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I dreamed that I was riding a unicorn. I knew it was a dream from the start, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the experience. We were flying high above the clouds, rainbows shimmering all around us. I gripped the unicorn’s silver mane, but I knew I was safe on her broad back even without a saddle. She wouldn’t let me fall.
From up here, I had the most spectacular view of the world below. The clouds were semi-translucent, giving me a glimpse of the land we were flying over. The colours seemed strange to me, even for a dream. Instead of green grass or blue water, everything was held in golden and orange hues. Even the ocean was a deep ochre.
We flew higher and higher until the clouds were only small flecks of silver fluff. The unicorn whinnied, pure joy reverberating in the ethereal sound. I laughed and hugged her neck. She whinnied again, this time louder, so loud that it rang in my ears and-
I opened my eyes, suddenly wide awake as if I’d really heard that neigh. It only took me a fraction of a second to recall what had happened. I’d stared into the horse’s eyes and that was the last thing I remembered. I must have fainted.
I was inside now, but before I could see more of my surroundings, Bruin leaned over me, his dark eyes filled with concern.
“How are you feeling?”
“Fine, I think. What happened?” My throat was dry. How long had I been asleep?
“An’tia thought this was the kindest way. I apologise on her behalf.”
His words made no sense. An’tia was the unicorn, right? Was he making fun of me? I rubbed my forehead. A slight headache was starting to pound behind my temples.
“Do you have any water?” I asked, ignoring his strange answer for now.
“Of course.”
He turned to the wall to my left. “Andromeda, one hydrogen-oxygen fluid, please.”
A hole appeared in the previously flawless white wall and a floating tumbler appeared in the gap. I stared at it, not believing my eyes. I had to be dreaming still. A dream within a dream.
Bruin took the container and the wall became solid once more. If he wasn’t holding a glass of water in his hand, I would have thought I’d imagined it all. Or maybe I was.
I pinched my arm. Ouch.
“What are you doing?” Bruin asked, aghast, staring at me with worry. “Why are you hurting yourself?”
“To see if I’m dreaming.”
“You are not.” He handed me the tumbler. It was made from heavy but paper-thin plastic. I sniffed the liquid. It didn’t smell like anything, but I wasn’t sure if that was reassuring or not.
I pushed myself up into a sitting position. Bruin looked like he wanted to help, but I was glad he didn’t attempt to. The room swam before my eyes and I quickly focused on the tumbler in my hand. I took a small sip, relieved when it tasted like water should, like nothing.
“It is the same H2O you have on Peritus,” Bruin said. “I made sure the formula has been programmed into the system.”
Again, his words made no sense.
“Peritus?”
“Earth. Your planet.”
“Your planet?” I parroted. “Mine, not yours?”
“Please look at the viewscreen. It will make things clearer.”
He pointed at the window on the other side of the room. My vision was clearing, revealing a hexagonal room, empty except for a small round table in the centre, the bed I was lying on and a bench to my right. No, I wasn’t on a bed, I was on a second bench. Two identical doors on opposite walls and between them the window I’d refused to look at because what lay beyond couldn’t be real…
“Very funny,” I said without taking my eyes off the spacescape. It wasn’t a window; in fact, Bruin had even called it a viewscreen. That made a lot more sense than thinking that we were in space. I must have bumped my head when fainting. I shouldn’t have even considered that option.
“I am not called that very often. Attractive, charming, talented, yes. Funny, not so much. But I am pleased you find me amusing.”
I tore my gaze away from the screen to look at Bruin. He was smiling, which softened the sharp features of his angular face. He was right. He was most definitely attractive. Not that it mattered right now.
“Where am I?” I demanded.
