Sleepless

Aurora stared at her ceiling, listening to the faint whispers at the edge of her hearing. They didn't frighten her as much, now that she knew what they were. What did frighten her now, though, was the future. It was why she couldn't sleep. She hadn't slept more than a few hours a night since she'd met Raeth and learned... well, learned only a little. But it was enough to keep anyone awake.

The next day was the start of the AP exams at school. A few weeks ago, that had been all that was on her mind. She had been fiercely dedicated to getting her top scores, proving that her “mental issues” couldn't keep her down. Now it was hard to even think about them, even though all she did all night was think.

College? Grad school? A job in computer science like her mom? That had been the plan. Now every day taught her a little bit more about the nature of reality, her place in it, and how small the whole Earth really was. How could something like a college major compete with that?

Aurora knew it was only a matter of time before Raeth asked her to go back to the Dawning with him, whatever that was. It was supposed to be a grand, ancient place. A place safe for someone like her. Somewhere she could learn to protect herself, to use her abilities – that's right, this came with powers! - safely and for a greater good.

It was too much to handle on her own, she knew. Her therapist wasn't exactly the right target for this sort of thing, either. Her mom... Aurora didn't even know what to say to her. How could she trust her anymore, anyway? That left only one person close enough to speak about it, but it would require a bigger leap of faith than she'd ever made.

She had to tell Isabella.