Orrinbyrde

Chapter II ~ Evren

I avert my gaze up to the small numbers at the top of my phone. It's 11:45 PM—almost midnight. It's pretty late, and I should probably get some sleep so I'm not as tired in the morning. I yawn, crawling into my bed and under the covers. I'm just about to close my eyes when I felt something jump onto my bed, curling up on my legs.

Luckily, it was just my cat, Shady. I would die for Shady. I let out a sigh of relief. I'm glad I took him with me when I moved out of my parents' house. He had been my responsibility to care for, anyway.

I eventually manage to quell the thoughts that were racing through my mind. I take this opportunity—a peaceful moment—and let myself drift off into sleep.

Haha, yeah, no. I didn't calm down at all (could you imagine?), and continued overthinking and just plain thinking about quite literally anything and everything until I passed out.

When I woke up, I was most definitely not in my bed. Instead, I was in a strange forest. Was this a lucid dream? I immediately try to give myself a third arm.

Unfortunately, it didn't work. Maybe I'm not lucid dreaming, but if I'm not lucid dreaming, then what is this?

Not that any of that mattered—what did matter, however, was the most breathtaking view I had ever seen surrounding me. It looked like something out of a fantasy movie. I found myself right in the middle of a work of art—drowning in it.

There were trees as tall as—maybe even taller than— those in the Redwood Forest. Red toadstools decorated the base of a couple nearby trees. I wonder what would happen if I ate one. I probably don't want to find out (yes I do).

Weird animals soared above me, dominating the crystal clear skies. They looked a bit like dragons. I've had some pretty cool dreams before, but this one was off the charts. This was one that I found myself really not wanting to wake up from.

My previously held opinion on not wanting to wake up was multiplied tenfold once I had looked down and noticed my clothes. I was dressed head to toe in a Victorian style outfit. I had a tailed coat and everything! I wonder if I can try again to make this a lucid dream? I didn't try that hard last time. I wonder if—hold that thought. Did someone just call my name?

It appears that someone did. My attention was yanked away from the beautiful landscape when I heard a voice call my name once again. They were definitely saying Evren.

I made a quick turn, counterclockwise, only to find a young woman. By the looks of her, I would guess she was probably just around my age. She wore a black dress—like if a southern belle style dress had married and had children with the inside of a Hot Topic—with a lacy parasol to match. Her hair was in black curls that were swept over one shoulder. She kind of looked like Morticia Addams, if I'm being honest. Not that it was a bad thing! She was beautiful!

"Evren? Did you hear what I said?" Oh, was she talking to me? I didn't know what to say without making a fool out of myself. I had been so focused on the fact that she looks like gothic icon Morticia Addams that I wasn't listening.

"It's quite alright," she continued, obviously taking my silence as an answer. "I'll fill you in on everything you've missed while we're on our way to Orrinbyrde City," she said with a soft chuckle. Wait—Everything I missed? What does that mean? This is my first time here. Right..?

"Everything I missed?" I questioned. The woman nodded.

"You have been gone for over a century," she replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"A century?" I shook my head. "That's not possible. I'm only 19, and this is the first time I've ever even seen this place."

"You said the same thing last time too," she mused. "I won't claim to have the answers to all your questions, but I may just have a few if it's any help." She paused for a moment before continuing once more, picking up right where she left off and speaking to me with each step as the two of us walked together to wherever it was that she said she was taking me.