At first, Gabriella was aware that she was in a dream. It was like she was watching herself from a distance, and she had the overwhelming deja vu feeling of having done this and been here before. But that sensation quickly trickled away and she felt immersed in the dream’s reality—as if she’d gone from snorkelling at the surface of the ocean and looking down at the fish to swimming among them.
There are people laughing and smiling as I walk by, rushing forward to greet me and wish me happy birthday. The party is a blur of noise and faces, and I move through the crowd until I spot the cute boy I’ve been talking to here. As I turn to him, it is as if his face is freeze-framed, like a photo. It’s him. Sam.
He tells me a story, about a race, that we must act fast to beat the forces against us.
‘What race? To where?’ I say. The words echo in my head, didn’t I just say that? Concentrate, Gabriella … the book.
He tells me about our amazing dreams. I believe this boy. I know what he is saying is true.
Find the book.
I ask him, ‘What book?’
He smiles at me, says, ‘It’s your dream, you tell me.’
I force my mind to picture it. What did it look like?
Time seems to pause, and then suddenly to skip …
There’s yelling and shouting and people at the party are running everywhere.
We’re running, too. Sam is next to me. He says to trust myself, to lead us where we need to go.
‘Gabriella!’
I blink and see that we’re now far, far away from the party. Sam is ahead of me, waiting.
‘This way!’ I call out to him to follow me in another direction.
We are in a maze.
We run through a corridor of tall bookshelves, the world around us dark and huge, as though we are in a massive subterranean chamber that stores every book in the world in the largest maze in the world. My heart beats wildly inside my chest as I realise that we are not running to find someone—we’re running from someone.
They are chasing us, getting nearer. It’s dark, the only light from dusty light globes swaying gently high above.
As we run, I catch my reflection and stop—there is a glass cabinet, a book locked inside. I don’t hesitate, my hand seems to reach through the glass doors and I pick it up out of its cradle.
‘What are you doing?’ Sam says.
‘We need this,’ I say.
‘You’re sure?’ he says.
‘Do you trust me?’
He hesitates for only a split second. ‘Yes! Now, go, run!’
Sam puts the book into his bag as I lead him down the aisles of shelves, row after row. A man appears out of nowhere, but somehow I know he is not our enemy. I look deep into his eyes and for a moment we share a connection, an understanding. He will help us.
We stumble through the maze of shelves, twisting and turning, running toward an unknown grotto. I know just where to go.
I lead us straight into a dead-end. Sam looks at me, questioning.
The chase is closing in on us.
‘This is it, I’m sure!’ I say, but confusion is starting to surface, a panic is taking hold, and I’m finding it hard to breathe.
‘The books—try the books!’ I say, and we start to pull books from shelves.
‘There are too many, we don’t have time!’
‘This one,’ I say, my voice calm, and I walk forwards and pull on the spine of a blue book. There’s a click and then the creaking of old, worn hinges moving a heavy door. The bookshelf opens to reveal a tunnel behind.
Behind us, footsteps draw near.
We look at each other, then run into the darkness together.
Where is the boy?
‘Sam?’
No answer.
I don’t see him but I’m carrying his bag. I feel the cold night air on my face and I realise I am wet, shivering. I spin around, trying to get my bearings. The cobbled streets are familiar. I’m still in Rome, but where? It must be late, there are only a few people walking past me, oblivious to my panicked heartbeat and dangerous situation. Should I be telling them to run? I know there are people chasing me. They can’t be far behind. Where is Sam?
Someone bumps into me, I spin around but suddenly no-one is there. The entire square is completely empty. Panic rises up to my throat, choking me.
l am all alone.
I turn back, but all I can see is a dark statue ahead. Walking towards it, I pull out my phone, I must call my bodyguards. But it’s soaked, useless. Suddenly everything is deathly still. I look down at my hands. They are trembling, but it is not from the cold.
From the shadows beyond the fountain, I see someone.
‘Sam!’ I call out but no answer comes.
The dark figure moves towards me, seeming to float over the ground.
It is not Sam. It is an apparition. A seething dark mass, shaped like a tall man, moving towards me, everything about its appearance and intent, sinister.
I start to run away but I know in my heart there is no point. This thing will chase me down—it wants the book.
Over my shoulder I see him coming, faster and faster. In an impossible moment, he is right behind me, his breathing slow, mechanical and even as he reaches out a gloved hand. The sound of his metallic voice seems to come at me from all directions.
‘Give me the book …’ The voice rattles through my body, my bones aching with the sound.
‘I won’t!’ I shout, but my shout turns to a cry of pain as he grips my arm. ‘You will not win! Only I can find it!’
I’m screaming, screaming, but no-one hears me, no-one comes.
I struggle with all that I have as I look into the black, lifeless mask of this demon. I close my eyes …
I am all alone.