3
FAY
Icy water woke me. It entered my mouth, pushed against my skin. I flailed my limbs, trying to get control over my body. A light above me signalled the water’s surface. I swam, drawing on every spark of energy I possessed. The freezing cold made me sluggish. At least I wore no clothes to weigh me down.
When I broke through the surface, I gasped for air. It was warm and humid as if I’d been thrown into a greenhouse. A strange smell hung in the air, heavy like flowery perfume. I turned slowly, looking at my surroundings. The last I remembered was a metal spider-like machine grabbing me. Then my ears had popped and everything went dark.
I was swimming in a small lake framed by giant trees that seemed to reach all the way into the sky. I’d never seen trees that tall before. It seemed
