Feeling rejected and hostile in the real world, a guy creates an equally real world in his imagination. Together with his new friends, he embarks on a journey, but soon continues on his own path through his own world, encountering important life moments along the way that his consciousness conceals from him. But the guy’s consciousness knows no bounds.

      Oliver often does this. No, not fall. He loves to travel, turning the long-familiar darkness into his own fairytale world. The places he imagines are much brighter and more colorful than real places. This is the huge advantage of fantasy. Blindness expands the boundaries of possibility, giving him the limitless power to create a personal universe. Absolutely everything is subservient here. He is the creator and owner of the worlds he makes. While his body remains among people,       Oliver’s imagination creates a new society or simply erases humanity altogether.
When he feels sad and lonely and wants to see and talk to someone, the right person appears, unconnected to the real world, where he no longer has good acquaintances, apart from the social worker named Dolores. The woman comes once a month to deliver his government aid.
      The rest of the time, he socializes with other people for whom concepts like height, weight, skin color, age, social status, and position in society do not exist. When he creates these companions, he pays special attention to their personalities. Not a single one is repeated.
      Oliver sees them just as ordinary people see their friends. When someone experiences a situation in life, the right person, the one they want to see right now, surfaces in their memory. They call them, text them, or go to visit them to share their worries and emotions, or simply to vent.
      Oliver acts differently. He just needs to think about which of his friends he wants to see at the moment. The necessary image instantly appears before the guy. Most often, it’s his best friend, Mike. He spends the majority of his time and situations with Mike.
      Oliver travels in his worlds alone. Afterward, he discusses his experiences with his friends. Sometimes, he wants to share strong emotions right where they are born, and then he takes Mike along. Mike is fun and comfortable to be with, and most importantly, he can be trusted. Oliver cannot be completely honest with the others.
      Oli creates the images, and the personalities fill themselves in. That makes it more interesting. Gradually, they get to know each other better. There are arguments when their personalities or views clash or are too similar. Sometimes the friends quarrel among themselves. Oli separates the parties and smooths over the conflicts.
      Afterward, of course, they reconcile, but everything changes. Within the group, it’s determined who is whose best friend. A person is never ideal for everyone at once. There is always one willing to tolerate what they dislike about another, who is in turn willing to tolerate the specifics of their personality. That’s how best friends like Oliver and Mike are made. In any situation, Mike is always the first to arrive. And now, in the darkness after a walk in the summer park, his best friend appears. He always helps Oliver stand up, offering a strong, supportive hand at any time. Then they go for a walk together.
      He didn’t call Mike because he didn’t want to distract him from his personal affairs. Yes, he has things to do, and a private life that shouldn’t be intruded upon. We don’t create people in our imagination; we choose from those who live there originally. Mike helps him recreate the lost world of the sunny park. He returns and moves the billboard to another location so no one else stumbles over it.
      They head to the shooting range; it’s nearby. They shoot at targets with crossbows, which is more interesting than simple rifles. Oliver hits all the targets arranged on the shelf. The toys, soldiers, and balloons are lined up in rows. Mike misses once. They both know it’s deliberate, but his best friend gets to taste victory, which is important for lifting his mood.
      The park is the only place the guy remembers from real life. He walked there with his parents before the night of the accident that took his family, a normal life, and his sight. Oli remembers nothing else. He was only three years old then. He hadn’t managed to see anything or go anywhere yet.
      He comes here once a year, on the day of the accident. He doesn’t remember the date. His heart tells him when the time comes. His heart, filled to the brim with blood, clenches in his chest. It becomes no bigger than a cherry. It then sharply expands, bursts, splashing the pain of loss throughout his entire body. These are the sensations Oli experiences on that special day.
      They eat cotton candy, just like when they were kids. They stroll along the quiet pond where guys row their girlfriends in pleasure boats, and they feed the pigeons and ducks. Judging by the smell, the birds have different bread now. That baguette smelled more like a sweet bun, but this one is ordinary. He wouldn’t be surprised if the local swans and ducks don’t eat it.
      On this day, he wants most of all to imagine his parents, but their faces were not preserved in his childhood memory. No matter how hard he tries to find them in the past, he can’t. No matter how much he struggles, it’s useless. He clearly remembers their voices and the lullaby they sang before bedtime. That song is the only thing that helps him fall asleep.
      The moment of the accident intrudes into his final memories. Understanding nothing, he looks at the headlights approaching from the darkness. He can only see his parents’ hair and shoulders. Their hands hold together. Oliver sits alone in the back seat. He is securely fastened in the car seat that miraculously saved his life.
      His parents turn to their son to say goodbye, knowing that everything will end badly. The oncoming car blinds the boy with its headlights, crashing into them at tremendous speed, like an arrow piercing a target. The hood crumples, the windshield shatters and flies into the car’s interior in sharp sprays, hitting his open little eyes. The bright light prevented him from seeing his parents’ faces one last time, and the darkness took away his ability to see the world they lived in. Oliver remained alone in the back seat, in the darkness of a new world.
      As he got older, when he grew tired of living without seeing the existing world, he began to create a new one visible only to him. Now, he lives in his own universe, in his own worlds. He likes it. He hasn’t resigned himself; rather, he enjoys it. There is a degree of sadness, of course. That’s inevitable. But here, he lives a full life, one he doesn’t have in the real world, like most of the planet’s population. It’s worth wondering who is the truly unlucky one here. Being blind doesn’t mean you don’t see. He sees more than others can ever see. One could envy his gift.
      The fading sounds of the city that houses the park, his last memory, betray the arrival of evening. It is the only place from the real world that he visits in his imagination. And now, it is time to return to his favorite world.

