I saw the white fluorescent lights on the ceiling flicker as I opened my eyes. My body felt incredibly heavy, almost as if all the liquid in my body had turned into stone.
"Hi."
Mary-
I wanted to call out to her, but I couldn't.
I realized that I did not only feel heavy, I was actually paralyzed - and I couldn't even breathe.
The last thing I remember was collapsing in the classroom after the enigmatic girl had shown me 'that' city.
"It's OK. It will pass," she spoke, assuring me.
"I'm sure you have a lot of questions to ask, but don't worry about small things for now."
My eyes stung badly. I couldn't even blink, but no tears came out."
"Jonas. Would you help me?"
It was a genuine question. I could feel it.
I couldn't fathom who or what she was, but it was clear that she could do things no living being was capable of.
Yet, she was asking me, politely - almost pleading.
There was no desperation in her voice. She almost sounded as if she had given up hope of getting out of whatever situation she was in
Then I heard her sigh - or a subdued laughter. I couldn't quite tell which one it was.
"I'm sorry. I'm being selfish. I didn't do what I did to make you help me, but-"
I could finally see her as she stood up and leaned over me, lowering her body, bringing her face close to mine. Our eyes lined up. Then with no change in her expression, tears fell from her eyes, directly onto mine. I was finally relieved of the pain.
"Our deal stands. You shall live, Jonas."
She stroked my brows, then my nose, then my cheeks, and then my chin.
"Live the life you love, and love the life you live."
Mary then placed her lips on mine and softly blew her breath into it.
I could finally feel the air flow in, but it felt coarse, as if the air particles were scratching on the rough surface of my frozen lungs.
She then breathed in, taking the life she blew into me back.
I could finally blink, and when I did, Mary was gone.
Shortly after, I heard the sound of a door slide open.
I found that I could move my body and sit up now.
"Who is it?" I asked.
Before I received an answer, I looked around and saw that I was in the school infirmary.
The one who entered didn't answer. Instead, I heard soft footsteps approach, cautiously. A small hand appeared and pulled the curtain surrounding my bed open.
"Katie?"
It was none other than the creep, the weirdo - the one who didn't belong.
"Ms… Baert asked me to check on you…"
She couldn't look at me. Her eyes darted around, taking in everything in the room but me.
"I'm fine."
"But… you collapsed all of a sudden."
"But I'm fine now."
"I see."
I sat leaning against the headboard while Katie stood still, her eyes still restless.
"I will get going then. I will tell… Ms. Baert that you are OK."
"Thank you."
With that, the girl turned around.
Before she took a step away from me though, on a whim, I called her.
"Katie."
She froze. I could almost see her heart jump out of her small torso at the shock and nervousness of someone calling her name.
"You belong here. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise."
She said nothing. Not even a faint nod. Only after about three heart beats, she stepped away, closed the curtain behind her without turning back, and I heard her scuttle away.
Exhausted, I plopped back onto the bed and was shocked with its rock hard surface.
I groaned and pulled myself up. 'What is this?'
I saw that I was sitting on a brick layered sidewalk in front of a building that looked like a-
'Kindergarten?'
But I didn't see any children. It was quiet, but not in an eerie way. Rather, it felt nostalgic.
It was when I saw a dog with gray fur by the gate I realized where I was.
This was the kindergarten that I went more than a decade ago.
I remembered this dog. It was one of the most vivid memories from my childhood.
On my first day attending the kindergarten, my grandmother brought me there. I held her hand tight - a little excited, a little nervous. I carried one of those square-shaped yellow bags on my back, which rattled with each step.
When I arrived at the gate, I saw other children go in as if that was the most normal thing to do.
Well, it probably was. That's what gates are for.
Nevertheless, I remember freezing there, without being able to take a single step.
Then I saw the dog, chained to his dog house that was placed near the gate. It looked at me, the incapable boy, blinked, and tilted its head.
I wished - more than anything I had ever wished for in my life up to that point - that I was that dog: chained naked at the gate, all the other kids passing me by without paying any attention
This idea had become a recurring thought ever since then. I often recalled this wish, or at least the sensation of wanting something so desperately.
So now that I was here, I got up, dusted off my backside, and approached the furry creature.
I remembered it to be friendly, and I was glad to see it wag its tail as I got closer too.
Then suddenly, I felt something tighten around my neck. I started to choke like a man hanging on a noose, but there was no way for me to tell what was happening. It was too unreal to be a dream, yet too realistic to be a dream.
The string that looped around my neck continued to pull, and so I followed it as to avoid any further trouble.
"Do not touch the dog," a voice rang in my ear. "Don't you ever touch the dog."
That was really unfortunate. I liked the dog.