Week Eighteen: Unhinged: Fhei VI

 Around her, the memory dissolved. Next to her, the fake Gale stood patiently waiting for her to return to her senses. Fhei’s mind was ablaze. Pressing her hand to her temple she felt the physical weight of her body and the pounding impulse being sent to her brain. She tried to think of a way to stop it but the more she tried to think the more intense the pain would become.

 Suddenly the dimension around her collapsed into a frizzle. Clenching her physical fist, Fhei opened her eyes, realizing that she was no longer a projectile of herself. Gale was no longer visible but Fhei knew that she was still there. The world around her continued to work around her in peace. It was nice to see that the world was relaxed at the least.

 Searching for shelter, Fhei eyed a tree with lush grass not too far from the waterfall. However, she didn’t know if she could physically get there on foot considering that she could hardly stay focused. Painfully pushing herself into a walking position, Fhei quickly fell as her head began to pound. She was sure that passing out where she was sitting originally wouldn’t be a problem in a peaceful place as this but some shelter would be preferred..

 In the back of her head, Fhei could barely hear the voice but she concentrated to hear what her friend Gale had to say. It was quiet, almost as if she knew words were being said to her but the words wouldn’t come out correction. Tell. Tell? Fhei’s head throbbed the more she tried to decipher the message.

 Import.

 Fhei sighed in confusion. Tell. Import? She forced herself to keep her eyes open and stare at the area in which she would have liked to rest. Tell. Import. She pushed herself to think even though it burned to do so. For a moment, the memory of her mother coming from the kitchen into the lab pushed to the front of her mind. Suddenly, Fhei understood.

 “Teleport.” She said, staring hard at the spot. A split second later, the grass seemed to be directly in front of her. Reaching out, Fhei crawled into the lush grass against the tree and curled the jacket that she assumed belong to one of her brothers against the tree for a pillow. Within moments, she became part of the silence of the world. Around her, the world continue to live on peacefully.

--

 In the distance, Loun sat in a tree with his arms crossed. Okay, she knew how to teleport. Easy enough. But she couldn’t handle a couple of replays in her own memory? There had to be a reason. That or she was that weak. Which, he didn’t want to believe but secretly hoped.

 Normally, he would have been able to leave this dimension, world, and timeline and go to his own. However, something was holding him here and he had slight suspicion that he had to do with this ‘Guardian’.

 Glancing over her from a distance, Loun could tell that she was in a lot of physical pain. Even though she had the ability to fix it, he couldn’t let her fail in whatever it was she was meant to do in this safe haven. Gracefully jumping onto the grass beside her through his own portal, Luon knelt down quietly and passed his hand over her third degree wound on her leg. She also had a burn on her face. However, that wouldn’t kill her so he decided to allow her to fix that. Pulling his hand back, he glared as the shadow hissed at him.

 This is my prey. It said as the wound on her leg dissolved. First come first serve.

 “You’re lucky that I don’t obliterate you myself.” Luon warned.

But you allow the girl to fall to her doom? It asked, somewhat amused.

 “No.” Luon said, as he conjured a portal behind him to return to his tree. “I can’t do everything for her. She’ll have to get rid of you on her own. However, I’ll step in if you manage to go too far.” He said, settling himself back onto the tree.

 Beside him, the spirit Thiy lurked. “You spoke to it?” It asked in curiousity.

 Luon nodded. “That flesh wound on her leg was going to get infected faster than the one on her face. Hopefully she can learn to heal that. I might have to if she doesn’t in the next day or so.”

 “You’re allowing yourself to be here for that long?” The spirit questioned in amusement.

 “I can jump timelines unlike her.” He said, with a shrug. “If there’s anything I have it’s time.”

--

 Fhei woke up in trance. There was warmth and a light breeze, opening her eyes she fiddled with the jacket she had curled up into a pillow. Which brother did the jacket belong to she wondered? Breathing in, Fhei cringed as she felt a pound in her chest. Something was wrong and she couldn’t quite understand what it was. Looking around, Fhei called out softly.

 “Gale?”

 Encasing her, was the dimension she had been to before she received that awful headache. Next to her, she sat beside her own physical body. Glancing around, it took her a minute but she found her friend. Calling out again, Fhei stared until Gale looked over.

