ɪɴꜱᴛɪɴᴄᴛꜱ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜰ ɪᴠᴇ

She was actually there, in all her blood and flesh.

She was actually there, in all her blood and flesh...?

She tried calming her racing heartbeat, and shakily got up from the floor.

"This has to be a lucid dream or something," she murmured under her breath.

In lucid dreams, you can't see clocks, and they don't show sensible time, so Aubree looked down at her wrist and pulled up her jacket sleeve, revealing a watch in all its glory, showing the time to be 12:04 AM.

She couldn't comprehend anything. What was going on? How did she even get here?

Then, it struck her like lightning. Her hair on her knee. The familiar sensation always brought her here, so whatever she did to get out of this place the first time would work to go back, right?

Wracking her brain, she tried remembering what her last action was here at first, but then abruptly stopped.

Did she want to leave?

Why did she...feel a strange sort of comfort?

Why did she want to stay?

Being her impulsive self, she thought heck, why not see what this place is all about? She kept showing up here, what's so special about it?

She tried looking for a door in the area she always appeared in, like a spawn point or something. Was she in a game or what?

Scanning her surroundings, Aubree looked for some form of escape. Usually, she would be able to float through the walls but seeing that she was leaning on one of the walls and didn't fall back probably meant that it wouldn't work this time.

Finding a thin metal door large enough to fit a whole rat, she tried kicking it down, and surprisingly enough it worked, and collapsed a whole side of the 'cube' thing she was enclosed in. Well, the first thing in her favour today.

Coughing, she let her eyes get accustomed to the darkness, and started following the nearest source of light.

Walking through the hallways, she wondered if anyone even lived here? How could they possibly? It genuinely seemed like she'd landed in a watered down version of hell. As she slowly descended down what she assumed was a slope, she started to hear minor sounds of people talking outside. Civilisation! At least that was something. Hopefully they didn't discriminate between poor and rich, too.

As she neared the exit, she paused. Did she really want to go out and risk her life?

Well, she didn't have anything to live for.

"Here goes," she murmured.

She stepped out, and as if an invisible force was pushing her back, she fell straight back onto the ground. Desperately trying to get out, Aubree got up, and with all force possible, she pushed out and once again she landed on the ground, but this time successfully on the other side.

Despite it being midnight, she opened her eyes to hundreds of people walking, talking in hushed whispers.

"MOVE! Is this your reality or something? Who gives you the rights to waltz out onto the road like that?"

"She's new, I guess,"

Rolling their eyes, the two girls walked away.

Reality? I'm new? What?

Picking herself up, she looked around for a friendlier looking face, but ended up bumping into.... This random dude who quite clearly loved black. In fact, it was kind of the theme of the place, everyone was wearing black, even her.

"So, you're back? Great, my work is lesser. Hey, remember me?"

No. no. no. not the instincts guy.

"Shy? After seven years? Come on, Sel,"

"Um- sorry, wrong person," Aubree replied hurriedly, and took off.

She felt a tight cold grip on her wrists, almost demanding. "No. You remember me. You have to,"

She exhaled, and shook her head. "Yes, you're the 'trust your instincts' dude. Please, just let me-"

"No-" He tugged on her arm hard, almost pulling her arm out of her shoulder sockets.

She turned, and her eyes were met with ones mirrored to hers, except his were threatening to spill tears.

"What-" she pulled her arm out of his grasp "You good?"

"Yeah," he wiped his eyes with his jacket sleeve "You're new right? Never been here before?" He put on a pained smile.

"Um, yeah,"

"Hm, how do I put this simply?"

hAH!

Confused?

Curious?

Ready to literally drop this book because you're in chapter FIVE and there's barely been any major action?

Your responses are noted.

What do you think's gonna happen? 👀

I'm sorry I have to make you wait but :D

ilysm,

simi