Chapter Three: Black Hole

After leaving the venue, I told the taxi driver to take me to the mountaintop. I desperately needed some fresh air—I was utterly exhausted. The driver kept urging me, “Miss, it’s so late, it’s not safe for you to go to the mountaintop alone.”

I shook my head. He glanced at me but said no more.

Safety no longer mattered to me. When you have nothing left, what’s the point of safety?

A chill lingered at the summit. I wrapped my coat tighter around me, feeling slightly more awake. Reflecting on everything that had happened seemed to pull me back into reality. The night clung to my despair like a shroud, spreading through my entire being until I could no longer feel anything else. Did that mean I was sealed away, slowly coming to a standstill?

Let it be. I’m so tired.

Below me, the city glittered like a field of stars, dazzling and magnificent under the night sky. I stretched out my arms, wanting to embrace it all.

Suddenly, the stone beneath my feet slipped. My body lost balance instantly. I screamed as I plunged down the cliff. The wind howled past my ears; I felt myself falling rapidly.

Alright then, this is how it ends.

In the darkness, there seemed to be a long tunnel—or perhaps a black hole—I was falling swiftly through it. Everything around me flashed by like a kaleidoscope, colors swirling too fast to distinguish. I couldn’t make a sound or open my eyes.

Then, a deep voice whispered in my ear: “Qing’er, you’ve come back…”

Who was that? Was it my imagination?

The voice faded, and silence enveloped everything. Perhaps this was the moment of death, but it felt endlessly prolonged. Fine, I might as well wait.

It probably wouldn’t hurt much, or maybe just for a few minutes before I lost consciousness. I hoped it wouldn’t be too painful, and prayed I wouldn’t fall face-first. These were my thoughts.

After a long time, everything stopped. The speed of my fall slowed; time seemed to stretch.

I slowly opened my eyes, suddenly seeing the ground rushing closer beneath me. Then, with a thud, I crashed into the earth. Pain exploded through my body, as if I’d been shattered. Every movement sent stabbing agony coursing through me. Then came the cold—unbearable and piercing.

Where was this? If I was dead, why did I still feel cold? Why did it still hurt?

I stared around, stunned. Where was this place? I had fallen from the mountain, but this didn’t look like a mountainside at all. It resembled a grassland, with yellowed, half-meter tall dried grass all around. Where were the trees? It was early autumn, yet the grass was all withered. Where was I?!

Panic set in. Wait, let me think. Last night, I’d attended a banquet and gotten drunk, then took a ride to the mountaintop, slipped, and fell. But the scenery below shouldn’t look like this. I rubbed my eyes hard, shook my head, and looked again. It was the same. Was this a hallucination?

Enough of that—first, I needed to find my phone and call for help.

I struggled to stand. It hurt terribly. My body felt as if it were falling apart, frozen stiff from the biting cold.

I had to find my phone. Staggering, I searched around for my bag. I remembered it was still with me when I fell.

Not far off, I saw a dark object. Hastily, I went over. It was indeed my bag! What a relief—there was hope! I was cold and in pain, but all I wanted was to get home and sleep. Nothing else mattered, as long as I could get home.

I opened the bag and felt around—thankfully, my phone was there. I prayed it had battery.

Trembling, I turned on the screen... there was power, but no signal. What now?

Despair overtook me as I sank to the ground, my mind blank. Wearing high heels and freezing cold—how was I supposed to find my way out of this strange place?

Calm down, calm down. I had to save myself, or I would freeze to death here.

I had already “died” once. I couldn’t just wait to perish. Maybe if I walked far enough, I’d find a way out or see someone. As long as I saw a person, I could survive. This was a city—I shouldn’t be far from civilization. But in my memory, no such place existed here. Had I fallen into the outskirts?

I slipped off my shoes, carrying them in my hand, and stood barefoot on the ground. Instantly, the biting cold shot from my feet straight to my brain.

I began to walk slowly forward. The grass scratched at my legs and feet, cutting me with every step. I gritted my teeth, holding back tears, silently repeating: I’ll be out soon, I’ll find someone soon...

Keep going!