Ayralef From Dawn To Dusk Ch1

From Dawn To Dusk Ch1: Daybreak’s Light

I remember my birth. I don’t really know if that’s what it was, but I don’t remember anything before my senses came into play, so I suppose it’s not entirely wrong to say I remember being born.

Touch. Yes, that was the first thing I had to go on. I could feel the vibrations all around me, the gentle hum that seemed to permeate the air, my skin, and even my bones. Tactile sensation was everything, it was my whole world; the feeling of air as it entered my body, though I can’t remember where or when I started breathing, the rhythmic expanding and deflating of my lungs, the steady thudding of my heart as it loyally went about its duty of keeping me alive.

The neutrality of my environment; outside of myself there was almost nothing but that gentle throb. I think I was falling, or rather floating, I didn’t know as there was nothing solid beneath me, there was no wind, no water, no earth or anything else, not even hot or cold. Only that delicate motion: five heartbeats, and then from my head the hum peaked in intensity, before it fell away.

I could not open my eyes. I tried but they refused to open, I couldn’t hear, smell, or taste anything either, so I was left with my only option. I raised my hands to my face, five fingers on each hand, two eyes, lips, a nose, and hair atop my head. So I was a primate? No… As I continued to “look” at my body I could feel I also possessed scales. Interesting, perhaps I was some kind of dragon?

My mind is filled with questions. What am I? Who am I? Where am I? Why can’t I feel anything besides the vibrations, and where are they taking me?

I wished I knew what I was.

-8-

The vibrations have a scent. It’s a strangely sweet, mellowing aroma, like vanilla. It’s calming, soothing, just like the rest of this place. Everything about this place is so gentle, I think the last time I was this relaxed was… it was…

I don’t know. I don’t know! I can’t remember… I can’t remember anything. I know what smells are but why can’t I remember them? Why can’t I remember anything? Without any memories I feel empty- like a stranger to myself.

I wished I knew who I was.

-8-

It’s so bland here. I wish something would happen, anything to break up the monotony. Rolling over I sigh, the sound almost imperceptible, yet to my ears it is deafeningly loud. I’m shocked, so shocked I cry out. I can hear! Blessed sound, I can hear…

I laugh, hoping now to hear other noises. But as time drags on, and my cheer fades into nothingness, I realize that I am alone.

I wished I knew where I was.

-8-

I’m so lonely. I keep floating, endlessly counting the vibrations in my head. I don’t say them aloud, why should I? There’s no one here. It’s just me and this infinite… nap, for lack of a better word. Relaxing is all there is to do. I’m so tired of resting, I’m so sick of waiting here. Here in darkness.

It had become something of a ritual; when it became too much I would try to open my eyes, would try to see with all my might. And the darkness would stubbornly refuse me my sight. I tried once more to wrench my eyelids apart.

My eyes opened.

And I shut them in a nanosecond. It was bright, too bright. Only now that I could actually see, did I see that the light was so brilliant I couldn’t even hide behind my eyelids. I covered my eyes with my hand, suddenly missing the dark. I groaned in frustration, it looked like all I could do was wait here. But where was that? Surrounded by a sea of delicate and predetermined motion…

I wished I knew why there were only the vibrations, and where were they taking me.

As if in response to my silent wish the gentle pulse picked up, and I gasped as I felt a new sensation across my face: a gust of wind, starting from my head and moving down over my body. The vibrations stopped there, wherever the wind touched, and I had the feeling I was being “extruded.”

There were other feelings too. The blinding white light was replaced by cooler, softer orange light. Birds chirped amongst themselves, and there were more scents in the air now; dirt and flowers, and other things I couldn’t identify. But perhaps most stunning, was the unfamiliar feeling of solid ground beneath my back; real soil that supported me, while blades of grass tickled my skin.

My universe had changed dramatically, this was everything my old world wasn’t. Where was I? I turned my head so as not to be blinded again and opened my eyes to find out.

I saw as though painted by the hand of an angel, a ball of fire on the horizon. I was a sunrise, as red as a ruby dipped in blood. I had arrived, but where was I?