𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐑 || COD 𝐗 Y/N

-14-

TW: This chapter contains spoilers for the movie series 'The Maze Runner'. You can skip that part as to not spoil it for yourselves if you haven't seen it.

The air was heavy with the scent of salt and seaweed as the waves crashed against the jagged rocks below. The sky above, a deep shade of blue that seemed to go on forever, was dotted with puffy white clouds that gently swayed in the breeze. The sun hung low in the horizon, casting a warm, golden light over the entire scene. The small, secluded beach was nestled between two towering cliffs, their rugged faces covered in lush greenery that clung desperately to the earth. A single, abandoned boat sat half-submerged in the shallow water, its once proud sails torn and tattered, its hull scarred and battered by the elements.

The sand beneath my feet, warm and inviting, stretches out in every direction. The ocean breeze, salty and cool, whispers through my hair, carrying with it the distant cries of gulls. The sky above, a vast expanse of blue that seems to merge seamlessly with the horizon, dotted with cotton-ball clouds that drift lazily across the sun. I breathe in the scent of the sea, the taste of salt on my lips, the feel of the sand between my toes, and for a moment, I am lost in this perfect, peaceful place.

Perfection. The very word sends a shiver down my spine. It's as if the concept itself is an affliction, a disease that eats away at the essence of what it means to be human. We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with images of perfection: models with impossibly toned abs and flawless skin, celebrities with sculpted eyebrows and pouty lips, athletes with chiseled bodies and endless stamina. We're led to believe that this is what it means to be perfect, and that if we can only attain this unattainable standard, our lives will be complete. 

The cold, crisp air nipped at my nose as I walked briskly down the deserted boardwalk, the rhythmic sound of my footsteps echoing through the empty environment. The sky was a somber shade of gray, heavy with clouds that threatened to unleash a torrent of rain at any moment. I paused at the edge of the wooden pier, my gaze drifting out over the choppy waves that crashed against the jagged rocks below. A seagull cried out overhead, its shrill cry piercing the silence.

Home. I knew that home was close by, somewhere in this town I had known since I was a child. But for some reason, it felt as if it were farther away than ever before. Perhaps it was because I had been gone for so long, or perhaps it was because I had changed so much since I left. I wasn't sure.

✮

I wake up to the sound of birdsong, the warmth of the sun caressing my cheek. As I stretch, the softness of my sheets and the weight of my duvet envelop me, and for a moment I feel like I'm floating. It's one of those mornings where reality seems so surreal, like I'm existing in a dream within a dream, suspended in time and space. I sit up and take in my surroundings: the posters on my walls, the books stacked on my nightstand. Everything is exactly as I left it yesterday, but something feels different today.

It's hard to put my finger on it, but there's an energy in the air, a sense of anticipation. It's as if I'm on the cusp of something big, something extraordinary. I wonder if this feeling is because of the dream I had last night, the one where I was at the foot of the beach, wind in my hair,  where I was weightless and free. Or maybe it's because I finally finished reading that book I've been obsessed with, the one where the main character discovers they're actually living in a simulation. Whatever the reason, I can't shake the feeling that today is going to be special.

As the sun crept over the horizon, casting an ethereal glow across the vast, untamed landscape, I stirred within the confines of a makeshift shelter. The air was crisp and cold, and a light frost coated the ground, glittering like countless diamonds scattered carelessly about. I was still wrapped in thick blankets for warmth, slowly beginning to emerge from my slumber, the events of the past few days reeling through my mind like a kaleidoscope of fragmented memories. My eyelids felt heavy, my body ached, but the urge to rise was irresistible, like a primal instinct begging to be sated.