1.01

Bizzy opened her eyes. Nothing; she saw darkness. Her body felt as if it were floating, but with no touch of air on her skin, as though a void consumed her senses. 

"What is going on?" She huffed in surprise as her awareness set in, but the passing of time was indiscernible as what was maybe moments or hours passed. Finally, a deep droning filled the void; a low bass tone rose with curiosity. 

"Hmmmmm? Hello, it's not often travelers stop to chat between their destinations."

The voice was calm but resonant, washing over her. 

"What!? Who's there?"

"Me? Hmm, what do you call me again?" The voice seemed to think to itself. "Ahh... yes, Arbiter, Arbiter Natal, or was it Thanatal? That's right, Thanatal."

The shock wore off into panic and confusion; her body wouldn't move. With no sense of gravity, there was nothing to move against.

"Wha.. wha.. "

"Or did they call me... hmmm"

"HEY! Arbiter or whatever, WHAT IS GOING ON!?" she burst out as reality set in, and the fear gripped her. 

"I suppose we should get on with it... You're being reborn."

"Did I die? How?!"

Ignoring her and continuing his thought, "Well, more accurately, you're being 're-placed', moved." He meandered on, finally catching up to what she had said. "Huh? Oh no, no. You have not died... Though we'd meet again if you did."

His casual disregard for the absurdity of her situation took her aback. "One moment I'm enjoying my coffee, the next, THIS." She waved her hands frantically through the voided space. "Why am I here, and where am I being moved?"

The empty silence swallowed the void again; Bizzy felt watched. She had the eerie sense that this was the ghostly equivalent of speculatively pondering over a frog in a pot.

"I don't know why I should, but... something is... hmm. Anyhow, WHERE I do know, but it would be... unfair to tell you. Knowledge is an advantage, after all." He said with the rhythm of a confuddled oracle amused by their confusion. "Why... curious indeed! HA!"

The chortle collided into Bizzy; the force of it felt like it should have echoed endlessly, but the void consumed it, leaving silence in its shadow. She opened her mouth to object, question, plead for more answers when...

DONG

A gong rang out, sounding like her home clock tower, but as if she were standing inside the bell when it rang. 

"It's time already? Blast, I was enjoying this," the voice complained. "Fine, be on your way; we will meet again, but I do hope not too soon."

The smooth whistling of a breeze began to surround her. "Wait! Please, I... I... need to... I... I'm SCARED!" She belted as the sounds of wind grew into a bellow. She felt air again in her lungs, rippling her clothes. She felt dew begin to cling to her skin and clothing, pulling at the wind as it covered her. Still in darkness, she knew she was gone, no longer with that voice. She clenched her eyes closed, trying to hold onto that place, that memory, and what little she'd learned. "Arbiter, Arbiter Thanatal. Am I being moved? moved. That's what he said. I'll see him again?" As fast as she could, Bizzy racked her brain to hold onto everything as the black void slowly turned gray and lightning crashed as she fell to the ground with a thud and splash in the rain.