December 10th, 2134

A snowy land.

Sky and earth become one.

In the distance, a forest of tundra firs rises.

From it, the lone grey she-wolf appears.

I feel her amber eyes on me, calling.

I try to reach her.

I can’t.

I want to.

I need to.

My whole body pulses with longing.

Every attempt fails.

Every failure, a violent ache.

It hurts not to reach her.

I cry.

I wake.

The clock read three in the morning.

Was she calling me to the other world?

Through the window, the city shimmered.

Lights blurred by the damp glass.

Rain fell in a chaotic weave,

mirroring my own chaos.

She, a breath of spring in autumn,

yet could be winter itself.

A year without her.

A year in which the skies grieve,

the winds scream in agony,

the earth fades,

and I numb myself.

Since her death, the numbness never left.

I turned away from the window.

Would it be selfish to feel so unhappy,

knowing many would trade places with me?

I sighed.

Went back to sleep.

I lived on the uppermost floors of São Paulo.

The First City.

I was born in Zenith—as they call the top levels;

a suspended empire above the city,

where sunlight never touches the streets below.

To live always in the heights made the fall inevitable.

I put on a black coat.

Took the elevator down to reception.

The receptionist android, Andi,

wished me good morning.

I nodded back.

Passed by the old man wandering the atrium—Pavel.

An android engineer from Kokusai.

I saw him often and always greeted him.

He never replied.

His face: expressionless.

I headed to the Golden Line station.

The aerotrain arrived within seconds.

I sat by the window.

The city stretched below me.

Titanic structures vanished into polluted mist.

Spirals of airways wove between buildings.

Vertical skyscrapers, wrapped in hanging gardens.

Holograms burst in all directions.

Adwares bloomed mid-air without warning:

A new android.

A revolutionary synthetic protein.

I opened the bioscreen to read the news.

Nothing caught my eye.

I turned back to the glass.

The hospital appeared on the horizon.

Its mirrored surface reflected the neutral tones around it.

At the entrance, my android assistant, Takashi, awaited me.

“Good morning, Doctor.”

“Morning.”

I worked on a nanodevice: CogniSynth.

Part of Project Jaburu.

A nanotechnology designed to access human memories.

Memories…

Too many memories.

The day dragged on.

Each minute, a battle.

Each second, an agonizing effort to keep her out of my mind.

But she always returned.

Always her.

Always Maia.

She invaded.

Relentless.

Broke through walls.

Stayed.

All I wished was for night to end the day.

To take everything with it.

That dawn might bring forgetting.

Perhaps tomorrow, it’ll be easier to breathe.

I finished my shift.

Gathered my things to leave.

Takashi approached, holding a wide envelope in his hands,

labeled in a slanted, elegant script.

Her handwriting.

“This arrived.”

My chest froze.

My hands trembled.

My mouth went dry.

My eyes widened.

My heart raced.

My thoughts unraveled in maddened pulses.

I took the envelope.

“Tha…”

My voice broke.

“…nk you.”

“Do you need anything else?”

“N-no… I… y-you can go.”

The door shut.

I tore the seal.

Something fell.

A red phone.

Foldable. Obsolete.

A pocket watch.

Analog. From the 1980s.

A golden compass.

And a piece of paper.

Geographical coordinates.

What did it mean?

I picked up the letter.

Just a few words, but enough to split my world apart.

Tight chest.

Eyes flooded with tears.

I could barely hold the paper.

Akiko,

How are you?

Perhaps your anger and sorrow have faded.

I hope they have.

So many things were left unsaid.

I know.

Your heart broke.

Mine did too.

I never wanted things to end this way.

So, I prepared this.

You’ve always wanted to enter my world?

All your questions will be answered.

Are you ready for that?

If you are, go to the coordinates this Sunday at 11 p.m.

If not, continue on your path.

Remember me always.

With love,

Maia

I lost all strength.

The letter slipped from my hands.

My body collapsed.

I stared at my warped reflection in the gleaming surface.

Everything spun.

I forgot how to breathe.

In those words, I heard her voice.

Heard my name in her mouth.

Even after a year apart, I still felt my threads tied to hers.

It took a while to return.

To catch my breath.

To feel the present again.

The tears dried.

My fingers stopped trembling.

I picked up the objects.

Studied the coordinates.

