Serenus - Sarcastic Newcomer Edition

Chapter 2: Introduction

The next morning, I woke up feeling oddly refreshed, though still as disoriented as a cat in a new house. As I lay there, I replayed the dream in my head. A sinking ship? Check. A terrifying whirlpool? Check. But then there was a grinning Albertosaurus and me soaring over the Rocky Mountains like some kind of prehistoric travel brochure. It was bizarre, but, hey, at least dream-me was having a blast.

I dragged myself out of bed and wandered over to the window. The sun was shining like it had a personal vendetta against anyone trying to sleep in, and the birds were chirping away, probably mocking me in their little bird language. It was one of those sickeningly perfect days. I glanced down at the stone pathway I'd been creepily observing the day before. The town was alive with activity, with people smiling and greeting each other like they were in some kind of utopian theme park. Meanwhile, I was standing there like a confused tourist with no map. But no one seemed to care.

Then came the inevitable knock at my door, and who else but the ever-enthusiastic Amy? She showed up looking like she had just stepped out of a "Welcome to Your New Life!" pamphlet, carrying breakfast and, of course, her trusty notebook. She cheerily informed me that we'd be staying in for a while so she could answer my burning questions. Apparently, I'd earned a personal Q&A session. Yay me. She was already jotting things down before I even had a chance to mess up, so I figured this was part of her gig and decided to just roll with it.

Amy kicked things off by asking how I slept, probably expecting some profound answer, then launched into her spiel about her role as Feray's apprentice and her side gig as the island's welcome committee. We shuffled over to the window, where two chairs sat strategically placed for optimal sunlight and deep conversation. Amy waited for me to pick a chair, like it was some kind of test, so I took the one with the better view, naturally. She made a note of that, too. What a surprise. She plopped the breakfast basket on the table, took the other seat, and flashed me that "I'm here to help" smile.

For the first time, I really looked at her—because, honestly, what else was I supposed to do? She was young, not much older than me, with her hair tied up in one of those perfectly messy buns that probably took her hours to get just right. She was slim and had more rings on her fingers than a jewelry store display. All of them had leaf designs, except for one with a giant, white, translucent sphere that looked like it could predict the future. I noticed she kept fiddling with that one like it had some deep meaning or maybe just a loose stone.

She smiled brightly—because of course she did—and asked, "What do you want to start with? Answers or breakfast?"

I didn't even hesitate. "Answers, please," I said, because who cares about food when your life's been turned upside down?

"Okay," she began, with all the seriousness of someone about to drop a major bombshell, "first of all, there are no dinosaurs on the island. We've found some fossils, but no live dinosaurs."

Cue the sigh of relief. And yet, there was this tiny part of me that was bummed out. I mean, yeah, dinosaurs are terrifying, but how cool would it have been to see one up close? Apparently, Amy found my mix of emotions hilarious.

"Relieved and disappointed—that's how every newcomer feels after hearing this," she chuckled.

Before I could even throw out a follow-up question, she was off to the races. "Everyone arrives on this island the same way you did. You know the drill: the warning about a sinking ship in a dream, waking up to the sound of an Albertosaurus, finding yourself in a boat, and freaking out over a whirlpool that doesn't even exist. Oh, and let's not forget the strange poem in your pocket, the mysterious watch on your wrist, and the complete lack of memories."

Hold up. Every single person here had the exact same experience? I was starting to wonder if this island was just some weird social experiment. Where did we all come from, and more importantly, why?