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Chapter 2: A few thoughts

Cora tried not to think much about what happened as she went through the rest of her classes, but as she tried to shut out what happened, the more restless the memories became. Until she finally decided to face them.

It was very familiar, like when she drifted off to the other world as she slept. Except for the part that she did not at all seem to have a grip on reality. This never happened while she was awake. Cora had always known without being told that when you fell asleep the world instantly knew what sort of space you desired at the time. And she was sure that dark place wasn't what she desired.

School was 2 hours from being over, and Cora was having history class, barely paying attention as her thoughts scrambled all over the place in her mind. The young man has something comforting about him, that's what made her hesitate to listen to him. It was odd, it was too good to be true, especially in that ominous place. The man in the mirror was downright unsettling. She wondered though, if he was a figment of her imagination, maybe he was an illusion. Or maybe he was real.

✧ . *

Cora got home to see her sister at the table doing homework and her mother starting dinner. Their dad wasn't home yet, but he would be soon in time for dinner. Cora greeted her mother who smiled up at her and gave her a short hug. Cora sat down at the table with her sister, who seemed a little troubled.

"Hey Cas, need any help?" She asked.

"Yes, what does.. pehletibits mean?" Cassie asked curiously, tilting her head up at Cora.

The question made Cora wonder what her sister was learning, but she gave an answer anyways, "It's inflammation in a vein. Also it's pronounced phlebitis."

"Oh, okay. Thanks, Cora. We learned about veins in health class today and I was curious so I researched a bit and that word came up but I couldn't find a dictionary." She spat out in one breath.

Cora's younger sister was very smart, but when she got really into something, she had a tendency to talk fast, and also focused on something completely different right after.

"It's good to ask questions-" Cora said before getting interrupted.

"What's your favorite dog breed?" Cassie asked suddenly.

Cora sighed and pat Cassie on the head. "What are we going to do with you.." She murmured.

✧ . *

Cora went up to her room and set her bag down. It was quite heavy with all the textbooks she brought from school to complete her assignments in the morning. Cora ran her hands through her hair and groaned. At times like this, when she was confused and didn't want to confront her problems right away, she took her guitar out and let its ringing melodies soothe her.

So she did exactly that until dinner was ready and her father was home. She put the guitar down and ascended down the stairs and to the set dining table. She seated herself and ate silently, listening to her parents discuss the current status of the world.

"What did you learn about today, Cora?" Her mother asked, piercing her meat with her fork.

"Uh, we just reviewed some things." Cora replied. In truth, she hadn't paid much attention. She wasn't even sure what notes they took. Maybe she could ask someone tomorrow.

By then, her mother had moved on from Cora's feeble answer and was now having a conversation with Cassie about human anatomy.

As soon as dinner was over Cora helped clear the table and wash the dishes. After, she went straight to her room, back to her guitar. Cora propped the stringed instrument against her chest and began strumming, letting the music ring out like a siren. She got more into it, forcefully shoving all of her emotion into it, her hands and fingers having a frenzied dance over the strings, notes spewing out like a geyser.

She only stopped playing when her father came in, his face tired and slightly worried.

"Hey, it's 10:43 P.M. You should get some rest, Cora." He said gently.

That's what she had been trying to avoid. For once in her life she was scared to sleep and enter that world again. Of course, she didn't know exactly if the dark world and her dream were connected, and for once, she wasn't curious. Cora was too fearful to find out, but she did not wish to disobey her father, so she agreed.

"Yes, of course I will, good night dad." She said, setting down her guitar and getting up to give him a hug. He embraced her back and wished her good dreams.

She got in bed, pulled the covers over her body. For most of the night Cora tried to keep her weariness at bay, but soon enough she could no longer and her body went limp whilst her mind entered the world she fought so hard to evade.

✧ . *

Cora opened her eyes to find herself on the park bench with the book she was reading yesterday on her lap. Cora was hesitant to do anything, so she sat there, staring around. Maybe she was being dramatic but she hesitated to even touch the book, she acted as if it were a deadly weapon. It could be, or maybe she was just paranoid.

The world was not as peaceful as it usually seemed, maybe it was because she wasn't occupied with a book, and was more aware of her surroundings.

A tall figure moved into the field of her vision. She allowed her eyes to follow its movement. It was a woman, a full grown one at that, and she was wearing a beautiful silky red dress. She was young, no doubt about that, but she was visibly an adult. Not once in all of the time Cora had traveled to this world was there an adult. Ever. She had only ever seen kids 17 and under, of course she hadn't seen toddlers. No, the youngest kids she had ever seen were 7 or 8 years of age.

The adult woman was walking in the direction of an eleven year old boy, at least that's the age he seemed to be. This whole ordeal had Cora's interest piqued, so she watched in earnest as the boy looked up from his basketball game in surprise. The two exchanged words, but Cora's attempt to read their lips was unsuccessful.

Out of the corner of her eye Cora saw someone sit down on her bench. She wasn't going to start a conversation, she wouldn't have anyways, even if she hadn't wanted to see what was going on.

"See that woman over there? The one with the boy?" The voice beside her said, and it was familiar, yet she couldn't quite pin down why.

She turned her head towards the owner of the voice, and squinted her eyes.

The young man. Curse him and his soothing tongue, haunting her dreams and thoughts.

Cora looked at him, her eyes dimmed. "What do you want?"

He looked as though he was thinking, even though to her it seemed he probably didn't even have a brain in there. After awhile, she started to get suspicious. The air got a bit colder and more ominous as she awaited his answer.

"I need a favor."