.

“Yes it does,” Virgil agreed.

“Is this your first time?” Ballack asked, already knowing the answer to his question.

A group beside us laughed exaggeratedly, and we turned our heads to look.

“You know—” Tulla began.

“So, fellas. Where were we?” Ballack interrupted, cutting Tulla off.

“Excuse me,” someone said, as they clipped my shoulder passing by. It barely registered, as the laughter continued.

I saw a flicker of someone I recognized walk into the lounge while Ballack continued speaking, oblivious to the tension he caused.

“Bobby,” I said to myself as my feet began to walk in his direction before my mind could catch up.

“Nemes.” Tulla yelled loud enough for me to hesitate, but Bobby was family. My little brother.

“What are you doing in here?” I asked a startled Bobby, grabbing the glass from his underaged hand. He looked at me and didn’t respond at first.

“Hey Nemes. I was just looking out for you.”

“Looking out for me?”

“I’m the big brother and this isn’t your time yet. Don’t be in a rush to grow up,” I stated.

“But brother, I just—

“No. Bobby, you need to go back home. Now!” I said. Unaware that I was being aggressive.

He looked at me. Opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but then closed it and stormed off.

The Sack Lounge was not a place for little kids. It was filled at a shoulder-to-shoulder capacity with little to no room to move. The structure was built like a circular contraption meant to keep everyone in with drinks and conversations. And I loved it. But not for him. Not yet.

“What is it with this strong pull?!”

My body kept getting jerked and I felt myself moving forward. I bumped into something firm yet squishy.

“Sorry, friend.” I said, trying to steady the person.

I heard no reply as I yelled out, “You’re rude.” I guess that just bounced off that person’s back.

I squinted my eyes and rubbed them. Still not being able to make out my surroundings.

“Okay guys. The joke is over. This place is starting to feel too small.”

Instead of a reply I felt something touch me on the right side. Then shortly after on the left. I hit something firm and squishy before regaining control.

“What was that?”

If I could guess the distance between me and what appeared to be some sort of wall was limited. Very limited.

“Do you see that?” I asked, to no one in particular. “It looks blue.”

Again, I received no reply. I shook my head in frustration and the color became clearer.

Yes.

It was indeed blue. And this current I now found myself in was pulling me straight towards it.

It was like a neon glow light. Giving a dim glow around the outer surface.

I squinted my eyes again trying to adjust them.

I was in a tunnel?

I was just at the Sack Lounge. A social event for a meet and greet.

As I got closer I began to hear voices.

“I think I’m stuck.”

“Is the end near?”

“Did I make it?”

“Oh yeah I’m the winner!”

“Ballack?” I shouted—

Hearing his arrogant voice over all the chatter. It sounded like I was at a concert and someone was trying to have a conversation. Voices started merging together and I could no longer hear them clearly. I shook my head to release the pressure as the current continued to pull me forward. That’s when my eyes landed on another familiar face.

Tulla. That was a crazy scene.

I tried to help her from the unrecognizable contraption, but as I got closer to her outreached arms I realized she wasn’t pulling away. Frantic, I swam back feeling a magnetic pull towards her predicament.

“Nemes,” Tulla yelled out.

The force of my commitment to get away paired with a sudden strong pull in the opposite direction caused me to bump into a passing crowd. With the force of the pull alongside my effort, half of my comrades were now stuck to the object.

“Hey?”

“What the heck?”

“Watch it!”

“Sorry,” I managed to say before getting swept away again.

Maybe I should have grabbed on like them.

I looked back to see if I could see them and could only make out the outline of the blue.

“Pretty blue,” I thought. Turning back around.

Wait—

I don’t recall being gripped by squishiness. I felt like I was receiving a warm bear hug.

Is it me or am I being closed in?

“I can’t breathe,” someone yelled, up ahead.

“I can’t move. I can’t move,” another person cried.

“What’s going on?” Overlapping voices panicked.

I bounced around like a ping-pong ball not knowing which way was up or down as the current pulled me in different directions. I was going backwards slowly, but it felt like I was still being pulled forward. I was stuck between going back towards the blue glow or getting relentlessly squeezed.

Panic began to arise.

I’m in this warm liquid, gradually being enclosed. I fought with everything in me to go with the current and not be forced back. The blue glow might have given sight, but it was terrifying. I began to run different scenarios in my head for a possible escape. Then I realized I no longer heard the voices.

My panic went into overdrive as I began thrusting around.

I pushed forward—

Nothing!

I pushed forward again.

Still nothing!

“Oh no. What am I going to do? I forgot to tell my little brother that I was sorry. I didn’t even get to tell him goodbye.”

I tried to cry, but tears wouldn’t even shed.

“Nemes, you’re okay. You’re stronger than you know.” I tried desperately to coax myself.

It didn’t work.

So I thrashed around again.

I felt the tightness loosen up a fraction.

A glimpse of hope escaped my lips through a sigh and I felt another small loosening.

So I thrashed again just like before, hoping that if I did the exact same movement I could be freed.

And just like that, I burst through the narrow tunnel.

Hitting left—

Then right—

Then left again.

The pull was immediate. Guiding me once more forward.

“How long have I been here?” I asked myself, as I moved along following darkness.

At least I wasn’t trapped!

No sooner had I thought that a dim light shone up ahead.

My thoughts—

My voice—

My feelings—

All came to a stop as a dreadful feeling pulsated through me.

“What now?” I yelled to the darkness surrounding me. The last time I came across something other than darkness it was like a trick. Though the darkness wasn’t so pleasant either.

I just wanted out.

The closer I got the bigger and brighter the light beamed. This felt different. The light gave me a gradual calm.

As I got closer I realized I was headed towards a large sphere that pulsated as it radiated a white glow.

“I’m Nemes. Are you my new home?” I asked.

The white sphere glowed even brighter as I felt one strong pull and I was inside. I looked around, then back behind me, confused. I could see the rest of my comrades hitting an invisible wall.

I wanted to help them. I tried to help them. I saw Virgil in the crowd. I desperately looked all around for something—

Anything.

No button appeared and the barrier wouldn’t break. My voice was not heard as I begged and pleaded.

I heaved out in frustration.

And then the unthinkable happened.

They all disappeared!

I backed away in pure disbelief.

Then I felt warmth all around me as I bumped into a smaller sphere I hadn’t noticed.

Within seconds I felt a shift and a sudden change before hearing the most beautiful words.

“Hello, I’m Zolly.”