Fading Away

Chapter Five

Please comment and tell me what you're thinking about this. I'm awful when it comes to editing and it's quite possible that I've missed something. Also, ya know, vote and whatnot.

 

 That night I lay wide awake, staring up at the ceiling. It is wonderful to be back home, sleeping in a warm, comfortable bed, but I can't get Harper out of my thoughts. I worry if I made the right decision about leaving her. Perhaps I should have stayed, even if she forgot me. If something happened and I wasn't there...

"You care about her very much," a hushed voice says.

I bolt upright in my bed. "Who's there?"

A light turns on in my room. It's Secrets. "I apologize, but there are no secrets kept from me. I can see them all. Don't worry, yours aren't as embarrassing as some." There's a humorous tone to her usually monotone voice.

I grimace.

"Why do you worry for her so? Her lot in life is better than that of many children. Why didn't you choose someone homeless, someone suffering in other ways?"

I rub my forehead. "I don't know. Something drew me to her a few years ago and I got attached. All I wanted to do was be a friend to her, but it had to be an imaginary friend."

"I know," she says softly. "And then she forgot you."

My eyes water up. I sniff and turn my face away, staring instead at the wall. It's a very nice wall.

"I cannot tell you what the right choice is. I cannot see the future, only the things buried in the past. I can tell you that you have very good instincts. If you stayed with Harper for as long as you did, there was a reason for it."

I ponder her words. Then I take a breath. "I'm going to stay here, at least for a while. It's clear there are important things happening now. If I'm changing in any way, I want to be where I can trust the people around me. And I want to be here to help the others."

She nods. "Alright then. Sleep well." With that the light dims and she moves silently out the door, closing it behind her.

I fall asleep shortly after she leaves, and I dream.

I wake with a start. My heart pounds wildly in my chest and my veins are flooded with adrenaline. I feel like I was just running for my life. I feel terrified, and I can't remember why. I keep laid down until the feeling passes and my heartbeat slows down a little. Then I sit up and try to remember why I feel so freaked out.

I can't remember anything. With a sigh I rest my feet on the carpeted floor of my room. Voices come from the other room. At least some of the others are already awake. I neaten my blankets and put on my boots. I take a few minutes to carefully brush my peculiar hair, then I follow the voices to see what's going on.

It turns out everyone is already awake and sitting around the dining room table, eating breakfast. There's a magnificent spread of food, and my mouth waters at the sight. The dining room is also beautiful, with its solid wood table with a colorful table cloth. The backs of the chairs are carved with dizzying swirling patterns, and the pillows on the seats are stitched with detailed designs. A chandelier hangs from the ceiling, made of no material found on earth. The brilliant, translucent, gold tinted crystals make music like chimes when then clank ever so softly together. It fills the air with soft song.

I take a seat in the only empty one left, between Eternity and Wonders and proceed to fill my plate with food.

"How did you sleep?" Eternity asks between bites.