Echo

Chapter 8

            I fold the letter and secure it in the journal. I sit still, trying to process all that I just read. For once, I did get some answers but it made just as many questions pop up in my head. Special? What do they mean by special? The most special thing about me would be the fact that I can have 12 donuts without having a sugar rush. How would that help the dream dimension though?

           But one thing I'm sure about after reading the letter is that the seasons, emotions, feelings, they were never a part of the dream dimension. Grandpa Paul just felt that storm once in his life and that was when he was told to name me. So why is it happening now? Is it some kind of message by the dream dimension again?

            God, I don't know what to think anymore! And I was named by the dream dimension itself? What is this, some kind of a sick joke? And why Aaina? Why not something else? This is just so frustrating!

           I glance at the alarm clock on my nightstand to see that's it's already past midnight. I lie back down on my bed, looking at the ceiling but lost in my head.
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           I open my eyes to darkness. No, scratch that. Blackness. I can still see my surroundings. I'm in a dark hallway, a never ending one at that. To my right are tall, cylindrical pillars, a few meters distance apart. I see something shining from between them. My curiosity getting the better of me, I move ahead, still maintaining my distance with the pillars.

          It's a mirror. Shining with my reflection. I can't see myself clearly, but I know that it's me. Again, a shining glint catches my eye, from between the pillars ahead.

         So, I move ahead. Another mirror. Another reflection. My reflection. But, I feel more mature. More knowing. Like the me in this reflection knows more than the me in the previous.

          Confused, I walk forward and with every passing pillar, the reflections become more mature. I increase my pace, hoping something to change as I continue to walk ahead but again, they grow increasingly aware; knowing. Like every passing pillar is reavealing another new secret.

          I'm suddenly blinded by a bright light coming from up ahead. I squint and try to look beyond, but the light is too bright. I know the source of light is not a focus or a bulb or anything. I know it's something, or rather someone.

"Walk ahead", the voice booms in the entire hallway. Though authoritative, the voice is calm and sweet at the same time. It reminds me of nature. I can't put a gender to it even if I try.

            On my own accord, I walk ahead, the mirrors still on my right. I stop a few feet away from the light and weirdly enough, I can now look without squinting; like it's now allowing me to.
            
"There is a price for everything, no matter who you are"

           Confused, I just keep on looking ahead. I couldn't utter a word even if I wanted to. My body seemed out of my control.

"You know not about it now; one day you will"

           I grew anxious with every passing second. My mouth wouldn't open even when I'm screaming inside and my feet wouldn't move even when I wanted to run away, like death itself was following me.

           With a jolt, I felt a current flow through my entire body, like electricity. I felt my senses again, my body given back to me. Breathing hard, I look back towards the light still shining ahead.

           It's giving me a choice. It has said what it wanted to and now it's my decision to make. To move ahead towards the light or to back away.

            My fight or flight response system kicked in and before my brain even had time to make a decision, my feet backed away a few steps and I began running in the opposite direction.

             I ran as fast as my feet would take me. I could feel the burning in my claves but I didn't stop. I couldn't. The hallway was dark again in the absence of that light and I ran past all the pillars. God, it's not ending!

             I felt a presence beside me and I look to my right to see Ian running besides me. What the hell is he doing here? I still didn't stop and continued running and so did he.

              While running, the darkness seemed to take the form of clouds and it surrounded us. I look around but it's all black, there seems to be no escape. I glance back at Ian just as he looked down at me.

"Are you sure you made the right choice?"