 “You’re awake.” She said, with a smile. “I wasn’t sure how long it would take you considering you had to break past the barriers that had been placed to prevent you from remembering. It was a task but I knew you could do it.”

 “Barriers?” Fhei asked looking at Gale once again. “What’s wrong with you, why are you not being as warm as last time?”

 The one taking Gale’s place appeared beside Fhei. “Sorry, I may be your friend but I do not have the memories of your friend since I’m using your memories to be your friend.” It said the paused. “Does that make sense?”

 “In a way, yes.” Fhei said but then reached for her chest in pain. “Why is the pain ten times worse in this dimension?”! She said, suddenly clenching her own physical fist. She was no longer in the dimension with ‘Gale’. Grunting, Fhei leaned up against the tree and spread the jacket across her lap, gasping when she realized that her leg was no longer in pain.

 Quickly, she touched her face, then winced in pain. Did she do that? Had she healed her own leg? That wasn’t possible. Gale but not Gale said that she couldn’t do that yet. Well, not that she knew anyway. Running the back of her hand against her thigh she twitched in feeling the pain on her face. Something was different about her leg. There seemed to be an outside source applied to it. No medicine she knew could heal a third degree would that quickly. Baffled, Fhei looked around only to find what she had fallen asleep to. This world was strange but it didn’t seem to be a place she couldn’t trust. Now only if she could stop her chest from pounding. It was as if someone was digging into her bone structure.

Week Thirteen: Unhinged: Fhei V

Five minutes went by as little Fhei’s abilities began to harshen and tear apart the room. Her parents shouted at each other to figure out a plan to get the headset off of her. At one point, her mother suggested an ‘off’ switch idea. However, once the switch flew past her face, she realized that her idea was shot in the dirt.

 Facing little Fhei, her father shouted to her. “Think about stopping everything that’s happening right now.” He urged. “I believe you can do it, Love. Tell the space in front of you to stop everything.” He suggested. “It’s a long shot, but believe me, Love. Something will happen!” He exclaimed, shielding his wife from another piece of metal.

 Frustrated, little Fhei put her hands to her temples. “It hurts…” She muttered. “Stop hurting…” She mumbled to herself. Rubbing her temples she shut her eyes and shouted with all the frustration within her. “STOP!” She screamed.

 Instantly, metals dropped to the ground, the vortex’s around them dropped and the gear flew into one of the screens on the opposite side of the room as her. Embracing each other, the parents then turned to their daughter. The first to embrace her was her mother.

 “I am so sorry, Honey.” She said holding her tight. “I didn’t know how to make it go away.”

 In tears, little Fhei hugged her mother tight. “It’s okay Mommy, it’s over now and my head still hurts but the ringing stopped.”

 “Ringing?” She questioned as her husband went in to hug his daughter.

 “What ringing is she talking about?” She asked him.

 “I love you, and I’m never going to ask you to do something like this again, okay, Love?” He said as he kissed her forehead. “I didn’t realize that there was more than Mythics out there…” He muttered. “I can’t say you’re a new species because you’re still my daughter but you are something phenomenal.” He exclaimed.

 “I’m not mad that you asked me to do this…” Little Fhei said as she looked at her father. “You like seeing new things.” She shrugged. “Maybe I’m supposed to help you…” She shrugged. “But I don’t want to help unless you stop the loud noises, okay Daddy?” She questioned.

 “I can do that, Love.” Fhei’s father said as he hugged her again.

 “You don’t suppose asking her to get me home in a jiff would be too much?” His wife asked jokingly. “I mean, the stove is on.”

 Fhei’s father laughed. “If she knew how to control her powers I wouldn’t mind asking but I don’t believe the kitchen will be a place she can conjurer again.” He smiled.

 “I’ll call my sister.” She laughed. “But we are having a talk about this later.” She said with warning eyes. “What happened can’t be ignored.” She commented. “However, she is still our child.” She eyed him. “Do what you can to not hurt her…” She sighed. “Please.”

 Nodding, Her father picked her up and headed out the door, in no time at all, she had fallen asleep, forcing the scene to blur and change again.