      Of all the worlds and places he’s created, Oliver likes the cloud bridge over the ocean the most. Oli doesn’t exactly know what clouds, the ocean, or a bridge look like. Mike tells him everything. He knows everything about real life, even more than those who live in it. Thanks to his best friend, the creation of worlds became possible. You can’t minimize Mike’s role in Oliver’s life; he is why Oli is alive.
      They return to the bridge together. They brought cotton candy. It’s indistinguishable from the clouds, only sweet. Few people have seen an oceanic calm. And the ocean doesn’t show itself to everyone. Mike told him what a mirror-calm is, and now the bridge, the clouds, and Mike are reflected in the mirror, but Oli doesn’t see his own reflection. He still hasn’t figured out what he looks like. To the touch, he can’t believe it, or doesn’t want to believe he has such an appearance. There’s something wrong with it. Mike won’t say. It doesn’t matter. What difference does it make what you look like if you’re surrounded by perfect beauty? If you become part of it, it will soak into your soul, and you’ll be beautiful.
      Beautiful creatures, the Prophonids, live in Oliver’s ocean. They have perfectly smooth skin, like a baby’s. The guy knows for sure—he remembers his three-year-old skin to the touch. Their eyes are so pleasant. Michael says they have kind eyes. Oli doesn’t know what that means; to him, they’re pleasant. So deep, they seem like the entrance to a world he didn’t create. Sometimes, the feeling creeps up that the creator of the world is looking at him through those eyes.
      His best friend helped him create giants. Michael called them whales. The names from the real world have no place here; now they are the Dibusai. Long, calm, and weightless. They often rest on the clouds, and when they fall asleep, they sometimes drop back into the ocean. The splashes scatter across the whole area, hitting the birds flying past.
      The birds here are interesting. To the touch, they’re like the wind, just as delicate and soft. When they shake off the water that has landed on their wings, it creates a rainbow rain. Michael helped Oli remember what a rainbow looks like. It’s made from the flying droplets, like in a park. Their bodies are like wispy clouds, fluid, and refined. He painted them purple, a color he picked from the rainbow.
      All the colors in the worlds appeared thanks to the memories of a rainbow. When he paints in one color and then changes his mind, the colors blend. The rainbow becomes more and more colorful. The shades depend on the time of day. During the day they are lighter, and at night, they aren’t darker, but richer. Now the sky is gradually becoming a rich blue, deep and mysterious. To slightly lighten the night, Mike purposely sprinkles white paint.
      They sit on the bridge and think. Oli remembers today’s time in the park. Mike is always thinking about something, but he doesn’t say what. When Oliver asks, he answers, “About the moment.” And that’s right. What’s the point of thinking about anything else if you only have this moment? He has a wise friend. Without an age, he understands a lot, if not everything. How does he manage it?
