52

"Yes! Exactly!" she insisted, her voice trembling. "If I can wake up, you'll all disappear like always. But if this is real… I don't know what to do. "

Her fear was palpable, and for a moment, I wondered if there was a grain of truth in her chaotic declarations. Was she really trapped in a nightmare of her own making? The thought sent a chill down my spine.

"I'm playing my part," she insisted, her voice rising with urgency. "Emily told me I should play my part, and then I'll always dream what I want. That's always been the case. And I've always done it."

I furrowed my brow, trying to wrap my mind around her words. "Emily? Who is that? What do you mean you've always played your part?"

"Emily is the one who showed me how to navigate this," she said, her eyes wide with desperation. "She said if I embrace my role, I can shape my dreams however I want. But now… now it feels like I'm losing control. You're not supposed to be here. You're not part of my script!"