 --

 As the scene cleared, Fhei stood in front of the living room fire once again. This time, she was her age and reading a book on the recliner while one of her brothers typed away on his laptop and the other painted on a canvas on the opposite side of her. The house was peaceful. Her mother was in the kitchen and her father was in the corner of the room doing paperwork. When suddenly a flame erupted from their front door.

 “Gideon Rue!” A voice bellowed in anger as he stepped through the flames. “You and I have some talking to do,”

 “Glancing over at his kids, Gideon stood. “That’s fine.” He said gently. Allow this to be between me and you.” He spoke softly. “Leave my family out of this.”

 “Oh?” The Khalkotauroi laughed. “You did this to me.” It growled. “What makes you think that you give me commands?”

 Turning to herself, Fhei wondered if she knew of her own power. There couldn’t have been another incident where she randomly forgot what she had done as a child. Oddly enough, she was positive that at least her brothers would remember but the two were on guard and so was she. However, she didn’t seem to have any abilities this time.

 “Outside, please.” Her father begged. “I’ll do what I can to answer questions, I’ll do whatever it is you want.” He sighed. “Leave. My. Family. Out. Of. This.” He said, now sounding more forceful.

 Roaring fire in Frei and her brother’s direction, Fhei quickly shielded her brothers, letting out a scream of pain.

 “At least you know that one of your children is brave!” The Khalkotauroi exclaimed, tearing a part of the stairs off. Breathing fire on it, the Khalkotauroi met Fhei’s father’s eyes again. “Don’t make me throw this.” It growled.

 Aggravated, her father stood with his hands in the air. “Outside. Now.” He exclaimed, pointing towards the door to the backyard. “It’s either there, or I’ll start calling people.”

 Laughing, the Khalkotauroi threw the piece of wood at the backyard door causing it to slam into the fence. “Ladies first!” It laughed.

 Stepping outside, Fhei’s father turned to face the Khalkotauroi. “What do you want me to do?” He asked.

 “FIX ME.” It demanded. “You’re the one who figured out that I’m part bull.” It huffed. “Turn me back into a regular human!” He demanded, Spewing out fire onto the fresh grass..

 “I can’t.” Fhei’s father shook his head as he saw his wife and one of the boys head to the garage through the window. “But we’d have to go to my lab. My house had none of my supplies.” He explained.

 “Oh?”! The Khalkotauroi grinned. “So you won’t be needing….” He turned as he roared out fire. “This?”! He said as he set the side of the house on fire.

“Hopefully your kids are like me.” It snarled. “Or maybe you came up with a serum to prevent them from turning into a monster like me.” He cursed as he punched a hole into the side of the house.

 “No…” Fhei’s father said, partly in tears. “If there was a serem it would be on market by now…” He frowned. “Please…” He said, now fully allow himself to blur his vision. “My family’s in there. Let’s get to the lab and give them time to get out…” He begged.

 Laughing, the Khalkotauroi snarled and roared once more, but this time looked up to the second floor. “Let’s see your family get out of that.” He bellowed into laughter, then collected Gideon by the collar, then kicked down the fence to head towards the lab.

Week Eleven: Unhinged: Fhei IV

 Sparks flew as a command was entered into the system. Stepping back, Fhei’s father assured little Fhei that everything was going to be okay. Feeling a surge run through her body, little Fhei hasped, as a green flash appeared on the screen in front of her father’s colleague.

 “Well, will you look that.” Her father’s colleague grinned. “It looks like we have a match.”

 Excited, Fhei’s father jumped and clapped in joy. “My beloved!” He exclaimed. “It looks like you’re a mythic!” He exclaimed in ecstaticness.

 Uncomfortable, little Fhei shuffled. “Daddy, it makes my head hurt.” She complained. “Make the ring go away.”

 “Ring?” His colleague questioned. “So far we’ve only had certain types of mythics but none of them have complained about a ‘ringing’.” He commented. “Maybe your daughter is a new mythic?” He suggested.

 Shaking his head, Fhei’s father sighed. “If any of the kids get hurt, Lydia will have my head.We have to stop this experiment.” He sighed.

