There was no denying it.

Rein was alone, staring into the grey horizon of the world that made no sense.

Again.

Just as he did in the last cycle, Rein left the spot he had assigned as the point of origin and made his way towards the ocean. He looked at the multitude of stones and broken shells that he had cast into the ocean still resting peacefully on its surface. If only the water would remain solid as it was now, he could simply walk across it. Perhaps the answers to why everything in his world was warped and broken were just on the other side of the horizon. 

Carefully, Rein began to walk out onto the water, just as he had so many times before. However, with each step, he could feel the the water almost instantly churn back to life under his boots, causing him to sink into the newly formed mud. His hopes sank into the mire as well. It was clear that the ocean wasn't going to be his way off the island this Cycle either. 

As the mud began to swallow the tops of his boots, Rein's thoughts turned on him. The many questions that had plagued him for an eternity reared their ugly heads all at once.

Why am I here? How am I here? Where is here?! 

Rein took a moment to close his eyes and slow his breathing. It was pointless to get upset. Being angry didn't change anything. With his mind slowly relaxing, he could feel the nothing on his skin. No wind moved across the sands of the forsaken beach. 

The air.

The water.

Even the sky was stagnant and lifeless. With the sun stuck in its place in the western sky, time itself had appeared to stop.

The questions returned with a vengeance.

I've never felt wind blow across my skin. I've never seen the sun set. How? How do I know that things aren't supposed to be this way?

He tightened both of his hands into fists and took in another deep breath. He couldn't remember the last time he had become this distraught.

I have searched everywhere on this island. I know the location of every stone. I've counted every blade of grass. I've searched the caverns, the mountains, the marshes. I've looked everywhere thousands of times.

He opened his eyes and stared into the grey horizon. It was almost impossible to tell where the ocean ended and the sky began. It seemed that even the colors had faded from nature. The things that weren't completely grey only had the slightest tinge of color.

The water and the mud began to seep into Rein's boots as he gazed into the emptiness, waiting for the anger to fade. Hours seemed to pass. He forced his hands back open. Even they were reluctant to give up their rage. 

I'm alone.

Rein's posture relaxed as he let of a breath of acceptance.

I have no purpose.

The morose statements seemed to calm him.

My only option is to press on. I have to complete the next cycle. I cannot find purpose standing in one place.

Rein's state of mind calmed. The relationship between him and the island was fickle. Sometimes he was happy to be searching the island for minuscule discrepancies. Others, he just wanted to sit down forever. The problem was, forever is a really long time when you never age. Even Rein didn't make any sense to himself. In truth, he felt a strange connection to the island most of the time. He felt as if he belonged there in the madness. Deep down he felt as broken as the island. 

I know there must be something that I have to do!

The thought that both tortured him and drove him to keep moving had popped into his mind once again; the thought that forced him to create the cycle to keep him and his mind preoccupied during his eternity of solitude. A cycle was simple enough when you had all the time in the world. It only consisted of one simple task: do everything possible, once. When that was completed, the cycle was over and he would be back where he started.

On the same beach.

Staring at the same horizon.

Waiting desperately for something to change...

His demons of despair attacked again.

What's the point? I've been everywhere. I've done everything.

Everything except...

He looked at his muddy shoes. The ocean was a dangerous place. He knew it was a one way trip to the bottom if he became submerged in it. Through trial and error, he found that gravity worked at a faster rate than the water could become liquid again. Cycle fourteen had taught him this the hard way, and had barely survived drowning. Another thought drifted into his head. This one seemed different, new even. 

Maybe there is a way off of this island. Maybe death is my only option.

He was somewhat shocked that he hadn't thought of this before. Or perhaps he had and forgotten about it. Self preservation was a strong motivator. Rein sighed.

Maybe I'll try death next cycle. Yes, that sounds good. One last cycle.... One way or another, I'm going to get off of this island.