Donning Utopia

Chapter 5- Remember That One Person

I don't usually have a problem with dreams when it comes to sleep. I don't get nightmares often, and when I do wind up in my innermost imagination, I commonly forget most of it when I wake up in the morning. 

 Here, in this never-ending forest, however?
 Ha, ha. Here, in this never-ending forest, everything is vast fun throughout the night until I begin to dream.

 Bell and Az manage to assemble our (once again) temporary campsite before twilight. It's bivouac-like and rudimentary, yet enough to make my muscles ease and drive me to flop down immediately on my designated resting place for the night. The comfort is amusing while it lasts.

 When I fall asleep, at first, nothing happens. All is black, along with the occasional phosphene. Suddenly blotches of blurs and hazy colors begin to dance before my eyes. I begin to hear several unintelligible sounds all over. 

 "You look lonely," a young voice says. 

 I stare at the child who spoke. He has the exact same features I used to have in Kindergarten. Tufts of wavy black hair fall over the sides of the kid's head. Standing, he's not much taller than three feet. 

 Next to him, a girl is sitting with her back against a wall, hugging her knees. She seems understandably uncomfortable in her pink and purple ruffled sundress. The kid looks up, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight. 

 Her ash rust-colored hair only scarcely touches her shoulders, and it curves in up at the tips.

 "Thanks. You do, too."

 The boy smiles genially and sits down next to her. "We can be lonely together! Wanna be friends? My name is Daemon. What about you?"

 If I could have facepalmed, I would have. I have forgotten how verbose and chipper I was as a petite Kindergartener.

 "My name..." She ponders this warily. "My name is Alphia. Alphia means excellent and most important," she adds. Although her expression stays flat, her tone has a trace of pride.

 Kindergartener-Daemon gives her an ample grin. "Yay! I've got a friend! Alphia… you're my best friend." 

 You're my best friend. 

 The words buzz in my ears. I had told this Alphia girl that she was my best friend all the way back in Kindergarten… We were – are – friends. Nevertheless, why do I not remember much about her?

 The scene pales and evaporates. Loud and definite chattering turns into distant and dim murmuring.

 A shadowy outline emerges right before my eyes. I focus a bit stronger and realize the figure standing before me is a hooded person. A dark-gray cloak is draped over their body, and their back is turned on me. 

 Suddenly the figure lowers their head. They take a deep breath, and I see their body under the gray cloak shiver slightly, although the air around us is warm. "Daemon." I nearly stop breathing at the mention of my name. "I want to see you again. I must see you again."

"Continue traveling," the person orders, speaking with an effeminate voice. It's a woman. Her voice is still, but persuasive and brisk. The tone she has is strikingly familiar. It makes me want to focus on her and just her. I feel paralyzed by the words she utters. "You and your friends must abide by impelling northwest. It's the only way."

The only way to what? I want to ask. But like what happened before with Natalie, I can't speak, even if I try my best to. And something else… there is something that tells me I shouldn't question anything. I should trust what this person is saying for me to do.

     My name is Alphia. I must see you again. Continue traveling.

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