 “Understood.” The colleague said as he reached for the keys to punch in another command. As sparks flew from the keypad, his colleague jolted back. “Looks like we have a problem, Gideon.” He exclaimed.

 Carefully and quickly, Gideon reach for the headset that was placed on his daughter's head. Getting zapped, Gideon backed away and shielded her other two children. In pain, little Fhei let out a scream and attempted to rip off the headset, only to send more sparks flying.

 Fhei watched as the younger het tried to rustle out of the hands of the technology, only to make a discovery about herself.

 “Make it stop, Daddy!” She yelled on top of her lungs.

 “I would if I could, Love, but the tech is reacting to you and your abilities as a mythic!” He exclaimed.

 “Think of the first animal you’d want to be!” Exclaimed the colleague. “Think about how cool it would be to be a mermaid or something!” He suggested. .

 “Okay!” She shouted, over the siren that had triggered from the device.

 “It’s overloading!” Shouted the colleague. :”I’ll stay here with her, you take your sons out of here!” The colleague exclaimed.

 “No!” Gideon shouted. “You take my boys, I have to stay with my, baby.” He expressed. “If she gets hurt, I need to be here with her.”

 “The tech is malfunctioning!” His colleague shouted. “Are you sure?”!

 “Yes!” He shouted as he ushered the two boys and his colleague towards the door. “She can’t go through this alone, this was my idea in the first place!” He exclaimed. “Keep those two safe!” He said as he turned to see a pitch blackness appear next to little Fhei.

 Amused, but also concerned, her father walked up to it and gasped as he realized that the little dots decorating the pitch back were stars.

 “Love!” He exclaimed. “Can you hear me?”! He shouted, right in her face.

 “Daddy, the world’s so far away. I want to go home, please!” She shouted.

 “Yes, Love, I’ll let you go home!” He exclaimed. “All we have to do is unhook you and then we can go home, to mommy,” He shouted.

 Reaching for the headgear, Fhei’s father tugged and drew back as a vortex appear around his child. Shielding himself, he turned in time to see a vortex open up and showed a picture of Fhei’s mother. She was singing to a favorite band of hers and getting dinner ready.

 “Mommy?” Little Fhei asked with her eyes closed. “Daddy, make it stop so we can go see Mommy.” She exclaimed and began to cry.

 Turning, Fhei’s mother stared bewildered. “Gideon?” She mouthed as she put the knife down from cutting vegetables. Mouthing a question, she stepped towards the two.

 “Love, don’t come any closer!” Fhei’s father exclaimed. “Once I get our daughter out of this I’ll make sure that I never do this to our children again!” He shouted.

 “I can hear you?”! She exclaimed in curiosity as she placed her hand on what seemed to be the barrier between the two’s location. :What’s going on, Gideon?”! She shouted. “I’m at home. You should be-”

 “I am! I’m at work! I told you I’d take the kids and see if they were mythics but this is COMPLETELY different!” He exclaimed. “I’m not sure what our daughter is doing but it’s overriding our systems, Love.”

 “You mean, my baby’s in danger.” She yelled back. “Gideon, I swear!” She yelled, stepping into the vortex. Exclaiming, Fhei’s mother stumbled forward, now standing in the wind whistling and sparking lab.

 “How… did you?” Her husband asked in awe.

 Wide eyed, Fhei’s mom shook her head. “I’m not sure.” She said then took a moment to breath then returned to her yelling tone. “But if this is a sign that I have to save my baby then I will!” She exclaimed, walking towards, little Fhei.

 “Mommy?” Little Fhei questioned, opening her eyes to see not only the vortex that lead to the kitchen of their home but also the vortex of pitch black with little lights that reminded her of stars.

 ”Fhei!” Her mother called out to her, slowly inching towards her. “Think of your brothers…” She called. “You have to calm down baby.” She directed. “These machines are reacting to you so you have to make them stop.” She said as she got closer.

 “Mommy…” She said as tears continued to fall. “Make it stop, my head hurts, and there is a ringing in my ears.” She said as parts of equipment tore off and slammed into the opposite side of the room.

 Turning to her husband in aggravation, Fhei’s mother crossed her arms. “What did I say about hurting my children?”! She yelled.

