Daniel changed himself quickly. He got properly suited up – trousers, dress shirt, belt, tie, the whole shebang. He washed his face in the bathroom, staring into his bloodshot eyes.

  “Alright.” He said to himself.

  He didn’t know why, but he felt determined. He emerged into the living room with his blazer over his arm.

  “Let’s go.” He said, heading over to the shoe rack.

  “Uh, Mr. Daniel, why are you wearing a suit?” Michael asked.

  “This is serious business, isn’t it?” He said as he put his shoes on.

  Seeing this exchange, the teenage girl wondered if she made the right choice. As if forgetting something, Daniel turned and looked around.

  “Tabitha?” He called.

  The creature appeared next to him suddenly, shocking Michael, Petra, and the teenage girl. Completely nonplussed, Daniel picked up a cloth bag from the floor and opened it wide.The creature knew what to do and crawled into the bag. Daniel hoisted it onto his shoulder as he got to his feet.

  “Alright, where are we headed?” He asked as he turned to the girl.

  The creature poked its head out of the bag to also look at the girl. She looked back at the menacing compound eyes, and she began to have second thoughts about this.

  “Are you really taking that... thing, with you?”

  “The more the merrier, right?” Daniel said obliviously. “Don't underestimate it, it's a lot more capable than it looks.”

  The brown-haired girl sighed as she held her face in her hands.

  “Alright,” she said. “We’re heading to the hospital.”

  The cab dropped them off on a peaceful street, not too far off the main road. Daniel shielded his eyes from the sun’s rays as he looked at the building they arrived in front of.

  “Saint Angela’s, huh?” He said aloud. “Fancy place.”

  The girl nodded. Outside the hospital was a sign that described it simply; St. Angela’s Private Hospital. Beside the sign was a statue of the hospital’s namesake, a nun with a cross held to her chest and a caduceus held in her other hand. It was strangely ironic - although the saint was known for her charitable works, most people couldn’t afford to go here.

  The teenage girl walked forward with the composure of a frequent visitor. Daniel followed her with the calmness that came with age. Meanwhile, Michael was walking with a rather nervous gait, with Petra safely stowed in his pocket.

  As they entered the building, the teen looked around in amazement at his surroundings. The foyer was wide and spacious, well-lit and clean. It was tastefully furnished with a rich sense of style, but it wasn’t overly luxurious.

  “Wow, I wonder how much it costs to stay here...” He muttered.

  Surprisingly, it was Daniel who answered.

  “About 4000 dollars per night.”

  “That’s so expensive!”

  “It’s only a bit above average. Lots of worse places in the area.” Daniel said, shrugging.

  The teenage girl threw a surprised glance at Daniel for his knowledge, but remained silent as she approached the elevator and hit the call button. After they entered the girl hit the button for the 5th floor, the highest floor. After a few moments of quiet ascent, Daniel decided to break the silence.

  “Say, can I ask you something?” He said to the girl.

  The teenage girl discretely pointed her finger at a security camera in the corner of the elevator. Daniel nodded to show he understood. Matters of aliens and the princess war were better not discussed in public. He shot a look at Michael, who quietly put a hand over the pocket Petra was hiding in.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  “So, the person we’re meeting is on the top floor?” That seemed a safe enough talking point.

  “Her parents are the biggest investors of this place.” The girl said, nodding. “She’s practically a regular here.”

  Daniel was curious about that last part, but before he could ask further, the elevator dinged and the doors opened. They stepped through and walked down the long hallway before stopping by a particular room. Through the glass on the door they could just about see a sleeping figure, along with a nurse standing by the bed. The girl pressed a card against the doorknob, and they could hear a beep as something was released.

  “Keycard.” She said, showing them the white rectangular card. “Now, when you see her... don’t be too surprised.”

  As they entered the room the nurse looked up with a vigilant expression, but her face relaxed as soon as she saw who was in the lead. The teenage girl gave her a nod of acknowledgement.

  “How is she?” She asked.

  “She’s doing well. I’ve just had her IV replaced, and I finished massaging her muscles.”

  “Thank you.” The teenager said, smiling softly.

