He trekked on and swore he saw daylight. Pushing aside how tired he was, he ran.
On and on he went, until the faint light grew bigger. Then he noticed the opening of the cave and pushed harder, until he finally emerged into a giant clearing with a lake.
The lake’s surface was off, though, and looked almost like glass. It was still and reflected the light, and when he approached the shore, he could see his reflection. He tapped a toe, and it hit something solid.
The glass-like lake called to him, but Cam remained on the shore, doing his best not to drop the hot rock in his hand.
He stared at the reflective surface, unsure of how much time passed before it vibrated. The urge to walk on it grew until he could no longer resist. Almost as if the noise put him into a trance, he put one foot and then the other on the solid lake and walked slowly, until he stood in the middle. The ground vibrated under his feet, and then jolted. He dropped the painted rock, and as it hit the surface, the lake shattered.
Cam fell and descended into darkness.
There was no wind, no water or wetness, nothing but the complete lack of light and a weightlessness which made it impossible to tell if he were falling or staying in place.
Then his heart burned, and his head clanged, and he gripped his temples.
It felt as if fire rushed through his veins. He tried to scream, but no sound came out.
Just when he thought his heart might explode, his head broke the surface of a lake. After a few deep breaths, he looked around and knew where he was—the usual part of his mind.
Despite feeling a hundred years old, Cam paddled to the edge and rolled out of the lake. As he lay on the ground, gasping for air, he heard muffled voices and beeping.
Lots of beeping.
Even though he’d lost the rock on his fall, his palm warmed, as if it were still there.
“Cam, wake up. You have to wake up now.”
“Emily?” He glanced around, but no, he was still inside his mind.
Her faint pleas continued filling the air. She sounded as if she were crying, and he couldn’t stand it—he needed to reach his female somehow.
As he gathered the strength to stand, a familiar form ran toward him.
His dragon.
He stumbled over and hugged his beast. “What’s going on?”
“You need to wake up. I heard bits and pieces, and something’s wrong.”
Cam wanted to ask where his beast had been all this time, and why hadn’t he known Cam was in the tunnel system.
But as Emily cried out his name again, he attempted to open his eyes. It might not work, especially if he were about to die, but he had to try.
Because he didn’t want to die and leave Emily alone.
Leave his family alone.
No, he wanted to live and grab the future he wanted.
So he willed his eyes to open, concentrating on the single act.
For nearly a minute, nothing happened.
Just as he was about to crumble from exhaustion, his eyelids flew open, and he gasped.
Emily hovered just above him.
His dragon spoke up.Comfort her.