 “Love, I’d like to argue right now. But this…” He shook his head. “This is nothing we’ve experienced before. Mythics is short for Mythical creatures. What she’s doing…” Her father shook his head in awe. “She’s creating portals and overlapping distances. I…” He hesitated. “I didn’t even know that was possible.”

 “You’re saying she’s not a mythic?” His wife asked as she stepped closer and ducked to avoid a piece of flying equipment.

 “I don’t know.” Her father admitted. “All I know is that I try to get close and she repels me somehow.”

 Approaching little Fhei, Fhei touched the vortex that her father was talking about. She wasn’t actually at the scene but what did she do to get out of the mess she made? Glancing over at the two vortexes, Fhei wondered. Was she still able to do that?

Week Eight: Unhinged: Fhei III

 One moment, she was speaking to ‘Gale’ but not Gale. The next moment, she was cold, then- her breath was short and she was here. Surrounding Fhei was a house. There was a set of stairs to her left, meaning there was more to the house. She stood in the living room in front of the fireplace. There was a rug under her feet, two coaches squaring the area, and a recliner. On the floor at her feet were colored papers. Colored pencils, markers, and crayons sprawled across the floor. Ahead, was a door to the kitchen, and at the end of where she stood she could see another, leading to the garage. To her left were the stairs, in front of those was the door to the outside world. Running down the stairs were two boys and a girl, her age. Hearing the laughter between the trio, Fhei covered her mouth as she gasped.

 The little girl was her and the two boys were her brothers. But she was younger. Why was she seeing this memory? She smiled as the three dove into the colors with their coloring books, hardly getting in the lines. The three seemed to not have a care in the world. Looking up, Fhei watched as her mother and father stepped through the garage door. How she remembered any of this, she didn’t know. All she knew was that she was processing it.

 “I understand that it’s for the better, Honey.” Exclaimed her mother. “But that is your child you’re talking about. You want to any of them to go from ‘son’ or ‘daughter’ to ‘experiment’?”! She hissed.

 “That’s not what I’m saying!” Her father argued.

 “That.” Her mother retorted. “Is exactly what you’re saying!” She spat.

 “If we take them into quarantine then they’ll be safe. Say that one of them is a mythic!” Her father raised in hands in a way or glory. “Then we’d be doing them a favor and placing them in an environment with other mythics!”

 “And if they’re not?” Her mother glared, standing on the other side of the table, Fhei stood in the archway, forgetting about the children behind her.

 “Then they’d learn how to treat mythics as if they were normal people too!” Fhei’s father remarked. “See, it’s a win either way!” He exclaimed in excitement.

 “I married you because I thought one day, you’d be able to keep your work separate from your family but it seems that ‘science’ has become more of a priority than treating your children like their children instead of a variable.” Her mother frowned, glancing over at her clueless children, now decorating themselves with marker.

 “And I married you because you said you were willing to work with me on this!” Her father argued. ‘You said you didn’t mind that I was obsessed with mythics and their value to society, Love. What makes this any different?” Her father asked, sincerely.

 “What makes this different is that it’s your family you’re putting under the microscope now, .Gideon!” She exclaimed. “We’re not lab rats!” She raised her voice in annoyance. “And if you’re not willing to allow us to be ‘normal’ than I’ll have to see about raising these three on my own.”

 “I. Am your source.. Of income!” Fhei’s father exclaimed. “I am in high doubts that you’d be able to raise all three of them on their on. Nevertheless if any of our children are mythics!” Her father inhaled in attempt to tone his voice down.

 “I want to make sure that these three are in the best environment possible to grow up in, Love. How can you not see that?”

 “Mythics aren’t genetic.” Fhei’s mother glared. “How are you or anyone tell if any of our children are mythics?” She growled.

 “Test!” Fhei’s father exclaimed. “It’s all in the blood!” Fhei’s father shrugged. “It may not be genetic or it may be.” Fhei’s father shrugged. “At least allow me to see if our children need more education on these ‘Mythics’, Love. Please.” He begged.

 “You hurt any of my children and this will be the last time I trust you with them. You understand?” Fhei’s mother scowled. “If any of them tell me that you or any of your scientist buddied hurt my child, I will personally destroy something important to you.” She paused to allow her husband to meet her eyes. “Our family.”

