Aglamos: The Apocalypse

| 0 0 2 | d r e a m s a n d r e a l i t y

            ''It's you.'' Are the first words to come out of my mouth when the red-haired woman turns around. Her four arms are all crossed over her chest, eyes filled with pain, yet empty of any emotion at the same time. Just like in my dreams.

           Fear settles in my bones, heavy as if someone had poured lead down my throat. If she's here, if she's real, then so is everything else that I had seen.

            ''You know her?'' Mum asks, turning to me with raised eyebrows. She looks between Gritta and me, lines on her face pulled tight in confusion.

           ''From my dreams. Oh, God, it's all real, innit?'' I feel my voice breaking, starting to shake as a bubble of anxiety forms in the pit of my stomach. Flashes of the dreams come back to me in full force, all the destruction and pain, the fire, the chaos -

           ''Wait, what dreams? Clara?'' Mum's concerned voice pulls me out of my head and back into our apartment. She's right in front of me, a head shorter, worry seeping out of every crease on her face.

           I tell her everything in few breaths, talking quickly and stuttering, hands shaking where mum holds them in her own. And when I'm done, both her and Gritta are surprised, and seemingly even more worried than they were.

           ''It is the prophecy. She is chosen, it has been warning her,'' Gritta tells mum, muttering something else under her breath that I don't catch.

           ''Why didn't you say anything earlier?'' Mum pulls me down onto the couch - I hadn't even realized we are standing at the doorway – and I sigh.

            ''I thought they were just dreams. How was I supposed to know they weren't?''

           Mum sighs, slumping back against the couch. ''I guess I should have told you the truth earlier so that at least you'd know who exactly you are.''

            ''You wanted to protect me, I know mum,'' I say gently, and then turn to Gritta. ''What exactly do I do in this prophecy?''

           ''Spy on Firmis, infiltrate his kingdom and help us solve the riddles to the Keys.''

           ''Sounds easy enough.'' Sarcasm drips heavy from my words, and I see a corner of Gritta's lips twitch.

            ''It will not be easy, but you will not be alone,'' she assures me, ''well, whilst training, at least.''

          ''Wait, what's that supposed to mean?''

          ''You will have to spy on the king alone, none of us can go with you.''

           ''Why not?''

           ''We will explain that later when I get you to the Chief. You should pack up quickly, it is best we come back as soon as possible.''

          My shoulders slump. ''Can I at least say goodbye to my friends?''

            ''You have an hour.'' Gritta sighs, uncrosses her arms for the first time since she got here and leaves the living room.

~ • ~

            There is a whole other world hidden away. A world with unseen creatures and people, with its own culture and community and my mum is a part of that. My grandparents were a part of that, and I wonder how much different my life would be if mum stayed. Would I still have had a twin? Or an older brother? What would have my dad been like? Would I have had two extra arms or some other extra limb? Would Gritta and I have been friends? She seemed like she's around my age, maybe a bit older. Would I have been happier there?

            I let out a deep sigh and sit up straight on the park bench. Around the park, there are children playing with their parents and siblings and dogs and friends. Their laughs and happiness bring me back to my own childhood, which brings up the memories of the crash and the funeral and the lack of three family members. I push those aside and wipe my eyes quickly when I feel them getting wet.

           From somewhere behind me, I hear Diego's little sister, Sophie, squeaking happily and talking about a pretty dog she saw on the way here.

           Diego sets her down and sends her to play with Mia and Nate, two of her friends from school. She goes running, her little yellow dress flowing in the breeze.

           ''What's up? Are you okay?'' Hope asks as soon as she sits down on my left side. Diego's on my right, keeping an eye on his sister but still turning to me with a worried expression.

           I take a deep breath and start telling them everything mum told me. By the time I'm finished, both of them look at me with shock and disbelief.

          ''The dreams make sense now,'' Hope says quietly, thoughtfully looking down at the ground.

          ''Yeah, it's hard to believe, but I don't see why your mum would ever lie to you about this,'' Diego adds.

            I let out a sigh of relief; I thought they wouldn't believe me.

          ''It's a shame we can't go with you,'' Hope sighs, shoulders slumping down.

          ''I know, I wish you can, but . . . ''

           ''It's alright. We'll be alright, don't you worry. You have a world to save.''

          ''You say that as if I do it every week.'' I laugh, shaking my head at him. Diego shrugs with a big smile, showing off his dimples.

          ''When do you have to leave?'' Hope asks, and I can already see how painful it will be for us to say goodbye.

          ''In a little bit less than an hour.''

           ''Bloody hell,'' she swears quietly. ''Have you told Zaya?''

            I stiffen at that. ''No. I haven't heard from her nor seen her since our lecture this morning.''

            ''Did she mention anything to you? Any plans for today?'' Diego asks, thick eyebrows furrowed.

            I shake my head. I tried not to think about it, tried not to overthink it, but she did disappear for the whole day, without a word to anyone.

            ''Maybe something came - '' Hope's sentence is cut off when she freezes, eyes glued to something across the park on the street. ''up.''

          I follow her eyes and my heart shatters. There, in front of the bakery, stands Zaya, hand in hand with Richard Marlow, looking up at him with the biggest smile I have ever seen on her face. She leans up on her tip-toes, kisses him straight on the mouth, turns around and disappears behind the corner into the alley that leads to her house.