By 2422, humankind has achieved an ecotopian climate-positive future. There's zero conflict and zero waste throughout the whole world. But, when a young girl starts having mysterious visions of a walled city, it might signal the ancient return of so...
I'm done with my assignment by six in the evening. I'm pretty good at doing stuff like research and reports. At least I have something I'm good at. But I'm worried about the verbal presentation tomorrow. I get really nervous when I have to speak. School presentations were the worst. Flashbacks of my voice cracking and sweaty palms fill my head.
I stretch and yawn before hitting submit on the assignment tab. It's a few hours until midnight so I decide to nap, but I am interrupted when Fox Two approaches the panel. I walk over and place my hand on the viewing panel. He reaches out and attaches his tentacles to his side. I stare into his eyes. He stares back at me, but I'm not on the dome anymore, nor am I napping. I'm in the walled city again. This time everything feels clearer, and I can see buildings. It's unlike any of Earth's ancient, ruined cities that I've seen in the Public Archives. This city seems intact, but the architecture is strange – I can't quite make it out.
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I see someone coming towards me. A girl. As she approaches, things become hazy again. Green fog rolls in, and I can't quite make out the girl's face. She's trying to talk to me and knows my name. I strain to listen, but I feel I'm getting further away from her. She's saying something about a book. It sounds like find the book. Find the red book. I look down and she has a book in her hands. A small red book with gold lettering but I can't make out what it says. Wow. I've never seen an actual book in my life before. It is made of paper – something I've only ever seen images of before. Soon, I feel myself drifting away. I blink a few times and expect to find myself in bed. I must have dozed off and had that weird dream again. I reach up and touch my cheek. Why is there water on my face?
'Geez, you scared me!' shrieks Coral. 'What the hell happened to you?' She's standing before me, an empty glass in her hands. I look down and realise I'm still standing at the viewing panel. Fox Two detaches his suckers and swims away.
'I had to throw water on you! You were in a trance or something for like ten minutes! I was about to go get TL Atlas!'
My knees start to give way, but she catches me. She helps me over to my bed and I lay down, unable to speak. I was so sure it was a dream, but this is what must have happened to Dace's friend. Luckily, no one else is in the dorms – it's just Coral and me. She brings me another glass of water to drink this time.
'Thanks Coral.' I take small sips but can't meet her curious eyes. I decide to be honest. 'I'm not sure what happened. I was standing there looking at Fox Two and then I zoned out. I thought I was asleep and having a dream.'
She looks at me and seems unsure if I'm being truthful. 'I came in and you were frozen,' she says softly. 'At first, I thought you were playing a joke, but you couldn't hear or see me. I even tried shaking you. It was so weird.'
I don't know how to respond. Some of the others come in and I look at Coral. She understands and goes over to her bed but doesn't say anything. I'm grateful for her silence. I close my eyes for a bit.
