Illusion

Chapter 1

I can hear the ocean...but it's pitch black...where am I...I don't sense anyone around either. I walk. I walk for what seems like eternity when suddenly everything goes white and I hear someone. That voice...MOM?!

I wake up to my mother shaking me lightly. "You're going to be late for school Wendy. You must have forgotten to set your alarm." She says "Get up and get ready. I have toaster waffles downstairs." She says before leaving the room.

I lie there and stare at the ceiling processing what she just said. School? SCHOOL! I'm gonna be late! I jump up and get ready as fast as I can. I grab my backpack and sprint down the stairs. Mom stands in the kitchen getting her lunch together, she turns to me. "Here I packed you a lunch today." She says handing it to me.

"Thanks." I say putting it in my backpack.

"Have a good day at school today." Dad, who sits at the table, tells me as I grab a waffle and head out the door with Mom. She is a teacher at my school, in fact she just happens to be my English teacher. We get in the car and drive to school. Once we get there I rush out the car and run to my locker.

I get to my locker and after putting some things in my backpack I slam it shut out of breath and lean my head on it. Here comes another day, the same as the last. "Hey you're on time." I hear a voice say. Its Jackson. Jackson is one of my best friends, I don't know why or how because hes the most popular guy in school. He's the star football player and sure to be the next homecoming king. I, on the other hand, am a lanky red head who cant really do anything remotely athletic.

"Hey Jackson." I say smiling as the bell rings. We walk together to our first hour class, like we do every day since freshman year,and once we get there we take our seats. Our History teacher starts talking about something, WWI maybe? I don't know, and I don't really care that much. As long as I do good on the tests I don't have to remember any of this. I sit there in the back row trying not to fall asleep and I glance over at Jackson who smiles at me and I look down at my desk. I doodle on my paper as I wait for the bell to ring, when suddenly I hear it, loud and booming.

It wasn't the bell though, it was almost like an explosion. I feel singing pain creep through out my body. What is this? I look up to see fire. Everywhere. Panic. Terror. Chaos. I hear my classmates screaming and I hear myself screaming too. Why am I alive? Why cant I die? IT HURTS! I watch screaming as people I once knew burned away to ashes. I run, as far as I can, and everything starts to go black. Is this it? Am I finally dying? I slow down, feeling as if I'm burning but when I look down at my hands they are unscathed. I let out a hoarse scream before collapsing to the ground. I slip away into the solidarity of unconsciousness.

I'm in that dark dreamlike place again. Except this time I can see the ocean. I walk along the beach in a flowing white dress. I don't know how it got there, but I don't care. I sit on the warm sand and look at the sky. I see no sun, no moon, no clouds, nothing. I lay back and fall asleep to the sound of the ocean.

I wake up to see I am in what looks like a doctors office. Everything is white and sanitized and I lay in a chair and look up at a fluorescent light. I hear footsteps and someone opens the door. "Hello miss Wendy. I see you have awoken." Says a sweet smooth voice. It must be a nurse. I look at the lady who walked in and notice something strange about her. Her skin is a pale blue color, and her ears are pointed. She turns to me holding out some clothes smiling. "I found some of your nice clothes. You probably want to look good when you see them again. It has been two years after all." She says handing me the clothes. What? I take the clothes confused and she steps out of the room and waits by the door. I change into a black corset dress with black maryjanes. I don't know where I am but I will say that these are nice clothes. They are familiar too, I don't know why but they are.

I walk out of the room where the lady stands. "Who are you? What are you?" I ask. She looks slightly hurt when I say this but then she smiles.

"That's right, you probably don't remember me. You where in the simulation for a long time. I'm Lucille, I am an elf." She says

"Simulation? Where am I? Where's my mom?" I ask.

"Everything will explained to you soon. Just know that I'm a friend." She says as we walk down an empty hallway to an elevator. We ride in silence and once the doors open we walk into another hallway. Except this one is full of people-well kind of. There are humanoid creatures everywhere, walking with brief cases and talking on phones. I see many other elves like Lucille but I see plenty of different species. One lady is having a heated conversation on her phone when her black hair flames up suddenly. Another Man with a beard walks along the hallway when he transforms to an animal, a wolf except bigger, and sprints out a pair of double doors.

Lucille takes my arm and leads me the opposite direction that the wolf man went. I get looks from people as I walk with Lucille who smiles with pride. We walk to another elevator, but this one is different. The doors open and there is a tall bellhop who looks down at me smiling "I am glad your back miss Wendy." He says and presses a faded button and the elevator moves downward. Lucille and the bellhop exchange small talk until we reach our floor. The doors open to a dimly lit hallway with black wallpaper and white trim. We walk up to a huge white door and it opens to a large room with a table in the center. there are only two other people in the room. Another elf woman and a short blonde girl who's vaguely familiar.

"Rachel!" I shout subconsciously. That's her name. Rachel. She is my best friend. I don't remember her but I know this. She jumps up looking slightly confused as she runs towards me and hugs me

"Wendy." She says quietly. She probably doesn't know me either. Other than my name. We walk to the table just as the door opens again this time it is a boy followed by a male elf. The boy walks to the table and laughs before sitting in the chair next to Rachel.

"Look, I don't know whats happening and why I cant remember you two, but for some reason I know I've seen you before." He says "Oh I know! You guys were at that party weren't you!"

I laugh "No James, we're your friends remember." I say and am shocked at my words. I'm friends with this guy? James is it?

"Looks like your starting to remember somethings. That's good. It will all make sense soon." Lucille says.

The door opens again and another boy walks in. He is tall with jet black hair. He looks at me and I stand up and run towards him. I don't know why but I cant stop myself from throwing myself at him. I stand on my toes and hug him tightly "Long time no see Wendy."