The boy extends his hand, green eyes glowing. His offer is almost too good to be true. I don’t hesitate for a moment.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to stay here.” My response is short and eager. Garbi smiles at me and takes my hand, telling me to follow him. This is it, I think. Everything I want is coming true right now. He sets off in a run, heading straight toward the nearby cliff, and dragging me with him. Yet somehow, I feel no fear. My heart is calm. I’m ready to do this. We leap off the edge in sync, and I feel the strongest feeling of anticipation. Like something huge is about to take place. My heart is thundering with excitement, beating faster and faster and faster and faster…

I feel dull pain. I force open my bleary eyes to find myself in a room, small and shabby. I’ve never seen it before. In fact, I can’t remember anything at all. I rifle through my mind for something, anything… No, wait. There is something. I have a vague memory of a cliff beside the sea. There is a ghost of disappointment attached to that memory. I try to remember more but my mind goes blank. It’s gone. I’m in a strange room, alone, with no idea who I am or what I’m doing here.

Then I hear subtle, creaking footsteps. The sound of someone…or something…approaching my room. The doorknob twists open. It wasn’t even locked. I silently curse myself for not trying to leave. I have the strangest feeling that I’m in danger—that I need to get out before it’s too late. I want to sit up now, but my limbs feel frozen to the bed. I’m not shackled down. I’m paralyzed. 

A man enters the room. He is strange, and tall. His face is obscured by a mask, covering all but his striking green eyes. I know I’ve seen him before. I know I need to run. I know it’s too late for that.

The man approaches my bedside, then startles to find I’m awake. He grabs a clipboard on the table beside me and scribbles something down. 

“Subject is awake,” he mutters. His words send a chill down my spine. I realize I’m part of something; something bigger than I could have imagined. The man locks me in a stare and smiles; I can see it in his eyes.

“Welcome to the real world, Aisling.”

Read our next issue for the third part of this dreamy tale…