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Zoe
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Sometime during my slumber, the non-lights turned off, blanketing me in total darkness. It’s a good thing I’m not scared of the dark. Well, okay, maybe I am a wee bit, but who could blame me? I’m being held captive in a white-walled prison for who knows how long and where. I have no clue what Aiden wants from me, and most importantly, I don’t know how things appear and disappear from the room.
I had left the serving tray on the foot of the bed and now when I stretch out my leg, I feel nothing. The tray is gone.
Being surrounded by darkness is one thing, but having the room devoid of sound does something to me. I wake in a panic, my legs tangled in my dress. Feeling like I’m being watched, I sit up, but of course I can’t glimpse my hand in front of my eyes.
“Who’s there?” I ask. It’s the first time I have spoken out loud since Aiden took me.
There’s no response, and I no longer feel eyes on me.
I lie back down, but sleep does not come.
Instead, Shay’s warm hand caresses mine and comforts me. Even though it really is my own hand, I imagine it belongs to him. I clear my mind, thinking only of my boyfriend. His aqua eyes. The way his body molds and fits exactly next to mine. The way he always says his name, “Name’s Shay.” His musky lavender scent, with a hint of something sweet like a strawberry, envelops my senses.
My mind runs through every conversation we had. The first time I laid eyes on him in the warehouse. Our first date at Cali’s house. Our real first date when he took me flying. My protection detail nights with him snuggled against me. The night we found out what the tingling meant when we touch—it means we’re soul mates.
Shay is my world. I thought I’d lost him, but we found our way back to each other. It was me who pulled him from his coma-like state when we finally rescued him from his demon captors. I had accidently walked into his dreams. We both stood there as if it was real, but I knew deep down it wasn’t. He, of course, thought he was dead and was seeing me in Heaven.
I hope that he’s exhausted enough to be asleep, so we can connect in our dreams again. Hope sparks in my chest, but doubt creeps into my mind. This is only the second time I’ve tried Dream Walking. Plus, the first time, I was physically touching Shay’s chest.
My body relaxes, and my mind’s about there when a cold shimmer caresses my body. I smile at myself. I did it. I’m tossed onto a beach, our beach, and sit and stare at the ocean. I wait, but Shay must not be sleeping; he never shows.
Pulling my thoughts back to the white room, the landscape dissolves.
I pat my stomach, feeling content as normal dreams take me away.
Sometime later, that tingling feeling runs through my body again. The non-lights turn on, and my foot touches something. My eyes fly open, and there sits the serving tray with a bagel and cream cheese and an extra-large chai tea latte.
Disappointment floods me. Drats. I thought I had made a breakthrough, and this could be my way out. Instead, it means that I can feel the magic or whatever causes the tray to appear and disappear. During my time of zen, was I one with the room? I’d have to conduct some experiments on that concept.
Pealing back the foil top, I use the bagel and dig into the cream cheese. No utensils again. But there is a white washcloth and hand towel draped along the handle of the tray. I look toward the sink, and the pillowcase I used to remove my makeup is gone.
I reach for the steaming cup of chai and take a deep breath of the spicy cinnamon flavor, hoping that this will be as good as the one I usually get from the local shop, Coffee Grind. It’s not.
After the light breakfast, I force myself to do my workout, and then I will treat myself with the meditation exercise.
Again, I relax my body and mind and think only of Shay. The way he smiles. His blond hair. The impressive six-pack he tries to hide under T-shirts. The black attire he always wears. His 1957 Lincoln convertible, Angel. I know it must be close to noon or sometime in the afternoon on Monday. It’s been two days since I’ve vanished. There is a slight pull from the center of my body. I can feel my angel Light scanning, searching for him. My mind’s eye and Light sync together, and bam.
I’m thrust into a dream-like state. Shay stands on a shoreline, looking out across the horizon. He doesn’t see me. He must not feel me either since he doesn’t turn around.
I call out to him. “Shay?” Tears stream down my face upon seeing him.
He spins when he spots me. His face is ashen. The bright aqua eyes I know are dull and lifeless. His shoulders slump, probably from exhaustion. “Zoe?” he asks. “Is that really you?”
I sprint across the sand, and we collide as he embraces me. He pats my body down as if to make sure it’s me and not his imagination, even though it is. I’m still wearing my white prom dress, and he’s in fresh black fatigues.
“We’ve been looking for you everywhere,” Shay says. “Where are you being held?”
“I don’t know where I am,” I say. “I don’t even know if Aiden really has taken me because no one has come in or out. I’m locked in some sort of magic room.”
“What do you mean by magic room?”
“I can feel when something is going to happen to the room.” I watch his face blanch. “No, it’s nothing bad. So far it’s been a serving tray that comes and goes with food on it.”
“So, he’s at least feeding you?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, God, Zoe. If I could take your place, I would. You know that, right?”
“Yes, I know Shay, but I wouldn’t want you to. You’ve been keeping me company until you can figure out a way to rescue me. I hoped that Dream Walking would work, and we could use it to communicate with each other.”
“Smart thinking. That’s my girl.” He runs a finger across my cheek. “Don’t cry. We’ll find you.”
“I don’t know what he wants with me. I know he’s there; he won’t say anything.”
“Now that I know you’re at least not physically hurt, we’ll look into all the reference books about magic rooms. I might have to ask my dad or the Council if we don’t find anything in the tomes. Hang in there, and don’t give up.”
“I won’t. It’s only been a couple of days. I can wait a few more.”
“Actually, Zoe, it’s been ten.”
“Ten what? Days?” I’m shocked.
He nods.
“How is that even possible?” I ask. “I’ve had two meals in that room.”
“I don’t know, but time must move differently there. It may mean that you’re in the Void or Fairyland.” Shay tugs me forward and kisses my forehead. “That narrows it down. I’ll let Sidelle know, and Kieran and I will read through the scrolls about the Void, who can create them, and where.”
“Okay.” I wrap my arms around his waist and hang on for dear life. A tug starts in the center of my body that I take as a sign that my time with Shay is about to end. Quickly, I stand on my tiptoes and find his mouth. I give him a searing kiss, one that hopefully says everything I need to tell him and that he understands. “I love you, Shay.”
“I know, Zoe, I love you, too.” He kisses me again. “I’ll never stop looking for you. I promise. Be strong.”
“I don’t want to leave, but I think I have to. I’ll try to do this again, but since I won’t know how much time passes, I’ll give it another shot in what I think is tomorrow night.”
Our mouths meet for one last kiss, and my body fades from the beach.