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Description
It didn't start out as much. A new haircut, a slightly different style of jeans. It must have been enough to catch somebody's eye, though maybe she already did. She exited the door of the salon, running a hand through her new jet-black locks as she stepped lightly onto the street. Her trainers were anonymous in the throng and everyone kept their distance from one another- too busy to stop, somewhere to go.

Nothing was strange, until someone bumped into her shoulder. She didn't hear an apology, merely "you're dreaming" whispered in her ear as they passed.
What? That's not right...
The person had faded from sight completely; she didn't see their face or their clothing. Must have been her imagination. The city thrummed with noise, vibrant with the hum of a weekday lunch-hour. The summer sun illuminated thousands of people at roadside café tables, each with their own life, thoughts, background. This is why she loved the feel of the city. She passed through it all like a ghost, letting the noise echo through her. Sometimes if she listened hard enough, the thrum sounded like it was speaking to her. She did this now, gazing intently at the ground and listening for the echo of a deeper word.

"Madeline..."

Her name was the first echo she heard. She scrunched her nose, perplexed, and listened again.

"Madeline, wake up...
You're dreaming..."

What? That's not right...

She looked around more carefully. Did the brick on that cornice usually stick out like that? How was it staying on? The faces on stone carvings leered at her from their lofty perches. Did they usually look so... alive? She stopped in the middle of the street, searching the buildings for something to rebuke her paranoia. Someone bumped into her as she stopped.
"This isn't real." She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to break through the illusion. When she opened them again, a mother with a pram stared warily at her and hurried along with the rest of the world.

It must be the heat.

She started walking again, then ducked into a back alley out of the sun. She felt the shade envelop her, smooth and comforting.
That's better.
A rubbish bin clattered behind her. She turned to see a stray cat jump up onto the fire escape and lie down in the sun. Was that a metallic glint she saw in its eye before the drowsy kitty curled up to sleep?

There was a footstep behind her. A strong-smelling cloth was pressed over her nose and mouth before she had the chance to turn. A strong arm wrapped around her waist, pinning her arms to her side as she tensed.
Don't breathe. Just don't breathe.
"You're dreaming, love," a male voice purred. "You're dreaming. You need to wake up." Her chest was starting to ache. She tried to shake her head away from his hand.
"No. You have to wake up." His grip tightened and he pressed the cloth harder against her face. The arm around her waist squeezed suddenly, forcing the air out of her lungs in one swift movement. She coughed and gasped involuntarily, her knees weakening. He held her up, the cloth still obstructing her breathing.
"That's it. Now sleep. Sleep and you'll wake up."
So she did.

Description
It didn't start out as much. A new haircut, a slightly different style of jeans. It must have been enough to catch somebody's eye, though maybe she already did. She exited the door of the salon, running a hand through her new jet-black locks as she stepped lightly onto the street. Her trainers were anonymous in the throng and everyone kept their distance from one another- too busy to stop, somewhere to go.

Nothing was strange, until someone bumped into her shoulder. She didn't hear an apology, merely "you're dreaming" whispered in her ear as they passed.
What? That's not right...
The person had faded from sight completely; she didn't see their face or their clothing. Must have been her imagination. The city thrummed with noise, vibrant with the hum of a weekday lunch-hour. The summer sun illuminated thousands of people at roadside café tables, each with their own life, thoughts, background. This is why she loved the feel of the city. She passed through it all like a ghost, letting the noise echo through her. Sometimes if she listened hard enough, the thrum sounded like it was speaking to her. She did this now, gazing intently at the ground and listening for the echo of a deeper word.

"Madeline..."

Her name was the first echo she heard. She scrunched her nose, perplexed, and listened again.

"Madeline, wake up...
You're dreaming..."

What? That's not right...

She looked around more carefully. Did the brick on that cornice usually stick out like that? How was it staying on? The faces on stone carvings leered at her from their lofty perches. Did they usually look so... alive? She stopped in the middle of the street, searching the buildings for something to rebuke her paranoia. Someone bumped into her as she stopped.
"This isn't real." She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to break through the illusion. When she opened them again, a mother with a pram stared warily at her and hurried along with the rest of the world.

It must be the heat.

She started walking again, then ducked into a back alley out of the sun. She felt the shade envelop her, smooth and comforting.
That's better.
A rubbish bin clattered behind her. She turned to see a stray cat jump up onto the fire escape and lie down in the sun. Was that a metallic glint she saw in its eye before the drowsy kitty curled up to sleep?

There was a footstep behind her. A strong-smelling cloth was pressed over her nose and mouth before she had the chance to turn. A strong arm wrapped around her waist, pinning her arms to her side as she tensed.
Don't breathe. Just don't breathe.
"You're dreaming, love," a male voice purred. "You're dreaming. You need to wake up." Her chest was starting to ache. She tried to shake her head away from his hand.
"No. You have to wake up." His grip tightened and he pressed the cloth harder against her face. The arm around her waist squeezed suddenly, forcing the air out of her lungs in one swift movement. She coughed and gasped involuntarily, her knees weakening. He held her up, the cloth still obstructing her breathing.
"That's it. Now sleep. Sleep and you'll wake up."
So she did.