I wake up, looking up at the same ceiling for the third time. The light outside is blinding. It's still the same pure white from earlier, but there's a slight orange tint to it. It pours through the windows like the sun is too close. Midday, maybe. It's hard to tell.
My head throbs heavy.
I don't think I've woken up peacefully once since entering this place…
It takes me a second to realize that my hand is warm.
I glance down and see Isabella sitting beside me on the same hardwood floor I've become accustomed to. Her fingers are wrapped tightly around mine like she was afraid I'd disappear again.
Her head jerks up the moment she realizes I'm awake.
- Isabella: "Ayden… you're back."
My throat feels dry.
"How long was I out?"
She hesitates, then shakes her head.
- Isabella: "I don't know. Time's weird here. There's nothing to measure it with."
She squints toward the window.
- Isabella: "If that light means anything… maybe a few hours?"
I nod slowly.
My body feels heavier than it should, like something is still pressing down on me from the inside.
Is this because of continually using Soul Touch? Ugh...
I flex my fingers slightly. Isabella doesn't let go. If anything, her grip tightens.
I don't hate it though…
Pushing myself up onto an elbow, I start blinking rapidly, allowing my eyes to adjust. The room comes back into focus slowly. The cabin looks the same.
Suddenly, I hear rustling to my side.
It's Kai, and he's sitting on the edge of one of the beds, one hand braced behind Lena's back as he helps her sit upright. She looks drained. Her movements are slow, as if breathing takes effort.
But she's smiling.
Not the bright, performed smile from the classroom. Not a genuine one either.
It's somewhere in between.
When her eyes meet mine though, something changes. Her smile widens just a bit, and this time it reaches her eyes.
She speaks softly.
- Lena: "Ayden… You're awake."
"Yeah."
I reply. My voice sounds rough.
"Looks like you are too."
She nods.
- Lena: "Barely."
Kai snorts quietly.
- Kai: "Doctor's orders say no sudden movements. Or thinking too hard."
Lena lets out a weak laugh at that. It sounds real for half a second, then fades.
They continue to exchange a few small words after that. Nothing heavy. Nothing honest. Just enough to pretend everything is normal.
But my mind isn't here.
It's back on the rooftop.
That smile. That wave.
The Dreamer's face burns behind my eyes, crooked and amused like it enjoyed every second of what it did to her. Rage boils deeper in my chest. I want to tear it apart. I want to wipe that expression off its face and make it feel something other than entertainment.
But most of all, I feel guilty.
I stood there. I let Lena go through her deepest trauma again. I chose the cleanest route instead of the kindest one.
I swallow hard and look away from her.
I can never tell her any of that. I don't deserve the closure.
- Kai: "Ayden."
His voice pulls me back.
He's watching me now, expression serious.
- Kai: "We're not done yet."
I know what he means without him having to say it.
I glance toward the far side of the room.
Blair is asleep on one of the beds nearby, curled in on herself. Her blanket rests on her. Even unconscious, she looks closed off.
Christy is on the bed opposite her, arms to her sides. She looks like a soldier in their sleep. She looks composed, but not peaceful.
Two left.
The thought makes my stomach twist.
A part of me, small, ugly, and honest, wonders if I even should do anything.
They let me die. Even actively participating in it.
They stood there while fear took over, while suspicion rotted everything from the inside. Christy was the one who raised her hand in the end, but she didn't act alone.
Blair didn't strike me.
She didn't need to.
She planted the doubt. She gave their fear a direction. She made it easier for Christy to believe that killing me was the safest choice.
I can still hear it. The way my name turned into a problem. A threat. A solution.
My jaw tightens.
If I'm being honest… I don't know if I want to save them.
But want doesn't matter.
There's no avoiding this. We need the numbers. If it's just us four, we might not survive…
I speak quietly.
"I'll go into Blair's dream next."
Kai stiffens.
- Kai: "Now?"
I nod.
The name feels heavier than it should. I'm scared? I'm not sure why, but one thing is for sure.
Something is wrong. I can feel it. The Dreamer isn't just reacting anymore. It's anticipating. Lena's dream wasn't just cruel. It was deliberate.
He's trying to punish us. To punish me.
"I don't think we have time to wait."
I add.
"Whatever it is… it's getting worse."
Isabella shifts beside me.
- Isabella: "Ayden, you should rest. Even just a little..."
- Lena: "I agree with her. You don't look too good…"
They sound genuinely concerned for me.
Why…?
I shake my head.
"I'll be fine…"
I don't sound like I'm convinced. I doubt they are either.
I stand before anyone can argue further. My head pounds hard, as if someone threw a ping pong ball and it's bouncing around inside my skull. My legs wobble slightly, but I stay upright with Isabella's help. Not sure if Kai noticed, but he didn't make a comment.
I walk across the room and stop in front of Blair.
I stare at her a moment. Her expression is neutral. Guarded. But there's a slight tension to it.
I hesitate.
Just for a second.
Then I kneel.
"Sorry…"
I murmur.
Not sure if I'm apologizing for what's coming… or what already happened.