Placed them in my bag.

Only the letter remained.

I sighed deeply.

Picked it up.

That night, I had the same dream.

This time, when I took a step, the she-wolf raised her head.

But she was still too far away.

The next day

I wished I could sleep through the entire day.

I reread Maia’s letter a thousand times.

Tried to understand.

Why?

Why send this after a whole year?

Maia was dead.

I knew that.

So what did she mean by that letter?

How did she send it?

I messaged Takashi:

📩 “Find out who sent the white envelope.”

I made some food, though I wasn’t hungry.

Even swallowing felt like a task.

I stayed in bed, numb.

Staring at the wall.

I thought about Maia.

In truth, I couldn’t think about anything else.

My mind wouldn’t stop.

It throbbed with the pain reborn.

I wanted to forget.

I took a deep breath.

As the saying goes:

“No one can be wise on an empty stomach.”

I ate.

And in the very next moment, the memory came.

The day I met her.

The memory hit like a tidal wave,

consuming me whole,

crashing through any will to stop it.

April 12th, 2133

Autumn’s peak.

The city awoke under heavy rain that Sunday.

I cut my finger while making breakfast.

Nothing deep—but enough to warrant a bandage.

On the way to work, train services cancelled.

System failure at UNITED’s central hub.

Headache.

Delay.

And worse was yet to come.

“The Director is asking for you,”

Takashi informed me.

Normally, it wouldn’t be a problem.

But I was leading one of the most important research projects in the Americas.

It likely meant an unpleasant encounter.

I crossed the hallway to Josivaldo Silva’s office.

At the door, Sara—his assistant—waited.

I followed her in.

He was already there.

Expressionless face.

The wrinkles betrayed long years of service.

Too much time spent on Earth.

The world didn’t need someone so unbearable.

“Sit down.”

His voice was rough.

Didn’t even greet me.

Not that I expected it.

The man was devoid of life.

I smiled politely and sat.

“Good morning.”

He looked up from his holoscreen.

Adjusted his glasses.

“Very well, Dr Akama.”

He did it on purpose.

Always got my surname wrong.

Akiyama.

If a name didn’t fit in his mouth, he’d just shrink it until it did.

“I’m pleased with the results of your research.

We can begin human trials.

The technical team’s been notified to contact the volunteers.”

My blood ran cold.

“I should be the one selecting the volunteers.

They must meet specific criteria.

We can’t use the standard method.”

“There’s no room for discussion.

I’m informing you.”

Heat rose.

I clenched my fists.

Held back the fury.

“CogniSynth could severely affect the human brain.

If participants aren’t chosen properly,

the consequences could be catastrophic.”

“We’re done here. You may leave.”

I stood, leaning forward over his desk.

“These people could die!

We’re not dealing with machines.

These are human lives!”

Josivaldo scanned me head to toe.

Thought he could intimidate me.

Poor fool.

“You may file a complaint with the Global Medical Committee.

If they care, maybe something will change.

Until then, your job is to obey.”

He turned back to his holoscreen.

“Now leave. I’m busy.”

I bit my lip.

Imagined how satisfying it would be if he vanished from the face of the Earth.

I had wasted enough time there.

I stormed out.

In the bathroom, I stared at my reflection.

Took a deep breath.

Tried to summon patience.

What he proposed violated the Medical Ethics Code.

And his response?

A petition.

The GMC could take years to decide.

I knew how hard it was to find the right candidates.

But without them, CogniSynth would break the brain.

Irreversible damage.

Maybe even death.

Josivaldo wanted results.

Prestige would come faster that way.

At my expense?

I wouldn’t allow it.

I left, resolute.

“Takashi.”

He was already waiting outside the office.

“Prepare a petition for the GMC.

I need an injunction.

I’ll send the details.”

He nodded.

“Contact Hideaki’s assistant.

Book an appointment.”

I locked eyes with him.

“Tell her it’s urgent.

Let me know once it’s all arranged.”

I sighed.

“I need something sweet.”

“Shall I order something?”

“No need.”

I waved him off.

“I’ll get it myself.”

I don’t want to be here right now.

Takashi blinked, stiff.

“Understood.”

The sweet was sold in a shop in Centralia.

The middle ground between Zenith and Netheria—São Paulo’s underworld.

