Flight of Fancy
Chapter 22

After the strange encounter with Wolf, David felt exhausted and slept some more. He didn’t know how long he’d been out, but it was still dark outside when he opened his eyes. Just thinking about the last series of events made him dizzy, but it also gave him a sense of hope.

Looking around the large space, there was nothing around. The other cell was now unoccupied and this was just one more mystery on top of the rest.

Did I imagine it all?

There was no sign that anyone had even been there and David thought he must be losing his mind. It was possibly another method they used for interrogation – making people lose their mind before pulling out the figurative big guns.

How did I get myself into this mess?

The soft lights on the ceiling had just been enough to see Wolf and the major, but it also prevented him from sleeping soundly. Looking at them, it felt as if they were melting into the ceiling, somehow becoming a part of it.

David’s gaze went from the ceiling to the wall and even the wall appeared to be shimmering in some strange spectacle for the sense, making him believe that he was indeed losing his mind. He didn’t feel any hunger or headache or even any pain, but if he was going crazy, he supposed those things wouldn’t matter.

The wall next to the bed, where the barred window was, continued to shimmer despite David’s efforts to wish it away and to regain some semblance of sanity. Nothing appeared to be working. He closed his eyes, hoping it would give at least his eyesight some clarity. When his eyes were open again, the wall was even brighter, almost hurting his eyes, and beginning to turn translucent. There was some night sky showing behind the wall or where the wall used to be. Apart from that, everything was still. David could perceive no movement or sound anywhere around him or behind the wall. It was as if he was locked away in his own little bubble, like when he was back in the forest.

The wall was tempting him to step through. He could almost feel the presence in his head, speaking with the voice of Wolf.

Come through. It’s safe.

He was still apprehensive, despite the fond memories from the forest.

Am I dreaming?

“This is no dream,” the voice replied. “This is your chance to escape.”

The voice was in his head and reading his mind.

Are you Wolf?

“No time to explain now. It’s time to go!”

Although David was dazed and groggy, he managed to get up. He looked at the wall, which was becoming more and more transparent.

Where will I go if I step through?

“We don’t have time. You have to trust me.”

David was reluctant to trust anyone these days, especially with all that’s been happening. He supposed anything was better than staying in jail and being on the receiving end of an interrogation. Unless he stepped through into an alternate dimension and encounters things he probably can’t even imagine.

“I understand your worries. But you have to take a leap of faith.”

David thought about it and realised the voice was right. This was not a time to play it safe. Even if he was losing his marbles, it would make any interrogation with him pointless if he thought he was in another dimension. The best outcome was that he would be free of the invisible shackles put around his ankles and around most of society.

He took a deep breath, stepped through the wall and was engulfed in a flurry of colour, which disappeared once David was on the other side.