I reach out.
Soul Touch.
My head pain begins to dissipate as I slowly lose consciousness again.
The next moment, I open my eyes and I'm standing in the middle of a summer festival by a river.
It's warm. Almost uncomfortably so. The air is thick with laughter and music. There are fireworks that bloom overhead in soft colors, reflecting off the water. Everything feels bright. Alive.
I look down at myself.
I'm wearing a gray robe with some comfortable black pants.
At least it's not a crappy school uniform…
The issue is that I don't recognize this place.
I scan the area more carefully. Strings of warm lights hang between buildings. Vendors shout over each other. Laughter blends into the crackle of fireworks bursting above the river.
And then I see it.
A massive clocktower in the distance.
It looks old.
Am I in England?! Blair's British? She doesn't sound like it…
My eyes drift back to the clock.
The hands aren't moving.
Not even a little.
Just… frozen.
The second hand hovers in mid-motion like it was interrupted.
The fireworks above continue to explode. The crowd keeps shifting. Music plays somewhere to my right.
But the clock doesn't move.
A chill crawls up my spine.
Then I hear it.
A woman's voice snaps me out of my confusion.
Faint. Almost swallowed by the crowd.
- ???: "Blair!"
It's distant. And it sounds worried…
I follow the sound of the voice. Or at least, the general area I heard it.
And there she is. It's Blair.
Thank God. I found her…
For a moment, I almost don't recognize her.
Her hair is longer, falling past her shoulders with blonde highlights catching the lantern light. There's makeup around her eyes, and her nails are painted a deep red.
Her clothes stand out too.
She's wearing a light festival robe, the fabric a deep burgundy that moves softly when she walks. It's tied loosely at the waist with a thin sash, the sleeves wide enough to sway when she lifts her arms. Underneath, a simple cream blouse peeks through the collar.
Dark leggings disappear into short leather boots.
She looks much younger. More open and vibrant. Her shoulders aren't tense and her steps are lighter, almost excited. She's walking a few paces ahead of a group of people, who I assume are her family.
There are four of them behind her.
A woman I assume is her mom. A man who looks like her dad. An older woman trailing slightly behind.
And a man I don't recognize.
He's younger than the others. Not by much. Early thirties maybe? Dressed too neatly for a festival. He's smiling, but not at the fireworks. Not at the stalls.
At Blair.
His gaze lingers a second too long before he looks away.
I don't think much of it.
A woman calls out to her again, the same voice I just heard.
- ???: "Blair! Don't go too far!"
Blair's gleaming with joy, pulled forward by the lights, the games, the noise.
It barely feels like the same person. That distrust she has towards others doesn't seem to exist with this version of her.
What the hell happened to you Blair…?
I start moving after her, quickening my pace.
We need to leave quick. Before this dream has time to mess with her. Before I have time to mess up.
As I get closer, something feels… off.
The crowd isn't really enjoying the festival. No one's lining up for food. No one's playing the games. They're just drifting forward in slow waves, eyes tilted up toward the fireworks like they've been given a single instruction. Robots following a command.
Blair is ahead of me, weaving between bodies.
At first, she looks fine.
Then someone bumps into her.
She stumbles slightly, but doesn't look back.
Another shoulder hits her from the other side.
She slows.
I frown.
Is she trying to find someone?
A few steps later, she stops.
Completely.
The crowd parts around her like water around a rock.
She's not looking at anything in particular. Not the fireworks. Not the stalls. Just… forward.
Her arms are tight against her sides.
Why isn't she moving?
I try to call her name, but the sound gets swallowed by the fireworks overhead.
Another person brushes past her.
She flinches harder this time.
My stomach twists.
What's going on?
I glance toward the group behind her.
That same man is closer now. Much closer.
He's not being pushed forward like the rest of the crowd though.
Blair continues to look around like she's searching for someone.
Does she need help? No one else is looking at her…
No one even notices.
I push forward, trying to reach her, but the crowd fills the street. People step between us. Colors blur and noise swells.
When I finally force my way through, she's gone.
Shit! Where did she go?!
I spin back around and start pushing through the flux of people. After a little while, I return to her family, heart pounding.
Finally. They must have some idea where she is. Maybe they can call her phone.
I put on my biggest smile, shoving my worries down for now.
"Hi, I'm Ayden! I'm a friend of Blair's. I was just with her, but we got seperated. Do you happen to know where she went? You guys were together earlier, so I assumed you'd know."
They all turn to me at once. Instantly.
My stomach tightens.
For half a second, I think I said something wrong.
Their faces are blank. Smiling. Wrong.
Too symmetrical. Too still.
Like masks stretched over something that isn't trying very hard.
- Blair's Mom?: "She's right here."
Her hand lifts slowly. Stiffly.
She points to empty space beside her.
The motion is delayed like a puppet remembering it has strings.
Another nods.
- Blair's Dad?: "Right there."
They don't blink.
Not once.
Their eyes don't track me when I shift my weight.
They don't even react when I step back. Those same smiles plastered on their faces.
Cold crawls up my spine.
