It occurred to her that this rich world she lived in, where she could smell the jasmine vining up the walls, and feel the warmth and heat of the sun occurred while everyone sleeps. Her dreamscapes were more fanciful and fulfilling than her humdrum life, and she needed it. Some part of her knew there were answers in these moments, that they weren’t simply dreams, but a map.
The labyrinth remained the same as always, the pinkish stone walls with flowering vines, the openings with benches and pergolas strategically placed, and all looking identical. On the rare occasion Erik might appear in one of those openings, providing her with wordless conversations about the desert and her quarry, it made her heart speed up, the urge to find what was hidden grew stronger in his presence, despite the niggling feeling that he wasn’t there to help her. No one since these dreams started seemed to be helping her, but everything, every part of it propelled her forward, and stoked the desire to satiate her knowledge of what was in the desert.
And then it happened, no longer did her feet feel the cool stones underneath, but she emerged onto hot, smooth sand, the sun brighter and more intense above. She wanted to cry. She escaped the neverending labyrinth, she could feel herself closer to the vision in her head.
Squinting in the brightness, shielding her eyes from a sun that had no tress or vines between it and herself. She felt her body heat up and begin to sweat, her breathing quickened. She looked back and saw nothing.
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