--

 A blurr of scene adapted around Fhei, pulling back from leaning on the door frame, she watched as her and her brothers entered a room with many computer screens and a seat. Her father lead the way into the room, followed by a colleague of his. Once the last brother walked in, the colleague shut the door.

 “Where are we?” One of Fhei’s brothers asked in awe. “Is this where you work, daddy?” He questioned.

 “Yes and no.” Fhei’s father smiled. “This is only part of where I work, this is where we’re going to run some test on all of you to see if you’re a mythic!” He explained.

 “A mythic…?” Little Fhei asked, staring at the chair. “And how are you going to do that?” She wondered.

 “There are many different ways to test if any of you are mythics.” Her father smiled. “The first way is that we are going to put you into an illusion and if you react we’ll know that you’re a mythic.” He grinned. “Don’t worry. It won’t hurt!” He assured.

 “It may be frightening at first.” The colleague warned, “But that’s okay.” He quickly added. “Let the fear, guild you.”

 “Yes!” Her father exclaimed. “Let it allow you to see what you truly can be!” He said as he gestured towards the chair. “Now which one of you is itching to find out if you’re a mythic.”

 Blankly and baffled, the three children exchanged looks. After a moment of silence, Fhei stepped forward. “I’ll do it, daddy.” She said with a smile. “But you have to promise me that you won’t hurt me. Mommy said if you hurt any of us, we’re supposed to let her know.”

 “Of course, love.” Her father nodded. “If it hurt tell me and I’ll let you all go home okay?”

 Fhei nodded, then allowed her father to strap her down and put the weird looking headset on her. Fhei watched as little Fhei’s curiosity spun. There wasn’t much she understood about these flash backs. Sitting patiently in one of the rollie chairs, Fhei watched as her father’s colleague pressed a couple of buttons and typed in a few commands. She had a feeling that this wasn’t going to please her father in a way he thought it would.

Week Six: Unhinged: Fhei II

 Around her, the peaceful waterfall rushed and the grass rustled. It was as if she was mirror to the area she was physically in… Although, she knew something was altered. Looking up, she met eyes with the sky where it reflected a purple and black mixture. It made her think of night, when looking up at the stars. In this case though, it wasn’t night. It was broad daylight and the sun had turned a negative look. Where was she?

 Looking down at herself, Fhei lifted her hand. As she did this, Fhei moved her fingers, confused as to how she could see where her hand was but could also see where her hand wasn’t. Standing up, Fhei stood in front of herself. Deer pranced around her, rabbits continued to eat their fill but Fhei was now able to stare at her body from a third person perspective. The whole world that she seemed to be able to move in was a negative color versus what she knew was the color.

 Experimentally, she turned away from her body and walked. Instantly, she looked down to see that her leg was no longer in pain. That, or she wasn’t feeling what pain there was. She wore the clothing that she had on before the fire. How she knew that, she didn’t know. The memories flowed to her like oxygen.

 Wandering around, Fhei came to the place she had spawned. Stepping towards it, she watched as a memory replayed. For a moment, there was nothing. In the next, a portal opened and deposited her, with the stranger’s long sleeve, onto the plains. Thinking of what had happened, the scene happened again, but in slow motion. Even after seeing it the first time, Fhei still couldn’t understand what had happened.

 Why was she deposited? Who had saved her? She was unconscious so whoever that was didn’t knock her out. Why this place specifically? And how was she able to see this all in third person? Was this what happened when one’s mind was cleared?

 The world around her seemed lighter, as if she had no body weight. Jumping up, she fell back down but with no force. Then a thought occurred to her, what if there wasn’t a person who saved her? If she was able to clear her mind and open up to another world mentally, then would physically opening up a portal to another physical world be possible? There was no one around to guild her. Shouting, Fhei called out for any other human that might be able to hear her. Hearing nothing in response after the third call, Fhei returned to her body.

 Staring at herself, she reached out and touched her own face. As she did so, a voice emerged. “Odd to learn how fragile a vessel is.” A gentle voice spoke from afar. “However, you’re not advanced enough to know how to fix anything physically yet, young Guardian.”

