Issuu

YEN HUANG GNAUH NEY

Todd, a sea turtle, has been under for 23 years. As a sea turtle lives in a tropical environment, the water is constantly warm and inviting. He frequently wanders through carols, looking for something for his meal. Todd used to go food searching with his family, but he started living alone 5 years ago.

Every parent in an ocean turtle community tells their children a renowned story before they go to bed. “......in the northern ocean, there is one type of black whale with huge white eyes.......” “......those black-and-white creatures have guarded us for thousands of years......” Since Todd was a child, his parents have frequently spoken to him. “They are the most wise lives in the world, and they will always lead you to where you need to be.” He recalls what his parents said to him.

Today is a long-forgotten bright day. Todd has been away from his family for the past five years in pursuit of the enigmatic creatures. Suddenly, something falls to the sea’s surface, catching Todd’s attention. “What is this......?” Todd discovers a circular object floating in the water and continues to fall on the ground amid seaweeds. He swims slowly and close to the reflected object. “Woooooooow, another sea turtle in the one-of-a-kind item!” Todd is taken aback because this is the first time he has seen something like this. “Hello, my name is Todd, and I’m a sea turtle from the Southen East Blue,” Todd said. ”Where are you originally from?” He is intrigued by the appearance of this turtle in this newfound stuff. However, the sea turtle in the circular object does not respond to him from start to finish.

“What a wired and impolite turtle.” Todd thinks and adjusts to numerous views to properly evaluate the situation. Then, he discovers that this monster is doing exactly the same thing as him. “Why does he keep imitating me?” Todd feels annoyed and irritated. All of a sudden, he sees it was all a reflection! “Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh! I saw it on the glass bottle! But I’ve never seen such a clear reflection before!” Todd begins to feel ashamed. “However......what is the name of this round object?” “If this thing is capable of reflecting anything, it should be called the Reflector!” Todd is actually pleased with his conclusion.

“THUUUUUUD!” Something has landed on the sandy ground. Todd is terrified and quickly closes his eyes, then cautiously opens them to examine it. It was the Reflector that was before stuck in the sand and now lies on the ground. Todd is observing things from a different angle now that the mirror’s angle has changed between them.

“Is......the sky always blue like this all the time......?” The clear blue presented by the mirror impresses him. Todd can stare at the sky through the Reflector, which he has never seen before in his life. Because it is not that recommended, they normally keep looking down for food in the ocean turtle society, causing them to forget to lift their heads up occasionally.

Todd had been staring at the Reflector for quite some time. A black-and-white figure appears in the view at that point. “I am certain that is what I am after!” Said the sea turtle, raising his eyes as soon as possible to see if it was still there. “The creature has vanished......” ”I have had no idea about it for 4 months and 26 days,” He thinks. “However, I can start following its path!” Todd thinks positively and departs from the Reflector to keep up with the unusual creature.

It begins to rain again. Todd continues to swim higher as if he is being guided by a mysterious force. This turtle catches a peek of the black-white whale appearing around the corner at times. When Todd goes to take a closer look, though, the whale always disappears. “I must have been too persistent to meet those wise creatures.” Todd expressed his regret, but he privately hopes that what he witnessed was not a hallucination. “I heard this place was once known as the River Thames.” Todd glances down and thinks. To be honest, as the sea level rises, it is difficult to identify the original location of the river.

It was still a rainy day as the water level in the River Thames rose rapidly. Finally, the Millennium Bridge was completely covered on that particular day. Everyone expected there to be more panic, but only after it had rained for a long time. People in London were becoming accustomed to the circumstances, and they had to learn about the nonstop rain and rising river levels. As a result, when the bridge on the River Thames completely vanished, the witnesses present were not overly upset but instead felt remorseful and reflected on their mistake that people should take care of their surroundings rather than taking them for granted.

Todd arrives in London’s streets after crossing the bridge. He’s been told that London is one of the world’s largest cities. This city and its streets are always bustling with activity. However, due to the abundance of water, this particular spot is now empty and silent. Todd then recognises a sequence of Reflectors on the street, the majority of which are coupled with traffic lights.

“What I just saw......” Todd approaches one of them, trying to find out what is seen in the mirror. He thought he was acquiring a better understanding of this type of convex mirror. However, for the last 10 seconds, he did not see himself in the reflection, but rather something related to the scenery around him, most notably, the lack of water.

“HOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNK!” Todd is surprised and seeks the source of the noise. “What was that noise?” It didn’t sound like a submarine, but there was no chance to be….…” Todd said hesitantly, and he is still looking for the source of the peculiar voice.

Furthermore, Todd observes that the roadway in the Mirror is still congested. To be more exact, he did not fully get how “human” these animals were. He imagined that humans swam with limbs yet needed to breathe frequently, much like him. He realises for the first time that humans can move on two legs; they can walk. Nonetheless, he discovers that people’s movement is so restricted that they can only move in two dimensions. Unlike most aquatic creatures, they can swim in three dimensions, making them far more adaptable than humans. It is also the first time that human voices have been heard by Todd.

