Ans: The Lucid Dreamers

Void of Flowers

It has nearly been two years since Lucid Labs exploded, the memorial is tomorrow. The sleepers are currently exploring the city, I believe they've learned a good amount. Once my mother gained all that money I had convinced her to build a new building on top of Lucid Labs, it was a school. First we would teach all the sleepers so they could live normal lives. They all got to use future classrooms as their own room since they didn't have homes, at least at the moment. Weeks after everyone found out about these deprived teens parents began showing up to claim their kids.

Some had stories of how their baby was stolen shortly after giving birth, others said they had been told their child had died. The latter came for DNA tests in the hope their child wasn't truly gone, many of these parents left in tears.

At first the ones who had found their long lost kids wanted to take them away, so we let them. They promised to teach them everything about the world and that they were very thankful for our service. No matter how many parents came we still ended up with ten students (not including Clemmercy).

As for Phil and his daughter, they plan on staying where they are. His daughter, who he had named Reverie, remains a student at Wakening Minds (I came up with the name). Sadly the funeral for Verie only had six people. Me, my mom, fake mom and fake dad, Phil and Reverie. Days went by and not one passed when Phil didn't pass the cemetery. I only saw him once but I could tell it had become a regular trip.

Mainly he would keep his head down and pass by the fence, though when the sun hit him just right light would reflect off his gentle stream of tears. Anyone who saw him would never know the story behind his minuscule hospital, behind his daily walks, but they were all thanks to one person no one would ever know.

My mother, Clemmercy and I live at the house where it all started for me, the house of my fake parents. Of course they still lived there but obviously required assistance. My fake mother would try to protect my mind changed father but even I could tell she had usual migraines. Phil had said when Lucid Labs was destroyed the chip stopped working, but I'm not too convinced.

And with all that has happened everyone still watches out for one another. I can't wait until the day when all the sleepers get to go out and live in the city using the free life they deserve. So I take Clemmercy and me to the train so we can start a new day at the school.

As I walk out of the house and leave behind the rickety wooden stairs I start to look around. The trees are no longer void of life, instead flowers bloom all over them. This finally makes me realize something: you might be in a forest your entire life, but that's because life is a forest. I've been trying to escape it this whole time but the truth is I should have tried to make it home. Sure sometimes the branches are bare and foreboding, but other times they're covered in vibrant flowers. It all depends on the season.