Animation

Chapter 11

I wake with a start. I jerk upright, glancing around. My vision is still a little hazy, so I rub my eyes, careful not to disrupt my contacts, and the world becomes clear. Well, I mean, I think it's still the world.. And I think it's completely clear.. I glance around, side to side and all around, at my surroundings in confusion. Everything looks so... Different.. Like I'm in a dream. It's ethereal.. It's like... I squint and rub my eyes again, expecting things to come into a reality focus, but they stay as they are. I rise up slowly, feeling alert, but in a trans. Is that even possible? I look to my right and there's the end of a pitch black alley. I look to my left and see bright lights and then my hearing kicks in and I hear the city noises. I shakily walk to the opening and stare in awe. I am boggled, but captivated. This is absolutely fetching. This can't be real. Of course it's not real! I look down at my hands and count my fingers slowly. Still 5 on each hand. I count again, even slower and more diligently. Still 10 fingers. I am not dreaming. I gasp, dropping my hands by my side, and bite my lip, returning my focus to the city outside of the alley I've awoken from. It's dark, but I can't guess the time it might be.. And this city is alive, but a city like this never sleeps. But this city is still different. I kneel down and pick up a rock off the ground and examine it. Animated. I am beyond astounded. Everything is animated. I can't even grasp this. What..?! How?!?! My curiosity gets the best of me, since after all I have the curiosity of a kitten, and I wander out of the alley. Cars zip past me as I stroll through, about to burst from curiosity, the city seems to awaken even more.. And I love it. I pass a bakery and inhale and exhale slowly, savoring the smell. Then my stomach moans and I realize just how hungry I am. I reach into my pocket, but find no money and groan on the inside. What am I supposed to do here with no money? I think as I continue my stroll. I pass a Japanese restaurant that's size is impressive and smile, thinking of Kate. I stand outside the enormous restaurant and peek in the window, my stomach pleading. No way. I press my face even closer to the glass. There is no logical explanation for this. I am completely dumbfounded. Everyone dining in the restaurant has the same airbrushed affect on them. They are animated. I glance down at my hands again... Still not dreaming. And my hands still look just as real as they always have, much in contrast to the customers of this restaurant. I pick up and twist one of my blonde braids, my mind wheeling, and I notice my hair feels softer, so I pull the braids out and shake my messy hair around. When I do a complete hair flip, and glance back into the window, a face is staring from the other side, looking just as dumbfounded as I feel and I have a sharp intake of breath, jumping back. It was so sudden. I close my eyes and bite my lip, feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment, but when I glance back up, the face is nowhere to be seen. I tilt my head to the side and am approached suddenly. The boy in the window stands before me, eyebrows furrowed. He has messy black hair with slightly slanted eyes.
"Hi" I offer, a little uneasily.
He gives me a slight wave of his hand, before, as if yanked out of a trance, he grabs for me, pulling me in a nearby alley. My mental alarm starts to set off, but he smiles, seeming to sense it.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you, but you can't be seen here! There's no telling what kind of operations they would want to put you through. It would be hell. But not me. I'm here to make you feel welcome." He smiles again.