 There it was again. Guardian. Fhei spun around to see the absence of a body to the voice. “What is a Guardian?” She asked, watching for any movement. “And who are you?”

 Silence echoed, spinning around, Fhei continued to look for the voice. “My name is Fhei, not Guardian. I’m sure you are mistaking me for someone else.”  

 Again, silence. “The plains are sacred you know…” The voice commented, “Only those who are chosen can come to this dimension.”

 “Dimension?” Fhei questioned, still unable to find a body.

 “Do you have a physical form?” Fhei finally asked, baffled by the voice’s occurrence.

 “That is a question only you can answer.” The voice replied. “For I am what you believe me to be.”

 “Are you the Guardian?” She questioned.

 The voice chuckled. “No deary.” It paused. “What would calm you if you were to lay eyes on it?” It asked. “If I took the form of your mother would you be comfortable?”

 “No.” Fhei said, quickly assuring herself that this was the correct decision. “I want you to take form of a person I know from my life in Colorado Springs but not a family member.” She said, waiting for a person to appear.

 “You have many people that I could be in that case.” The voice replied lightly. “Would a male or female be preferable to your eyes?”

 “Do I have any…” Fhei glanced over at the doe chewing away on the pasture. “Pets..?” She questioned, not sure why she asked it in the first place.

 “Ah.” The voice spoke. “Would a talking animal bring you fear?” It asked.

 “If I did have a pet…” Fhei thought for a moment. “No, I wouldn’t be afraid but I have a feeling that I didn’t.”

 “You didn’t.” The voice replied. “But that can change.”

 “A friend.” Fhei said as the voice finished. “If I have a friend…” She shrugged. “Be one of them…”

 There were no memories for her to base the questions off of, only words that came together as she tried to think of what to say. A friend, she believed was someone that would bring her comfort, not allude her that they were around because of the blood they share, but would simply be there because they wanted to be.

 “Fair enough.” Said the voice. In the distance a swirl, similar to a portal conjured, bringing a female dressed in t-shirt and jeans into view. She was young, and Fhei’s memories fuzzed, but she knew that the girl in front of her was important.

 “I am impersonating your friend ‘Gale’.” The voice spoke from the body, then changed into the voice of the girl. “Although I am not the Gale you know, does this help you conversate with me?”

 Fhei nodded. “She’s pretty.” She said, meeting the hazel eyes of the girl before her. “We’re friends?”

 “Best friends, in fact.” Gale said with a smile.

 “Gale…” Fhei said, looking back at her body. “You only exist in here then…” She thought aloud. “Where my body is…” She muttered. “You don’t exist there.. Do you?”

 The impersonator looked into Fhei’s eyes as if trying to decipher her thoughts. “No, I don’t it said. But, for now, let me enlighten you on what this world is.”   

Week Two: Unhinged: Fhei

 All around her snapped bits of flames. She thought of jaws as she attempted to think of a solution. On her skin, she could feel the breath of the fire radiate its heat. Where was she? More important, where were the others? In her household, there were her two brothers and their mother. Did her mother forget about her? Was she the only survivor? Her heart jumped out of her chest as she started to sweat. A searing pain emerged as she stepped forward to avoid one flame. Landing her foot onto the thin plank, Fhei let out a scream of panic as she watched half of her knee disappear under the floor. As the flames crawled closer, tears emerged from her eyes. Closing them to avoid the stinging pain from the smoke and coughing out the last bit of air left in her the world began to sway. Fhei felt her body fall forward due to the loss of balance, in her chest she felt the air that pounded, begging for her to release it. Breathing in, she felt her throat burn worse. Pushing the air pocket stuck in her throat she tried to breath out. Exhale. She thought. Breath! She screamed to herself. Failing, Fhei felt her cheek burn. The flames had pounced, and she was defenseless

--

 Gasping for air, Fhei jolted awake. Around her was a valley, maybe a meadow? All she knew was that she was curled up in a stranger’s jacket in the middle of a flourishing pasture. Breathing in the fresh air she noted that the smell of water. Listening, she turn towards the rushing sound and sat up. Before her was a waterfall, she even saw a doe eating grass in the distance.