“AHHHHHHHHHH!” “ROARRRRRRRRR!” “SHRIEEEEEEEEEK!””JANNNNNNNNGLE!” He notices numerous types of things happening in the mirror, particularly noises. In comparison to Todd’s underwater realm, which is normally relatively peaceful, the creatures there rarely hear various sounds in a single day. Life under the sea is usually peaceful. However, the world above the sea presented by the Reflector is quite......messy! Todd is receiving too many unwanted sounds that he has never heard before, like the police truck honking and some individuals screaming on the street for no apparent reason. He turns and looks around his surroundings, which appear to be quite similar to the view from the Reflector, but it is now filled with water. Todd becomes concerned by what he witnessed in the Mirror. And a thought occurs to him: the Reflector is projecting the scene from the past, in the same location but during different periods. “What kind of lives they were experiencing......” He used to feel envious of people who lived above sea level.

“I assumed they always had the right to choose, unlike us who live below sea level......” Todd reflects on and recalls the day he witnessed sparklers falling into the ocean, causing the water to become incredibly boiling. And he realised it was a nuclear weapons testing. “Everyone held their breath that day......that scenery was quite magnificent......” Todd stated. He is still trapped in the past, when the sea animals around him ceased moving forever one by one. He yelled, but all that could be heard was the explosion. He softly opens his eyes and lifts his head up after remembering the terrible experience. It is currently sunny at this moment. Todd does nothing except stare at the vast sky. He enjoys the way the light shines across the sea and appreciates the overlapping panorama of sea waves and sky, and, most importantly, he can temporally stop following the wise Whale.

After 11 minutes, a massive “black-white” whale suddenly passes by Todd, bringing his attention back to the present. It begins to rain again. He raised his head and looked up at the sky. As usual, the sunny is always temporary, and there is heavy rain, which obscures the view above. “It means I need to move on rather than keep wasting my life here,” Todd explained. Another Reflector appears in the corner in front of him. This world becomes silent once more, allowing him to feel at ease gradually.

This time, the mirror shows a peaceful picture. Todd sees some human youngsters playing vigorously in a park with many trees in that image.

“GIGGLEEEEEEEE!” “HAHAHAHAHA!” “CHUCKLEEEEEEEE!” Everyone is having a good time and laughing. Some parents take a break and sit on the benches nearby. There are also some humans lounging on the grass, having a picnic and speaking with one another. He overhears them laughing incessantly. Todd is affected by the occurrence, which reminds him of those nice days with his family. “There are times when I regret leaving my hometown.” Todd couldn’t take his gaze away from the Reflector.

“I might not be as independent as I thought.” He ponders. Todd is overcome by emotion as he takes in the breathtaking view. However, he discovers the trash can almost bursting with litter, jolting him back to reality. “I thought they had the right to make different choices at any time......” Todd stated. Again, this marine turtle is perplexed as to why all of this has occurred in recent decades. Then he blanks out and walks away from the Reflector without a backward glance.

Todd, the sea turtle, follows the black-while whale’s trace to a massive structure that resembles a gigantic pavilion. “I recognise that long vehicle......” “I recall people calling that......train?” Todd thinks about it. The finest place to go everywhere is Kingscross Station. Every September 1st, Hogwarts, the famous and respected magic school in the United Kingdom, has an express train that picks up their students on platform 9 ¾. Unlike Todd’s fantasy, there is absolutely no human being in this station due to the critical flood, which generates the conflicting scenery here. “It’s too quiet here,” Todd observed, with his eyes fixed on the end of the railway.

“SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH” A sharp sound abruptly interrupts the silence. Todd quickly twists his head to check for the origin of the voice. Then, unexpectedly, he finds that it is from the Reflector once more. He swims towards the curved mirror, wanting to see the Reflector’s view clearly. The view depicts a range of events taking place in this area. Some folks are keeping an eye on the timeline and deciding which platform to use. Some are racing and rushing to catch their train, while others are departing for a long period and bidding farewell to family or friends. Todd is surprised by the spatial environment, which is loaded with diverse emotions and situations. “A lot of things have happened here before.” He ponders. The condition is quite distinct from that of the platform and the surrounding sea, which is normally quiet and tranquil most of the time. “However, why were they willing to give up all of these......?” Todd says as he gently shuts his eyes.

Todd decided to leave his family and hometown on August 22nd, five years ago, to pursue the black-white whale. He was sick of discussing and obtaining the blurry concept there rather than going to see them in real. Todd, the sea turtle, chose to leave where he had resided for 23 years on that day to catch the whale and discover what it looked like. “I have complete faith in your ability to seek out the creature.” Todd’s father stated. Unlike Todd’s imagination, his family did not halt or warn him seriously but instead supported him carefully.

