He fell into Oblivion; alone, abandoned, forgotten. Consumed.
Lethe awoke from his dream his eyes still clinging onto the vision he had seen before, himself at home, not at this desolate research camp, as a damn research assistant sent by his university "to find himself" whatever that meant, deep in Antarctica with people he barely knew. He gathered himself out of bed and braved himself for the cold wearing his second-hand coat, since his parents' death what with the funeral debts and his student loans he could barely afford food let alone a new coat.
The sound of the drill resounded in his ears as he drew closer, its bitter cacophony sounded clear amongst the colourless sky of the ice, the only light to dare illuminate the complete silence was the rusted lamp now hanging to his belt. He flew into autopilot, his hands working alone. He let his mind drift and fantasise of a different life, a better one. One where he wasn't left hoping and dreaming but could do whatever and go wherever with the freedom it bought along with it.
The drilling had made good progress they were now 50 meters into the ice, they had recently discovered a tremor in the ice, normally this wouldn't be a concern after all, there are thousands of these a day, but this one was different, it was stronger, like a rip had appeared inside the earth. Lethe had been sent with 5 others, Kylee, Mark, Adam, Jenifer and Tyler, to investigate and report their findings to the board. The reason they had been chosen for this God-Forsaken job was because they were all on their last warnings, the rejects, the worst of the worst and certainly in no place to argue.
The sun first started to bless the ice with its warm embrace, this was the change, the time the sun began to rise after a year of darkness.
A gentle hum of noise from the shelter behind signalled that it was time for breakfast. The drill now read 55 meters "not bad for a mornings' work" Lethes' voice scratched against his throat; the harsh wind stole the water from your lips if you let it.
He entered the shelter, the heat of their generator pressed tight against him, the smell of bacon, eggs and beans. They were feasting, it was Christmas after all. "Happy Christmas" Lethe said, it was all meant to be over by Halloween but here they were 2 months later. "Merry Christmas" the sound the welcomed him was sent back with a chorus of laughter.
Suddenly and without warning, the whole earth shook, the sky trembled, and the ice shattered. The 6 of them all rushed outside, the drill was gone and in its place, lay a hole roughly 2m wide.
Slowly and carefully, the group of researchers approached the mouth of the gorge. The closer they got the louder the sound inside there heads became until, silence, absolute nothingness. Silence. The world lost what colour it still contained the only light to remain was shed by the soft purple glow from what could only be described as the tear in the air now occupying the bottom of the hole. Lethe slipped and the world fell away.
He fell into Oblivion; alone, abandoned, forgotten. Consumed.
He was in complete darkness, it penetrated his being, no it was more than that, the darkness was him and he was it. In that moment although he didn't know it yet, Lethe was born again. Born from Oblivion.