      Even best friends should have secrets, unless the truth threatens the life of the one from whom it’s being hidden. And in that case, the decision must be made by the one whose life depends on the truth. It’s better to die from the truth than to live a whole life in a lie. There shouldn’t be any more secrets. Mike’s silence is alarming. Oli wants to know, but why think about something bad afterward?
“Why are you two so sad?” their friend Mia joins the guys.
“Thinking,” Oli answers thoughtfully, handing over the cotton candy they specifically brought for her.
“And about what?” Mia sits down between them, enjoying the airy sweetness.
“About the moment,” Mike replies. No one is surprised or expects different words from him.
“What else?” Mia looks at Oli. She knows for sure he’s thinking about something else.
“About past moments,” the guy sighs heavily, remembering life before the accident, after it, and during it. He looks at his friends’ reflection in the ocean. Mia is there too.
“Why do you think about them? Is there something good for you there?” the girl is glowing with interest.
“There was good,” Oliver smiles, lightly and sadly.
“If something good happens, it will always be good, regardless of time and place.”
“Yes, you’re right,” Oli agrees. “It will always be good.”
“And what is it?” the girl’s interest only increases with every word.
“The thing that gave me this world instead of a grim reality.”
“Yes, you’re right, that’s good. Wait. Why do you talk as if there’s another world?” the girl seizes on his words.
“Oli’s tired. His tongue and thoughts are getting tangled,” Mike interjects, signaling to the guy that Mia doesn’t know about the other worlds and it’s better to keep it that way.
“No, he said it clearly,” the girl insistently searches for proof in Oliver’s eyes, but the guy is looking into the ocean.
“Mike’s right. I’m tired today,” Oli sighs heavily. “I’m talking nonsense. This is the only world we have.” He had noticed before that they never take Mia with them to other places, but he never thought about why.
“So, only this world exists? There’s nothing else?” the girl is disappointed and upset.
“It seems so,” Oli confirms in a sad voice. He becomes upset, imagining what life would be like if only the real world existed—the one in which he has nothing and no one.
“Maybe we can look for one?” the determined Mia suggests, not losing hope.
“You want to look?” Oli asks again. The guys exchange glances. Mike gives a subtle nod.
“I do! Right now!” the girl jumps up with joy. She steps onto the bridge. The clouds puff up under her feet.
“If you want it that badly, let’s go look,” Oli agrees with a smile, getting to his feet.
“Well, let’s go looking,” Mike reluctantly stands up.
“Which way do we fly?” Mia looks around, choosing the best direction.
“Your idea, you choose where we all go,” Mike offers the girl the freedom of choice with a smile.
“Then,” Mia spins around in place with an outstretched hand. She points at random. “That way!”
“Alright,” the guys exchange glances and shrug. “Nothing we can do,” Mike sighs heavily, realizing that everything will change now, and not just for Mia.
“Forward! To the search for other worlds!” the girl abruptly leaps from the spot. The cloud bridge ripples from her careless movement.
“Let’s catch up, or we won’t find her later. Our Mia is quick,” Oli hurries after her. Mike flies after them.

