Lina:

I woke up in a dream. Sounds bizarre, doesn’t it? But when I look around at the vastness of red and white spread in front of me instead of the two squares filled with insufficient light that I’m used to, my mind can’t comprehend this as real.

“We’re taking it” the man carrying me says. Who’s taking who now? and why are you holding me like I'm a child? Why do your canine teeth look like sharp fangs? I try to punch him, right under the jaw, but despite his face appearing so huge my arms can’t reach it. Why? Why? Why? When my fist does connect to his chin however, I’m the one it hurts more. I stare hard at my hand that has shrunk to quarter of its size. It's the same chestnut brown skin, the same half-moon-shaped nails, but somehow everything is smaller. My mind is swimming, I can’t feel my left leg at all and the lady with short blue hair in front of me keeps talking shit that I can’t make out because of the constant ringing in my ears.

I’m brought to outside against my will. Is this what he meant when he told me to lead a better life? To start anew? I’m literally helpless again as a baby. And I’m literally surrounded again by blood.

Such a shitty contractor I met

“It’s to make you feel at home” Mr. Nameless djin’s voice booms inside my head. A black cat jumps down from stairs made of  cobblestone, right in front of me, and our eyes meet. Did the cat just talk? or the anesthesia I remember being injected in my veins was cocaine in disguise? Wait! I try to scan my brain for the memory that just flashed through my eyes but I can't grasp it. Every inch of my body hurts "They are not there anymore. Your memories. I'll explain everything to you once you are safe" the cat says. The other two don't seem to hear this feral talking.

This is all the proof I need to confirm that I have finally descended into the realm of madness.

"You quack!" I think but can't seem to put it into words. Maybe I'll try putting it in a good beating instead. If only my head could stop bouncing. No matter how hard I try to stabilize my neck it seems I have no control over it, I have to strain myself the hardest in switching head positions.

The dude in the crisp beige suit and a soar expression holds me tightly to his chest when the blue-haired girl leaves. Umm... A little personal space please? The next thing I know, I’m being whisked away, the air sucked out of my lungs as I’m thrown in the air among tree after tree. What kind of a barbaric way to travel is this?

I try to open my mouth in protest but the letters don’t make it out of my throat. My yawns become unstoppable and my eye lids, heavy. Don't fall asleep. You can't. my eyes fall shut against better judgement; my mind follows.

As surreal and chaotic as this is, I hope I don’t wake up back in reality.