~ ONE~

"The earth is fading away! There's no solution yet!" The reporter exclaimed, through the very small television that hung unnecessarily high against the wall of Jack Craig's laboratory room. Anyle Winter had to tilt her backwards to view its screen well enough.

"Everyone is panicking. Some parts of the earth have faded and turned completely blank. An entire nation has faded away. The fading isn't even giving a pause and is moving over the earth at every every second, without any valid reason yet." The reporter said so energetically; she was heavily like the fading of the earth was right behind her and was going to suck her at any second from now.

"This is sad." Anyle sighed, taking a handful of popcorn from a big bowl of popcorn which her arm was around it, then she threw the popcorn into her mouth. Wow, Anyle—it's sad, yet you still eat popcorn?

"I know. Damn! I've been trying every single thing I can try but don't worry, this new machine I'm working on might probably have a positive effect. Just be calm, honey?" He assured then placed a gentle kiss on Anyle's lips.

Anyle's phone chimed, indicating that she had a new message. She groaned lazily before setting the big bowl of popcorn on a brown stool which was definitely not anywhere close to the laboratory tables that contained different beakers, conical flasks, test tubes, etc, of chemicals.

A smile crept on her thin lips as she saw that the message was from none other than her very own best friend, Summer Carter.

"Heyo! Did you just listen to the news? I can really see the effectiveness of your boyfriend's scientist brain." Summer's message read with a roll of eyes emoji.

"Well… if you're that eager for a solution, why don't you tryna use that dead brain of yours to work something out!" Anyle angrily texted back and scoffed, which earned a raise of an eyebrow from Jack.

"Gosh, I was only kidding." Summer quickly replied with a 'laughing out loud' emoji.

"Seriously Jack, what exactly are you working on?" Anyle questioned as she shoved her phone back into her jeans back pocket.

"You see…" he started, "I managed to figure out that if the earth is fading away, it's probably as a result of the photo-electrons…" Man! Believe me when I say that that was the last thing Anyle heard before she glazed over.

...About thirty minutes later

"...which is what might be a good solution to this nonsense that's going on in planet Earth." Jack finally completed his explanation, proud of what he had just said. Only then did he notice that Anyle had dozed off, right in a standing position.

"Anyle!" He snapped, furrowing his eyebrows at her.

"Uh– uh?" She felt like she was electrocuted out of her slumber, standing straight.

"Don't tell me you weren't listening to what I've been saying for the past thirty minutes?" He frowned, extremely annoyed.

"Ah…" she trailed off, sheepishly scratching the back of her neck, her eyes were searching around for what could serve as an excuse. "I have to go, bye." She grinned then quickly kissed his cheek, sprinting out of the very spacious laboratory room, avoiding hitting her hips against any of the big tables with chemicals on them.

Anyle grabbed her purse from a hanger by the wall of the door, then ran out of the room. The door of the laboratory led to a dark and narrow corridor that led outside.

Anyle felt warm in the corridor. On getting outside the building, the chill of the night danced along her spine as her feet felt frozen. She was only wearing a black tank top and jeans trouser so she had to hug herself as she quivered slightly.

Gosh, how stupid must she have been to have not come with her car.

Anyways, her apartment wasn't too far from here but she hoped she wasn't going to freeze to death before she got home.

Anyle flinched hard when the sound of trees by her side rattled, like someone was hiding in it. A frown etched on her face as she narrowed her eyes. Due to the darkness of the night and the dim lamp lights, she could only picture the shape of a young child; a girl (to be precise) who hid behind a tree.

Anyle, being the bold and nonchalant freak she was, she decided to walk to the tree. In a very fast motion like those in the movies (with sound effects though), she opened the leaves of the tree that was serving as a curtain. To her surprise, there was no living thing there… oh, except the trees.

"Strange." She muttered to herself but shrugged nonchalantly and proceeded with the extremely natural action performed by most humans; walking.

***

On getting into her apartment which she lived in with Jack, her very own boyfriend, she kicked her converse from her feet, making them sprawl across the room.

Setting herself down on one of the soft and comfy sofas, ready to begin her night with a tub of ice-cream and chicken wings, the slight knock on the door snapped into her ears.

"Why the hell is anyone knocking when there's the presence of a doorbell?" She wondered but still hopped from the sofa and staggered to the door.

"And why—" she started to yell when she opened it but her eyes travelled downwards to stare at the young child (about the age of 8, 9 or 10) that stood there in a sparkling red dress and a beautiful pair of strawberry pink shoes that seemed like they'd cost a billion dollars, and she was grinning from ear to ear.

"Hello," the child simply waved then ushered herself in without Anyle's permission to do so. Mannerless!

"Uh… excuse me?" Anyle said, totally confused, following behind her. "Who are you?"

"Good question. I'm Amelia." She introduced plainly then sat on the sofa.

"Well?" Anyle frowned, expecting more details. "Where are you from? Your parents?"

"Parents?" Amelia tilted her head to the side, her big brown curly hair falling to the sofa.

"Yeah, your mom and dad."

Amelia giggled quietly. "I don't have parents. Anyways, I'm your protector."

