We were far ahead of the large pyramid that enclosed Efaque City, nearing the edge of the flatlands. Up ahead, I could see the cliff I tried to climb when I first saw the patrollers on their menacing robotic bulls.
Sky serpents could be seen up above, illuminating the sky in a soft purple.
“I think you’ll remember how to climb this thing . . .” Ellie began to ascend the cliffside, grabbing the small nicks and dents that served as footholds. “Come on, I want to get far ahead of the others. They’re probably already in the Tärkein.”
“Okay . . .” I let out a grunt as I hoisted myself up the cliff, my hands burning from the dirt and rocks. Halfway up, I could see that Ellie had already made it to the grassy meadow above. Once I was there, I felt the cool sensation of dew on my feet.
Ellie and I hadn’t even taken the liberty of changing out of our night clothes. Apparently getting to the “secret spot” as soon as possible was more urgent than wearing something that was appropriate for the cool weather.
Looking out into the horizon, the sun began to appear over the miles-long flatland. The purple that once colored the sky began to obtain a bluish hue, causing the sky serpents to fade.
Ellie was looking at the forest at the edge of the meadow; the unusual roman pillars came into view over the immense saplings. From where I was standing, I could make out the tiny, glowing lanterns tied to the tops of the trees, coating the forest in a delightful glow of light.
Ellie pointed to what I fathomed was the lanterns. “See those?”
I stood up from my previous squatting position and nodded. Whilst brushing the dirt from my silk pants, I asked, “Why?”
Ellie looked back at the tiny squares of light. “I remember when our city first put up those lights. They were originally intended to help us see, since the hunters and gatherers normally begin their work at sunrise – when the morning is still dark.” She looked down solemnly.
She was probably thinking about how all those memories she had of her childhood weren’t existent, and for all I knew, she had no true life until I first dreamt this world up.
“Really?” I asked.
Ellie turned and smiled. “We need to get going.”
We jogged through the forest, the crisp smell of wet bark and foliage filling my lungs. The soft sounds of crickets came to my ear. I instantly thought of that abnormally large grasshopper I swore I saw when I first went under the anesthesia. Was that just some sort of illusion? Or is there really a monstrous insect roaming these woods?
We were nearing the area where Dream-Ellie and I had our first encounter. I could recall my sleeve bursting into flames, burning my skin like my arm was stuck in an oven – a sensation my brilliant mind decided to simulate. I could see the spear that had once pinned the unusual green rabbit to a sapling, resting in a clump of weeds. The knife that flew out of nowhere was still protruding from the moist soil, its end sticking out of the ground.
Ellie picked up the spear and wiped off the water with her bare hands. She then grabbed the knife and yanked it out of the dirt.
I looked at her with an epiphany. “That makes sense . . .”
Ellie knit her brows.