A restless rush.

Hellish traffic in the airways.

Deafening noise.

Cars.

Advertisements.

Voices.

Androids.

All the chaotic sounds of the city.

Filthy.

Vibrant.

The true heart of São Paulo.

I reached the Emerald Line.

The only aerotrain connecting Zenith to Centralia.

The journey took an hour.

Far too long.

The route circled the outer edge of the buildings.

On the holoscreen, a live transmission:

Strike.

The three main central hubs had shut down.

The streets belonged to the Sessota workers —

the largest nanotech investor in the Americas.

Raised signs.

Echoing chants.

They demanded fair wages. Jobs. Shorter shifts.

Not even the rain could stop them.

I looked away.

VRRRSH!

A sharp noise echoed behind me.

I glanced back.

The ceiling opened.

WHUMP!

A hooded figure dropped in.

Silence.

My heart raced.

I shrank into my seat.

Tried to see her again.

She was gone.

What was happening?

“No one’s supposed to be here.”

A rough voice from above, muffled by a mask.

I jumped.

Stood up too fast—hit my head.

Pain reverberated.

Dizzy, I focused on the silhouette.

Dark clothes, face hidden, except the eyes.

Unique eyes.

Dark amber flecked with brown.

“Why?”

I sat back down, rubbing the bump on my forehead.

“How did you get on this train?”

She gestured vaguely.

“You’ve got quite the special access pass.

Never mind.

We have to go. Now.”

“The next station’s in ten minutes.

I’m getting off at Magenta.”

“This train’s not stopping.”

She moved to the center of the carriage.

VRRRSH!

The roof slid open again.

“C’mon.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You wanna die?”

My breath hitched.

“This train’s gonna collide with the next one and explode.”

She held out her hand—calm.

My heart beat louder.

I looked around.

Empty cars.

“Explode?”

Her eyes didn’t lie.

If this was real, it was either follow her or choose death.

I held my breath.

My body hesitated.

But then… I stepped forward and took her gloved hand.

Before I could react, she threw me over her back—and jumped.

The ground vanished.

The world flipped upside down.

My heart exploded in my chest.

Wind gusts howled, slashed at my skin.

The height pulled my stomach into the void.

My fingers dug into her clothing.

I held on — or maybe she held me.

How was she so steady?

Who was she?

On top of the train, she moved to the edge.

Grabbed my legs.

Jumped.

The abyss swallowed us.

A scream burst out of me.

I clutched her neck.

Too tightly.

She staggered.

And just before hitting the ground,

she pulled me forward,

embracing me on impact.

I shut my eyes.

The world froze.

Adrenaline burned through my veins.

Thinking was impossible.

“You okay?”

She looked at me with an unreadable gaze.

So close.

I swallowed hard and pulled away.

She stood up.

I checked my body.

No pain.

“I don’t know.”

Graffitied walls stretched around us.

Old building, almost abandoned—if not for a lit window nearby.

“C’mon.”

She walked through the glass doors.

The commanding tone annoyed me, but I followed.

We crossed a dark hall.

Mildew choked the air.

I held back a cough.

Dust swirled around us.

Weak light streamed through broken windows, revealing ruined furniture.

Forgotten lives.

KRIIISH!

Glass shattered in the distance.

I flinched.

She stopped.

“Just rats.”

We kept moving in silence.

Inside my mind—a storm.

Thoughts crashing into one another,

colliding,

splintering.

I didn’t even notice the elevator arrive.

Nor stepping inside.

Only a corrupted melody played.

Scratchy. Grating.

The doors opened.

Darkness.

No windows.

No exit.

The only light shone from the center of a table—

a pale glow over a device.

“Sit.”

She pointed at a chair and began fiddling with the machine.

I hesitated.

What on earth was she doing?

“You’re from up there, huh?”

The tone was casual.

“No need to answer.

You smell like Zenith.”

I frowned.

“What do you do there?”

“Why would I tell you anything?”

“Only if you want to.”

She shrugged.

I rolled my eyes.

What kind of madness was this?

“Are you going to kill me?”

She lifted her gaze from the device.

Looked straight at me.

Piercing.

My breath caught.

That intimidating presence.

I had no idea what to expect.

“Do you want to die?”

The coldness in her stare cut through me.

I swallowed hard.