Something about this is worse than if they'd just attacked me.
Another thing that bothers me is that they aren't confused or the least bit worried about Blair.
They're not even pretending to search.
They already decided on the answer before I asked.
My heartbeat starts climbing.
I swallow.
"…Right."
None of them respond.
The fireworks explode overhead. Brilliant streaks of color tear through the sky, but the light doesn't reflect in their eyes.
It's like they're not really here.
I turn and run.
This is him! That bastard is doing this. I need to find her. Now!
The crowd thickens the farther I go, bodies pressing in, slowing me down. It's almost impossible to move. But I notice something strange.
Ahead of me, near the edge of the festival grounds, stands a tall stone building overlooking the river.
It doesn't match the rest of the festival.
Everything else is warm with wood stalls, hanging lanterns, bright banners fluttering in the wind.
This building is gray. Old.
Weathered stone stacked in heavy blocks, ivy crawling up its sides like veins. Narrow windows, dark and unlit. A single iron door at the base, half-hidden by shadow.
And behind it?
A cliff.
The crowd grows denser the closer I get. It doesn't feel random. It's concentrated. Like bodies are being placed deliberately to slow me down.
Trying to keep me from reaching it.
That's how I know.
She's there.
I force my way through, breath ragged, heart slamming against my ribs. I circle around to the back of the building.
The noise of the festival dulls the farther I move from it. The music becomes distant. The laughter turns hollow. Even the fireworks feel farther away, their colors blooming silently over the river.
From here, I can see everything.
The festival stretches along the water like a ribbon of gold and color. Lanterns sway gently in the warm breeze. Reflections shimmer across the river's surface. The frozen clocktower looms in the distance, its unmoving hands cutting into the sky.
It's beautiful.
Beyond the edge of the stone path, the cliff drops sharply into darkness. A forest spreads below, thick and black, jagged rocks barely visible between the trees. The river curves past it, swallowing the light.
My amazement is short lived, as I hear rustling behind me.
I turn back quickly and I spot her.
She's near the far edge of the building, half-hidden by shadow.
Cornered.
The man from earlier stands in front of her.
Closer now. Way too close.
His body blocks the path back toward the festival. One hand rests casually against the stone wall beside her head. The other hovers near her shoulder. He's not touching her, but he's close enough to make the air feel tight.
Blair is pressed flat against the wall.
Her breathing is shallow.
Her eyes aren't focused on him.
They're somewhere else. Somewhere far away.
Her arms are pinned to her sides like she's afraid to move them.
And then I understand.
The crowd.
The bumping.
The freezing.
This wasn't random.
He steps closer.
She doesn't fight.
She doesn't scream.
She just stops existing in her own body.
Something snaps inside me.
I don't think. I don't hesitate.
My fist connects with his temple with a crack that shoots pain up my arm. His body jerks sideways and slams against the stone before collapsing to the ground in a heap.
The sound echoes off the cliff.
Everything is still.
The man lies unconscious beneath me. My breath is ragged. My hands are shaking. Everything in my body is screaming.
The fireworks continue somewhere behind me. Laughter drifts faintly through the air. The river glows below.
For a second… I believe it's over.
I turn toward Blair.
She hasn't moved.
She's still pressed against the wall, breathing in shallow, uneven pulls. Her eyes aren't focused on me. They're glazed and distant. Like she's still trapped somewhere inside herself. A statue of trepidation.
I speak softly.
"Blair…? It's okay. It's done now. There's nothing to fear anymore."
No response.
Just the wind.
Then—
Laughter.
A wet, dragging sound behind me.
My stomach drops.
I turn slowly.
The body on the ground twitches. Not like someone waking up. Like something adjusting. A puppet controlled by strings.
His limbs bend strangely as he rolls onto his back. His head tilts too far. His neck cracks softly as it straightens. A smile formed on his face.
And he starts speaking…
In my voice.
- ???: "You can't save her. You can't save anyone."
The words slide straight into my mind. It instantly reminds me of my failure with Lena.
I force myself to look away from it and step toward Blair.
I try to keep my voice steady, but I can hear the fear leaking through.
"L-Listen to me… We have to go. Right now."
I reach for her wrist, and her eyes snap to mine.
This time though, she screams.
Not loud. Not wild.
Terrified.
She jerks away from me with all her strength, stumbling back like I'm the threat now. Her eyes lock onto mine, wide and frantic.
- Blair: "Don't touch me!"
My chest tightens painfully.
"It's me."
Her breathing quickens.
Her voice begins to shake violently.
- Blair: "Who are you? Stay away from me!"
The thing behind me laughs softly.
- ???: "You hear her?"
I swallow.
"I'm-"
My voice won't come out right.
"It's Ayden. You remember?"
She shakes her head violently.
- Blair: "I don't know you."
"What are you talking about? Of course you do."
Her back hits open air.
Wind lifts her hair.
- Blair: "I don't! You're talking like you've been watching me."
Behind me, my voice hums in satisfaction.
And I realize.
She doesn't remember me.
Not even my name.
And the thing wearing my voice behind me finds this amusing.