Fate of the Dreamers

Chapter Eighteen - The Birth of a JYP-Nation

Rays of light hit Zoëy's eyelids, but she felt no warmth. She didn't need her eyes to recognise where she was, though. The deafening silence, the weightlessness, and the emptiness in her stomach all told her enough.

This was a dream.

But I thought Pen...oh, no.

Shading her eyes with her hand, she blinked at the sight before her. She floated in space above the earth, the vast universe filled with stars as countless as grains of sand. The Sun was setting on the opposite side of the planet, its arms of light making their final reach before fading away.

JYP hovered a few metres ahead of her with his arms spread out to his sides. Soon enough, everything began to drain from the universe, seeping into JYP's body. The stars, the earth, and eventually the Sun were all sucked in by JYP, and he glowed with an off-white radiance.

"So that's how you bring your dreams to fruition." JYP's low voice echoed in Zoëy's ears, awakening a fear deep within her. She covered her ears, but his voice still made it through. "Watch on, Zoëy."

Another JYP appeared above her, the one Zoëy assumed was from her universe. He winked at her as he sauntered to the glowing JYP. The other raised his glowing hand and placed it on JYP's forehead. His smile grew into a wicked grin and guttural laughter as loud as thunder left his throat. His body fizzled and glitched until finally he vanished.

The glowing one turned its white eyes to Zoëy. She tried to move her body, but her muscles had seized. She wanted to shout, or at least sob, but her voice was stuck inside her throat. His expression was blank as he floated towards her with his arm outstretched in front of him.

Wake up, she screamed inside her mind. Get out. Wake up! JYP grew ever closer, and an electric sensation filled Zoëy's body. She clenched her eyes shut, her heart beating out of her chest, until she felt something change. No more electricity. No more light. She tentatively opened her eyes and saw nothing.

Her heart jumped as she was violently pulled downwards from her stomach, and true darkness enveloped her.

She pounded the cushioned doors of JYP's machine as soon as she awakened. "Let. Me. OUT!" The doors slid open, and Zoëy took the first chance she saw to run to the door. Her hand had only just touched the handle when a cackle from behind made her freeze. She turned her head. JYP was on the floor, shaking uncontrollably, but his smile never left his face and his wild laughter never ceased.

"Oh, no thank you." She twisted the handle and shoved the door open.

"Nuhuhuh!" JYP teased. His clothes rustled as he stood. "You shall not leave. I am on the verge of my dream of multiversal domination! All I need is for you to stay, and for your friends to come find you."

Zoëy clenched her fists. She didn't want her friends to come find her! If that's what JYP wanted, then he had to have sinister intentions.

"Face me," he said, and Zoëy turned on her feet unwillingly.

Not again.

His shoes clapped on the tiles as he stepped towards her. He sneered and touched Zoëy's cheek. "You are so much more important than you realised, little girl."

Zoëy could do nothing but growl.

He continued to speak as he walked back to his machine. "When your friends arrive, I'll give them a warm welcome. It's because of them I'll succeed in my plans!" He chuckled. "My dastardly little plans."

Zoëy worked her mind. JYP couldn't hold her here forever, she was sure of it. She broke free of his telepathic grasp before, so she knew she could do it again.