  “And these are?” The nurse asked, looking at Michael and Daniel.

  “Just some friends, you don’t need to worry about them. Could I... Have some alone time with her?”

  The nurse looked at them suspiciously, but acquiesced to the girl’s request, taking a hand cart with her as she left the room. The teenage girl watched her go.

  “There are no cameras here, you can come out now.”

  Petra rocketed out of Michael’s pocket with an excited yelp and an exaggerated gulp of air.

  “Woo, you really need to wash your jacket, Michael! Now where-”

  The fairy’s tirade was cut short as she saw who was on the bed. Daniel and Michael acted the same, stopping dead in their tracks not long after they approached.

  There was a girl sleeping peacefully on the bed, her long brown hair splaying out on the pillow. Her eyes were closed, and her face was thin and gaunt. The blue hospital gown on her body did nothing to hide her thin arms and frail figure. Despite all this, her face looked almost exactly the same as the girl they had come in with, only it was more sunken. They all turned to the brown-haired girl with questions in their eyes. Looking at the sleeping girl with a resigned expression, Penelope sighed.

  “This is the real Penelope Pepper.” She said bluntly. “Or, I guess I should say Penelope Perozo.”

  Michael and Daniel were stunned. Petra hovered in the air, alternating between looking at the sleeping and standing girls.

  “Oh my gosh... but, what did- who- how could this even happen!?” She said excitedly.

  She was a little too enthusiastic for the somber mood, but she asked the question everyone wanted answered. The teenage girl sighed softly as she stepped gingerly towards the bed. She sat down on the edge before gently grasping the sleeping girl’s hand. There was a powerful mix of emotions on her face – concern, sadness and guilt most prominent among them.

  “We... have a name for our race, but I can't tell it to you. We don't always communicate with words. Other races call us Dream Eaters. We dream eaters can enter someone’s consciousness through their eyes – by converting our thoughts into signals, we use the human eye’s ability to process visual data to enter their minds. Of course, I’m a little special.

  “It's hard to explain why... but I can go from eye to eye, from one person to another, and I can bounce along just like that. If my original host looks into someone else’s eyes, I can transfer into them.

  “I wouldn’t do this normally; it’s too exhausting and a little pointless to do, most of the time. But I was looking for someone. A partner. I found Penelope... Penny.”

  The young girl smiled at the sleeping figure.

  “She was bright, cheerful, and kind. But her body had always been weak. She’d been in and out of the hospital since childhood, sometimes for short periods of time, sometimes longer.

  “Even when she’s healthy, her parents kept her cooped up in her room most of the time.” She shrugged. “This room is probably more familiar to her than her primary school.”

  Michael and Daniel stood by in rapt attention, and even the energetic Petra was listening without a single interjection. It was clear to them how much the sleeping girl meant to her.

  “She has big dreams, you know. Dreams about being an astronaut, an explorer, a rock star surrounded by thousands of screaming fans... But she would always wake up in her bed. Alone.

  “And then, about a year ago, she met me. The person who could make her dreams come true.”

  Her voice had taken on a bitter turn.

  “A dream eater’s physical body is like a mirror. I could make my body like hers. Take her name, live her life for her, and then show it to her in her dreams.”

  Her hand took on a reflective sheen, catching the sunlight that streamed through the window by the bed.

  “We're natural born actors, so it was easy. Though, as a princess of my people walking down the streets like a normal person was a fresh experience. I just... lived, like she wanted. Going on walks, visiting restaurants, petting animals... And then one day, I got scouted by a talent agency, and I accepted.

  “Next thing I know I’m on stage singing to thousands of fans. I’m eating sweets at fancy cafes. I’m talking to celebrities, taking breaks at resorts. Life was good, and I was happy. She was happy. She was famous, and active, and she had so many friends... And that’s the world she’s trapped in. The one I lived in her place, the one I made for her.

  “The world that made the real one not worth living in. The world where she doesn't have to wake up feeling sick. The world where... she’s not just some weak girl living in the hospital.”

  She lifted the sleeping girl’s hand and pressed it against her forehead.

  “I’m sorry, Penny.” She said softly.