the last resort ;; the departureImogen and Kijani have been texting each other updates. They're both upset that they have to be so far apart, but they both also understand that it's necessary. Even if there is no particular reason, it's good to have space.
"Or at least that's what I'm telling myself.", words muttered under Kijani's breath. He shook his head and sent his last text before heading out.
"I'll talk to you later, be safe."He buckled up, started the engine, and began his drive. As Kijani drove, his mind wandered back to the time he and Imogen had spent together. The laughs they shared, the sights they saw, the conversations they had. He remembered all of the moments that had made them so close.
He continued to drive. His destination? An abandoned city. It's been deserted for approximately 1,000 years now, after the collapse. Hour after hour passed. He struggled to stay awake on the road, but knew he had to stay vigilant.
After about 10 hours, he arrived. He parked on the major bridge leading into the city, afraid of getting too close.
The city loomed above him. He was scared, but he was ready to explore.
Kijani sent the last text to Imogen with a heavy heart. He was leaving behind everything he knew to go on a journey of exploration, one that would take him to a long-forgotten city deep in the jungle. As he made his way through the dense foliage, Kijani couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive. He had heard tales of the city's forgotten inhabitants, and he was unsure of what he would find.
When he finally arrived at the city, he was taken aback by what he saw. The city was in ruins, and it was clear that no one had been there for a very long time. It was overgrown, and it looked lonely. You could hear the buildings ache and groan, as if they knew of their own state. But as he walked further, he noticed something strange. Amidst the rubble and debris, Kijani discovered a strange, glowing light. He cautiously approached it, and soon realized that it was coming from a small stone tablet. He took it in his hands and saw that it was etched with symbols that he had never seen before.
As Kijani looked closer, he realized that the symbols were actually a map of the city. He was scared at this point. There were forces here that he didn't understand, that most people couldn't. No one has made it out alive, not yet. He felt as though it was his duty to explore more. There were lost people here, somewhere anyway. He followed it, and soon realized that it was leading him to an old temple or basement. It was hard to spot, only visible because of a very faint light emanating from a stairway leading down. He entered the ruins and found himself standing in a large, circular room. In the center of the room, he noticed a pedestal with a strange, glowing orb on top of it. As he stepped closer, he felt a strange, warm energy emanating from it.
Kijani had discovered a sort of powerful magical artifact - one that had been lost to time. He had no idea what it was or what it could do, but he knew that it was something extraordinary. He stepped slowly, careful not to disrupt the rubble. He inched close and closer. It was almost pulling him in, he just had to take it back with him...
But stopped.
Was this the right thing to do? What's going to happen? Is this what caused all of the other disappearances?
He pulled out his phone to text Imogen one last time.
"Hey. I don't know what's going to happen when I touch this."
He took a picture to send it to her.
She responded quickly, "What do you mean? What is that? Are you ok?"
Kijani responded. "It might be what caused the other explorers to disappear. It's some sort of magical orb? I'm not sure. And hey, I'm fine. And I have to tell you something."
For a few minutes, all he could see was the "..." of Imogen typing.
"I think I understand. If you feel like it's something you have to do, I understand. Send me your location. No matter what, I'll go find you."
Kijani clutched his phone tightly. "Thank you."
He sent his location.
"These are my coordinates. If you don't hear from me within the next hour, come find me. Wherever I end up, I will be there, waiting. I love you. Goodbye.""I love you too. Forever, no matter what. I'll be there."
To stop himself from procrastinating any longer, he set his bag down. He held his phone in hand, held his breath, and focused his eyes on the orb.
Deep breaths.He tensed up, and thrust his hand out to touch the orb.
- blip -As if he never existed on this plane, he was gone.
Where am I?