It was an ordinary day for Violet, as ordinary as it could be for her.
She swiftly sped through the crowd, where each group stood like colonies. Roughly 500 people and 50 groups all spread out in the crowded corridor. A tall, older boy bumped into her, making Violet slip.
‘‘Sorry, I didn’t notice you there,’’ he apologised, holding out a hand to help her up.
‘‘You can see me?’’ she stuttered.
“We all can, Violet,” he deadpanned.
Violet was stunned. How did he know her name? She tried saying something in response but nothing came out, her jaw stayed agape. It was like an invisible pair of hands were holding it open. The hallway was flooded with her name being repeated over and over. All she could see was black, then red, then blood…
She ran and ran as the hallway morphed into a forest. The trees were out to get her, their branches swinging wildly, trying to reach and dismember. One grabbed her ankle and swung her upside down. The tormented girl began falling through a black void. Lava covered the bottom. It seemed she had forgotten her lungs in that hallway yet she felt herself breathe in sulphuric air and felt it course through her veins as her face dipped into the lava.
Just then Violet shot awake from a dream she knew all too well and all she could think was: why me? Why me? WHY ME?!
