Chapter 1
I woke up alone in the dark. The ground was soft and damp, fresh from a light rain that was just turning to a fine mist. The sounds of the forest were slowly starting to rustle and chirp now that the rain was letting up.
I felt refreshed from my sleep but oddly tranquil, considering I'd no idea how I'd come to be in the middle of a forest. I lived in a 5th floor walk-up in Brooklyn, and even though I could sprint to the park in less than 10 minutes from my doorstep, I was clearly not in the park. Or the city for that matter.
I should have been terrified, or at the very least, alarmed. Instead, I was relieved and comforted, like I'd finally arrived at my destination after a few wrong turns. I must admit, I wasn't entirely sure that I wasn't still dreaming in my bed, but I figured I might as well have a look around until I woke up for real. Most of my dreams were usually frightfully dull, so I'd try to enjoy this one while it lasted.