Anyle grew more confused but when she studied those sparkling blue eyes of Amelia, recognition dawned on her. "Wait! You're the little child I've been seeing around me. You're following me?" She gasped, dramatically placing her hands on her chest. "Were you hired to somewhat kill me?"

Amelia threw her head back and laughed boisterously. "I like you. I'm so lucky to be your protector— and, if I wanted you dead, I'd have done that a long time ago. I'm your protector, duh." She rolled her eyes while Anyle gawked at her words.

Amelia's face suddenly turned serious and a feeling of fear pinched through Anyle's veins only slightly. "The earth is fading away and it's left to you to save this world."

Anyle laughed so hard then ended it with a sigh, taking a seat beside Amelia. "Listen, just because Jack is my boyfriend and a science genius doesn't mean I have to make him hurry up and save the world with his machines whatsoever."

"Not Jack, stupid." Ameliia slapped Anyle's arm. Rude!

"Excuse me?" Her frown grew intense this time.

"How do I start?" Amelia exhaled deeply, rubbing her temples.

"You can start by getting your little butt out of here." Anyle snapped.

"Norex, the only way to stop this world from fading away completely is to save the other world, Genxor." Amelia sounded so serious but all Anyle could do was to cackle.

"First of all, what's Norex?... Or Genxum?" Second of all, I think you've been watching or reading too many fantasy movies or novels. Other World? Parents seriously need to start reading their children Physics textbooks as bedtime stories." She laughed.

Amelia shot her a glare, folding her arms across her chest, which made Anyle pause with her laughter. "I'm being serious here. You're Norex, the Mekwow. Shenster is trying to kill princess Yela to stop her from becoming queen. Due to some disorganization in our world, Genxor—not Genxum, it's affecting the earth and it'll continue till the whole earth, other planets, this whole world will fade away. Genxor is experiencing horror right now and only you, Norex, can save Genxor, therefore, saving the earth." Amelia explained, squeezing Anyle's hands with her small ones.

Anyle was beyond astonished; her eyes and mouth were in agape. She blinked multiple times before bursting into another round of an exuberant laughter.

"You find it funny? Everyone's life is in danger." Amelia was getting pissed off.

"I need to see your parents so I'll advise them to have your cute little brain checked." Anyle chuckled then kissed Amelia's forehead.

"Haven't you noticed the half-heart necklace around your neck? Haven't you wondered where the other half is?" Amelia continued, talking audaciously like her life depended on it.

Anyle rose to her feet, holding the necklace around her neck and fiddling with its half-heart pendant. "This?" She looked at it as a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "I have no memory of my late father but my mother told me he had kept this around my neck when I was given birth to. How's the other half relevant? It's just a pendant."

"Duh!" Anelia rolled her eyes. "That's the 'Heart of Emner'!" She literally shouted, following behind Anyle that shambled to the kitchen.

"You're scaring me, child. Please leave, I don't want your parents to get me arrested for abducting you or something like that." Anyle replied truthfully, opening the fridge and slipped out a bottle of orange juice then shut the fridge door back with her elbow.

"That necklace represents the 'Heart of Emner'. Princess Yela has exactly the same necklace! That makes you the Norex! Damn, it's the 'Heart of Your Other World'!" Amelia exclaimed, slapping the side of her hand on her other palm aggressively to emphasize on her words.

"You're seriously not okay." After opening the bottle of orange juice and gulping its entire content in one drought, Anyle threw the bottle into the trash can then rested her elbows on the counter to stare directly at the enigmatic child. "Get out!" She whispered but had to raise her voice to repeat it when it didn't seem like Amelia was ready to move an inch.

***

~ The Next Morning ~

"I seriously hope you don't believe what that little girl told you last night?" Jack said as he strolled into their bedroom with a wooden tray of breakfast. Anyle had explained her encounter with Amelia to him.

Anyle did the final touchings of her makeup then walked over to Jack, giving him a peck on his lips.

"Of course not. Though… she sounded so serious." Anyle admitted.

Jack sighed, dropping the tray on the glass table then held her shoulders. "Things like that aren't real. I promise you that I'm trying my best for a solution to this." Even after about ten of the ones you've tried failed woefully? Great. Anyle remembered, definitely didn't say it out and internally rolled her eyes at his anthem. "The little girl was probably sent to play a prank on you or maybe try to get the information of what I'm working on, from you."

Anyle could pick out the sense in his words so she nodded positively.

"Good. Now, don't think about it and let's have a peaceful breakfast, okay?" He grinned. Easy for him to say. He needed to have seen Amelia's seriousness, Anyle thought, but she found his grin pretty cute and adorable, like always.

"Breakfast? I can't, I have to go for—" she was interrupted by her phone that rang from the bedside table. She rushed over to it then answered the call from Summer, placing the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" Her lips spread into a smile.

"Anyle!" Summer screamed into the phone which startled Anyle and she was lucky that her ear drum didn't deafen at Summer's loud voice. "Y- your mother…" she panted.

"My mother? What happened to Mom?" Anyle's heart began to palpitate harshly against her rib cage.

"T- the…" Summer was panting heavily like she had run a marathon race for 16 days non-stop. "The Earth's suckage is happening where your mother is right now!"

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