My heart pounded so fast.

I almost could hear it in the silence.

She returned to the device.

“Ready?”

I leaned forward, frowning.

“Ready for wh—”

She pressed a button.

Everything changed.

My heart stumbled.

A rush flooded my chest —

out of control.

My eyes widened, stunned.

The universe surrounded us.

Stars,

constellations,

planets and holographic galaxies shimmered before us.

Real.

Tangible.

Pixelated stardust touched my skin.

“I-incredible…”

My voice barely made it out.

But… nothing…

Nothing had ever left me speechless like this.

It wasn’t just the cosmos.

It was her.

The stars reflected on her skin.

On the curve of her face.

In those honey-burnished eyes.

The threat was gone.

Exploding trains?

Death?

Gone.

There was only the light in her eyes.

What she cared about.

What mattered to her.

“You know…”

Her voice softened.

“I think everyone’s their own universe.”

Her eyes—deep and unreadable,

like an eclipse—

locked with mine.

The gravity around us shifted.

She leaned over the table, came closer, as if she knew I wouldn’t pull away.

Her face near mine.

The air thickened.

My heart froze.

I held my breath.

“Would you give up your universe?”

I said nothing.

She lowered her head, laughing.

The soft chuckle echoed.

I snapped out of it.

I laughed back without knowing why.

She turned off the projector.

Darkness.

“Let’s go.”

In the dimness, she took my hand.

Cold.

Firm.

Strangely comforting.

What had just happened?

We returned to the entrance.

She glanced around.

“How’d you hurt yourself?”

She pointed to the bandage on my finger.

“This? It’s nothing.”

My mind raced.

Thinking of what she’d said.

The new sensations unraveling inside me.

Her words left me anxious.

But not in a bad way.

Under the rain, she shoved her hands into her pockets.

Turned and walked away.

Disappearing into the dark streets.

The chill of her touch still on my skin.

From that day on, I was never the same again.

I finished eating.

The bioscreen buzzed.

“Yes?”

My voice came out tired, tension weighing heavy.

“Apologies for the intrusion.”

Takashi—always polite.

“An android delivered the envelope via Postais.

I checked her serial number.

She’s been deactivated.”

“Can you access the owner’s information?”

“No.

Her memory was wiped.

Nothing left to retrieve.”

“Is that even possible?”

“Difficult.

It would require hacking into the Aether Network,

bypassing the security protocol,

corrupting the android,

accessing her entire nanosystem,

then altering and erasing it.

Seems that’s exactly what happened.

Whoever did this is highly skilled.

Didn’t want to be found.

Or traced. Or remembered.

I’ve never seen anything like it.”

A shiver ran down my spine.

“Understood.”

I already suspected we’d find nothing.

“Wait for my call.

I need to handle something first.”

“Very well.”

The call ended.

I gathered the objects from the envelope:

The phone.

The watch.

The compass.

The coordinates.

I powered on the phone.

Glitched pixels flickered on the tiny screen.

I searched for files,

photos,

contacts.

Nothing.

Empty.

I picked up the watch.

It read: 1:4:18.

I shook it.

Tried to open it.

No place of manufacture.

Then the compass.

Broken.

Finally, I studied the coordinates.

An abandoned bus terminal on the edge of Centralia.

Why?

The question echoed in my mind.

I rested my forehead on the table.

Spent the whole day pacing in circles.

Thoughts orbiting Maia and her question.

Are you ready?

How could I know?

My life went on.

My work,

my research,

my… family.

But there was another path.

One where I wouldn’t just carry memories, but find answers.

That night, I didn’t dream.

A part of me had hoped Maia would visit me in my sleep,

tell me what to do.

But there was only darkness.

I woke up somber.

Eyes vacant on the horizon.

I picked up the letter.

Read every word again.

Her voice echoed in my mind.

Maia… what do you want?

I wanted to deny it.

Ignore it.

Convince myself it was madness.

But something kept pulling me forward.

Toward her.

Those questions had haunted me for too long.

And now, there was no turning back.

Then—a jolt.

A flicker from deep within me.

The answer had always been there.

Hidden.

Filed away.

Locked.

Maia’s words had unlocked it.

That day, she had asked:

Would you give up your universe?

My eyes fell on the letter.

“Yes. I’m ready to cross into your universe.”

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