      Cloud waves disperse across the bridge. It remains unharmed. It has withstood things real bridges could only dream of. At the beginning of his new life, Oliver suffered from severe migraines. All the worlds shuddered and rattled, ready to collapse. The bridge’s supports have not succumbed to the winds of change or the waves of obstacles. No amount of stress has been able to destroy them.
      The bridge will stand as long as the guy is strong in spirit. As long as Oli doesn’t give up and surrender, everything else is nonsense. But if the cloud bridge falls, the worlds will crumble, and everything around will vanish. Then, there will only be darkness again. Mike tries not to tell his friend everything, so as not to destabilize the supports. It’s good that Oli doesn’t ask. He probably senses something is being hidden from him, something it’s better not to know.
      Together, they catch up to Mia. They fly through the luscious celestial space, passing by the airborne islands made of a substance everyone here calls Altensa. It’s light and durable. These islands appeared in the first days when the guy decided he wouldn’t give up. Altensa consists of strong willpower. Wavy paryems twine around the islands like vines and stretch upwards, trying to reach the secrets of the universe. This is Oli’s vital interest.
      Paryems fuel the airborne islands, maintaining their interest in life. The islands are inhabited by small creatures called Millitau. The tenderness the boy felt from his parents lives on in the fuzzy little creatures, each the size of a small ball. There are hundreds of them here.
      Through Oli’s small hands, he felt the warmth, tenderness, and affection of his parents. The creatures love to play with the guy’s friends. They laugh, run, and jump around them. And right now, the Millitau leap onto the twining paryem stems, happy about the friends flying past. All the tenderness goes to the brave travelers.
      The girl wants to play with the little ones; she often flies over to them. But what lies in the far corners of the world is so interesting. There’ll always be time to play. Interest wins. They fly past. The girl only waves from afar. The fluffballs practically jump after them. They fear they might jump and not be caught. The fear of being unreciprocated keeps them on the islands.
      Mia can’t resist the temptation. For a second, she flies towards the little ones. Warm, soft balls cover the girl. They rejoice, laugh, and lick her face and hands. It’s ticklish and pleasant. Mike and Oli also allow themselves a moment of joy. The balls react the same way to Mike.
      With Oli, everything is different. They gently press against him, stroking with closed eyes, hugging him with their entire bodies. He tries not to appear on the islands where tenderness envelops him. If he relaxes, tenderness fills him completely. He doesn’t need to go anywhere, doesn’t think about anything. Everything vanishes; only tenderness remains. He needs to fly away from here as quickly as possible. Oli is the first to emerge from the cozy embraces. The friends fly away, laughing happily and longing for the affection.
      The wind of freedom picks them up. It often flies here, not allowing the world to wither. This is its breath. On the air current, they reach a high mountain. Unbreakable self-belief. Mia is envious. Oli’s mountain is enormous, but hers isn’t even a hill—just a small pile of stones.
      The girl often flies here, sits nearby, and feels self-confidence and support. She feels safe. Oliver gladly shares. He has tried to share several times, but the material doesn’t take root. Her foundation is weak. Mia doesn’t believe in herself. The faith others have in her doesn’t last long.
      Oli thinks he sees something. He looks closer. A cave has appeared in the mountain. It wasn’t there before. Mike thinks it’s doubt and despair that broke through there this afternoon when the world briefly flickered out during the fall. The cave of doubts never misses an opportunity to destroy mountains of confidence. The main thing is to immediately seal the weak spot. Oli decides to take a look. Mike tries to dissuade him, but not very convincingly. The guy goes alone. Everyone must deal with their doubts themselves. Only the one in whom they appear can destroy them.
      The friends stay waiting outside. The girl takes advantage of the moment. She sits down by the mountain, leaning her back against it. Mike sits next to her. They’re waiting anyway, and confidence is never superfluous. Well, sometimes it is. But the amount they can access is far from overconfidence.

I am not urging anyone to do anything.

All events and characters are fictional.

Any resemblance to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.

I sincerely apologize if I have offended anyone.

Highly Recommended Age: 18+

The author bears no responsibility for the reader's perception of the book.