. Feeling a twist in her stomach, Fhei grunted. She felt like she hadn’t eaten for weeks. Finding the strength to push herself up, Fhei began to walk towards the water. With each step, she could feel a strange stretch in her left leg. No, that wasn’t it. She thought to herself as it began to itch and then burn. Waiting until she was a foot away from the water, Fhei looked down at herself. In her reflection she saw a mark on her face, running from her cheek to her neck and stopping on her collar bone. She was wearing a stranger’s oversized long sleeve.

 Observing herself, she gripped her hand into a fist, stopping herself from scratching the irritated area. On her left leg she had a third degree burn marked by her jeans behind her calf. The raw skin oozed and almost made her hurl at the sight. Panicked, she lifted her left leg, now feeling the pain twice as much, and slipped her leg up knee deep into the water.

 Gripping the bottom of the oversized long sleeve, Fhei held back a yelp as she felt the cool water graze her wound. Breathing heavily, Fhei rubbed her stomach in reminder of her hunger. Wherever she was, she wasn’t in Colorado Springs. The thought of home made her heart twist. Where were her brothers? Were they okay? What about her mother? What started the fire? And why?

 Once your mind will clear, you will see the true world

 One as vast and precious.

 Emerge, you will from your ashes.

 For the Guardian has awaken 

 Alert, Fhei quickly looked to her left, then to her right. All around her stood the meadow. Trees stood tall on the other side of the river and behind her was a pasture, clear as the eye could see. No one was with her, so who was that? She thought. Cupping her hands, Fhei sipped the water to ease her throat.

 After drinking her fill, Fhei lightly brushed the back of her hand to her raw calve. She’d have to wrap it to make sure it wouldn’t get worse. Slipping out of the stranger’s long sleeve, Fhei rung out the what part of the sleeves she had dampened then looked over her body once more. She wore her bra and jeans. No one seemed to be around so she felt comfortable. Breeze brushing against her skin, Fhei closed her eyes to think.

 Once her mind was clear, she would see the world. So did that mean she was in a fake reality? Was the third degree burn, the meadow, the fire… was it all a dream? Fhei brought her right hand to her left arm and pitched herself. Grunting, she pulled her hand away. If it all wasn’t real then she certainly felt pain.

 One as vast and precious. Looking around at the quiet nature surrounding her, she wonder, what could be more beautiful than this? The animals didn’t seem to mind her, the wind wasn’t cold and the rush of the water made her feel calm. Compared to before she blacked out, she would consider this heaven… Was it?

 Emerge, you will from your ashes. She was burned. But she wasn’t charred to death. Touching her right arm with her left hand she felt her skin and the goosebumps that appeared because of the wind. Would her cheek wound and calve burn heal? She certainly didn’t consider this emerging from ashes. All around her was good fodder for a fire but she hoped with all her heart that it wouldn’t be engulfing her in a flame any time soon. Touching her face, she hissed. It stung as she touched it. Cupping her hands again, she poured some water down her face. Biting her lip, she closed her eyes and leaned into towards the stream to apply more of the cool water.

 For the Guardian has awaken. Guardian? Taking in her surroundings once more, Fhei gazed at the sky and wondered. Was an angel supposed to appear and comfort her? Had she done something good in her life to appear in this beautiful meadow? Thinking of what she had done in the past week made her head spin. There was nothing. She couldn’t remember any of it. All she could remember was that she had two brothers and a mother. There was no doubt that she had a father but he had never been in the picture. No friend’s faces appeared. No recognizable voices played in her ears. There wasn’t even a last name that appeared in her mind.

 Colorado Springs. The only place she could remember the name of. Inhaling, Fhei let out a sigh then closed her eyes once more. Clear her mind. There was hardly anything left to clear it of. Did that mean she had to forget who she was entirely? As she attempted to think of absolutely nothing, Fhei felt her burn on her cheek and calve emerge to her forefront. She had no experience in the natural world nor did she have any memory of what world she was from. Feeling the water rush past her fingertips, Fhei listened to the world around her. Maybe she was already in that precious vast world the voice had mentioned. Or was it her own thought? Looking down at her reflection, she stared into her own eyes. When would she wake up?