chapter 6

                                    

                                          

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
Did I drive you away?
I know what you'll say
You say, "Oh, sing one we know"
But I promise you this
I'll always look out for you
Yeah, that's what I'll do
-
Ticking...
The sound echoed across the room, growing louder with each passing second. Slowly, reluctantly, she opened her eyes.
The ticking of the clock reverberated through the silence, steady and persistent. As her vision adjusted to the dim light, she scanned her surroundings. The familiar gray walls loomed around her, dull and oppressive, but strangely comforting in their monotony. 
And then, it hit her.
This was another dream.
She was dreaming again, something that frustrated her as none of it seemed to make sense. She wasn't even sure if any of it was real or just a result of the amount of stress the glade was causing her. Either way, they came with more questions than actual answers.
But this felt different than the last time. There was no sense of danger, nothing that caused her worry, despite finding herself in darkness, only the sound of a clock on the wall making its presence known.
It felt calm.
In the dark room, even the ticking had a relaxed feeling, as if it was a heartbeat at rest. The air moved throughout the room like cool water; a chill causing goosebumps across her arms as Emma wrapped her arms around herself, her vision becoming clearer as she woke up. 
Even the faint scent of cleaning products in the room felt familiar, almost as if she could still hear the janitor preparing the room before she went to bed.
The dark room was like a place out of time, a place to rest without consequence. The darkness in that way was a sanctuary, a place to recharge and forget the things she'd encountered back at the glade or the horrors within it. 
This felt like something she needed, to feel safe, even if it was only a dream. 
So, in the darkness that stole even her form, she was content. She wanted to stay there as long as her dream would allow her to.
She took a slow breath, trying to decipher what it all meant. 
Why was she here again? 
What was her mind trying to tell her?
"Psst, you awake?" a voice called out, breaking the peaceful silence as Emma looked around, trying to find the source. She'd hoped it was Thomas, eagerly wanting to finally put a face to his name, but as the voice continued, she knew it wasn't.