“Hey, don’t forget! Keep you warm at all times.” Todd’s father told him.

“CHUFF CHUFF CHUFF CHUFF CHUFF……” One of the trains is about to depart. He is still staring at the mirror because those sights are too appealing to quit. Todd continues swimming and chasing after the next Reflector, which still displays the departing train. Furthermore, the sounds are not bothersome here. Instead, he appreciates the various voices in this place, such as the train’s horn, railway clatter, people’s laughter and feet, the sound of luggage wheels sliding on the floor, and even...... someone is playing the piano!?

“Hey, don’t forget! Keep you warm at all times.” Todd hears this from the Reflector’s platform.

Todd is startled to see his own face. The Reflector no longer displays the scenery from the past; instead, it transforms into a “normal” convex mirror that reflects everything around it. He suddenly realises he has arrived in a tunnel beneath the train station. All sounds have vanished, and the spatial situations here, the empty cave, the scribbled graffiti, make him feel depressed. Then, he discovers the whale’s reflection in the Reflector’s corner. Todd quickly and forcefully turns around to see where it is going. It is leaving the tunnel and heading straight for the light exit. So, the sea turtle resumes his voyage, following the black-and-white creature. Nonetheless, he is still puzzled. “Why did humans not cherish all of these?” “A alive space where everything happens...... and where everything begins.” Todd said.

Todd suddenly feels mentally and physically weary. He remains on the sidewalk and raises his chin to gaze at the sky. It is currently sunny. The sun shines brightly down on him from the clean blue sky. “Can I just stay here and forget about the black-white creature......?” Todd is thinking. He is aware of a specific tint emerging on his shell, but he is too sleepy to care. Nonetheless, his belief in hunting the whale drives him to embark on his own journey. “I should take responsibility for myself, which is why I’m leaving.” He thinks about it. He starts swimming, but his limbs aren’t working as naturally as they used to.

Todd, the sea turtle who has been searching for the mysterious monster for 5 years. And he had just seen the whale nearing the corner at the end of this road. He rushes quickly to catch up with its trail. “It might be the closest one.” He exclaimed excitedly. The black-white whale enters a building leisurely after that corner. Todd then follows it and later gets access to this construction.

A staircase appears in front of him. He can’t help but be intrigued by humans’ ability to travel to the third dimension. Todd swims upward by following the steps since he is really fascinated in this location. Surprisingly, he discovers a stairwell that contains Reflectors. He approaches the first convex mirror, inspired by his previous encounter and observes the view provided by the Reflector. “It’s fascinating to watch how people walk up the stairs.” Todd stated that the rhythm created by the steps is soothing.

“By the way, why are most of them holding those colourful bags......?” he wonders as his body gradually deteriorates. Todd looks down to assess his condition and realises that something strange and colourful is covering his limbs, making it difficult for him to swim properly. “How......?” Not only does his movement slow down, but so does his thoughts. “The whale is there!” “I need to get moving as soon as possible,” Todd said. He notices the black-and-white figure that appears in the Reflector around the next bend and tries hard to sway his hands to catch up with it.

It starts raining again. Todd can clearly hear the sound of rain. He continues to swim upward, carefully inspecting each Reflector he goes by. “What if those fascinating whales only existed in the past......?” Todd is about to get a disappointing idea. He is concerned and tries to recall how he previously perceived them. Did he simply discover them in the mirror before?

“SOUGHHHHHH!” “SOUGHHHHHH!” “SOUGHHHHHH!” “SOUGHHHHHH!” The sounds occur whenever he attempts to swing his limbs. However, he is still debating if the whale still exists in this time and space when he exists. “Why do I have no right to make the decision?” Todd has difficulties breathing after thinking about this issue too many times as if he is under a lot of stress and depression at the moment.

“PIT-A-PIT” “PIT-A-PIT” “PIT-A-PIT” “PIT-A-PIT” “PIT-A-PI T” “PIT-A-PIT” “PIT-A-PIT” It continues to rain, and it appears to be stronger than ever. Finally, the last Reflector of this staircase is submerged by seawater.

“SNAP!” At that exact moment, the mirror begins to project the scenery. To be more specific, it was 20 years ago when sea level had not yet risen. Todd swims forward with his last remaining energy. “If the whale belief is correct, I believe it could happen......” “Because it’s also my last chance......” Before closing his eyes, he casts a peek at the black-and-white whale in the convex mirror.

Todd, the sea turtle, travels to the other dimension via the Reflector, and he realises that the particular mirror is a portal connecting two separate realities. However, he discovers that he is unable to move anymore due to the exhaustion caused by the coloured plastic bags covering his body.

“Is this someone’s artwork or just rubbish?” A random person passes by and says.

GNAUH NEY YEN HUANG