Edge of Dreams

13✯

Edge of Dreams

"It's the only way."

"I know,"

I lie in the hospital bed confused, after falling into the water, I woke up in the hospital.

The woman who was taking my picture in the garden walks into view with my mother and father.

"Is this a dream?" I ask them, not remembering when I woke up.

Neither my mother or father answers me. The woman walks forwards, "No dear, this is real." She smiles with her teeth. "You're sick, but we're going to make you all better."

✭✭✭

'79876: You have been excused from taking part in the full activities of Challenge Day. However, you must attend during the last half of Challenge Day. No exceptions'

My smile falls. I was so happy to wake up to the notification, until the last part. So I couldn't get out of all of it, but at least I won't go through it all. Link had still helped me, it still meant something.

Breakfast was odd. Not only were there barely any people in the cafeteria area, but they were all sporting injuries. Broken legs, broken arms, casts and bandages galore. Everyone has already begun Challenge Day it seems, and I find myself missing the masses of people usually in the room. I can finally see how large the room actually is, and I feel so small. Someone is so far away that if I raise my thumb, I can cover them. It's eerie.

I go through my routine as usual, but there is nobody to watch. I have no idea what to do, better yet, I have no idea what I am supposed to be doing all day. After finishing, I brave speaking to one of the others.

"Hi," the girl raises her eyebrows at my greeting. "Do you know what we're supposed to be doing today?"

"We stay in our rooms, or we can watch Challenge Day in the Reflection Section," the girl says clearly. The strawberry blonde curls on her head barely cover the scratches on the side of her face, and I try not to look.

I'm too busy trying to decipher what injury allowed her to sit out, that I don't realise what she says straight away. "Wait what? We can watch it?" My mouth is agape.

The girl tilts her head, and her hair falls in a way that I can see the scabs better. They make me cringe on the inside but I remain calm on the outside. "Yeah. It's probably already started. This month they've made it into a three day event."

"I'm sorry, what?" I blink.

The girl presses her lips together and looks around as though praying someone else will take her place. "It's a three day event this month. They're getting dropped off to the edge, y'know in the woods. They have to make it to certain flag points by certain times otherwise..."

"Otherwise...?" I wait for her to continue, but she gives me a look that I know I have perfected myself. The are-you-kidding-me look. "Oh. Oh!" I realise in horror. I'm not sure why I'm surprised, considering on my first challenge day I witnessed a boy fall to his death. Except, I've practically been given a jump start to my probable death. "Thank you!" I say, before running off to the Reflection Section. I nearly knock over a boy on crutches in my haste and quickly apologise as he swears at me.

When I make it to the Reflection Section, it's the same as it was in the cafeteria area. Almost empty except for at least ten people. The sofas were moved into a cluster closer to a wall where a film was being projected onto it. Only, it wasn't a film, it was the inhabitants outside.

I throw myself down onto a grey sofa, letting it cushion my fall. With barely any people around, I don't hesitate to throw my legs up and get comfortable. When somebody stumbles by on their crutches, I reluctantly put my feet down and sit up. I had first thought it was a girl because of the long hair, but I'm shocked when they sit down for it to be a boy.