It’s been eight months since they plunged into the new universe. It was a weird world. At first, he and his brother couldn’t understand what happened. Sure, they came from a liquid world too, but this was something different. Something they never experienced before. The link between them and the mother ship was strong, and the supplies kept coming. That was good. Nothing else was. It was just okay.

Both survived the race to the end and among millions of others who qualified for the trip, the two of them finally made it. Only to find themselves in this water world they’ve been floating, it felt as if for ages.

Every day they grew more knowledgeable while exploring different parts of the microcosm they’ve been thrown into. Curiously enough they both could breath through the liquid engulfing them. Every so often, strange sounds, voices and music, laughter and even cries reached their ears. They had no memory of any of it, but they wondered if all they experienced came from a different past. Another life maybe? One they couldn’t quite remember.

Ever since the plunge, they floated aimlessly until one day when he, as the older brother decided to play and twirl and tumble through the viscous liquid. The younger brother imitated and both were happy with their play. It was something different and out of boredom they both engaged in it. They laughed and they were happy.

Day by day the pressure increased, as the mass of liquid seemed to have diminished. Still they floated like two wrecked sail ships. And they played. They did that mainly when the supplies sent by the mother ship had spices in it. They liked it so much it reminded them of another time, a happier one. Maybe…

And then it came. The day when the food rations seemed too small for both, the older brother felt he was cheated. It was months ago but he could still remember it. It was the day when he became a killer. The day when he committed fratricide. But he had an excuse—survival and he was the stronger one. He had to take charge of his life and survive. So, he killed his younger brother. It wasn’t personal and he never planned it. It came naturally. He consumed every bit of his younger brother and he was surprised when no cries were heard. The liquid enveloping their bodies had stopped all the noise of the struggle. He was the winner, yet again. He had survived one million and one others and he was proud of it. Now, the food supply was plenty. He could play by himself and felt alive even without his brother. He celebrated by swimming about but suddenly he realized he knew every corner of the new world. Boredom came again.

The noises increased and he felt the walls of the new universe pushed against him, crushing him under their weight. He wiggled more than ever. He kicked with all his might against the margins of the universe looking for an escape. What the hell was going on? With one last drop of energy he kicked again hoping this was the last time. The liquid started to disappear, and he wasn’t sure if the change will make him happy again or he was doomed. Could he breathe outside the fluid? His thoughts were interrupted by new and strange noises.

Sirens came through and sudden shakes and jerks pushed him in all directions. He started to scream, and he continued to do so until he had no more voice. An opening appeared directly under him and light peered through. He found enough energy to kick one more time. Instinctively he wanted to get out, to swim towards the light. But who knows what monsters were waiting on the other side?

A large metallic arm came through the opening. He tried to escape it and moved a distance away, but the shiny arm came again and caught his leg. Desperate and panicked he kicked it hard, but the metal was stronger.

On one hand he was curious to see what was on the other side, and on the other he was okay with the current situation. This was all very new and scary, and he wasn’t about to go through the entire ordeal he experienced since he got stuck here. He felt secure with the only connection to the mother ship. And then, another feeling overwhelmed him. That of survival. Was he risking everything by being caught? He wasn’t about to take his chances, until it happened. The arm got ahold of him and he felt a steady pull toward the light. He screamed but he was the only one to hear it.

Finally, he made it to light into another universe, one he was totally unfamiliar with. No more liquid. Weird creatures with large heads and eyes were peering at him showing their teeth. Beams of light coming from shiny devices flashed in his face. He screamed and the creatures bared more teeth and they laughed. He scrunched his eyebrows. Who were they laughing at? Did they know he was the winner out of a million? No! Correction—a million and one. He hoped the creatures didn’t know about his murder. He screamed again worried his crime would surface while feeling a sudden chill.

The creatures snatched him and quickly wrapped his body in warm layers of white like puffy clouds. White lights warmed him, and he felt comfortable again. The link to the mother ship was cut and without the food he panicked. He’ll die like his brother. He screamed from the top of his lungs.

One of the creatures with transparent screens before his eyes stared with raised eyebrows. Did he know about his brother? Even if he did, he didn’t seem to care about it.

The monster’s mouth opened and boomed. “Congratulations mom. It’s a boy!”