Strange New World

Chapter 2

Clara woke to sunlight spilling through a huge window, soft and golden, but everything else felt unreal. The floor beneath her was smooth and warm, not the dirt and grass she had known. The air smelled of flowers and something sweet she couldn’t name.

Her knees buckled as she swung her legs off the bed. For a moment, she thought she was still dreaming—maybe the fire, the screams, the violence had been a nightmare. But the pendant her grandmother had pressed into her hands burned faintly against her chest, reminding her that it had all been real.

A soft knock at the door made her jump. “Clara? Good morning,” said a gentle voice. A woman stood there, smiling but cautious. She was tall, dressed in light silk, with an air of quiet authority. Behind her, a man in a sharp suit shifted nervously, his eyes darting between Clara and the room.

Clara’s throat went dry. “I… I don’t know… where I am,” she whispered.

The man stepped forward, hands raised slightly. “It’s alright. You’re safe here. My name is Mr. Henderson, and this is my wife, Mrs. Henderson. You… you just appeared in our garden last night. We don’t know how. But we can help you.”

Clara’s eyes widened. She wanted to ask how they could even explain her arrival, but words failed her. “I… I don’t know how I got here,” she admitted, her voice trembling.

Mrs. Henderson’s expression softened. “That’s alright, dear. You’re frightened. That’s natural. Come, eat something. Then we can figure out what to do.”

The food smelled strange but comforting. Clara hesitated, then took a small sip of tea. Warmth spread through her, and for a moment, she almost forgot the horrors of last night. Almost. After breakfast, the Hendersons decided to show her around the house. Clara’s eyes widened at every turn—rooms larger than any home she had ever known, mirrors reflecting a world she didn’t recognize, gadgets she couldn’t name.

“Do you always live like this?” she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Mr. Henderson chuckled. “It’s… normal for us, I suppose. But it must be overwhelming for you.”

Then Mrs. Henderson added softly, “You’ll get used to it. You have time. For now, just take it slow.”

Clara nodded, but her mind was racing. The shadows she had seen outside last night, the villains from her village—they weren’t far behind. She could feel it, faintly, like a cold whisper against her skin.

As they walked through the study, Clara froze. A young man was bent over one of the strange devices, fingers moving with rapid precision. He looked up, startled, then stopped. His gaze fixed on Clara, sharp and curious, with a hint of awe.

“You must be Clara,” he said carefully, adjusting his glasses. “I’m Mike. I… handle the tech here. And, well… I think you just made my morning a lot more interesting.”

Clara blinked. “I… I don’t belong here. I shouldn’t even be—”

Mike gave a small, understanding smile. “I get it. You feel out of place. You’re not crazy, and you’re not imagining things. There’s… something about you. Something powerful. Don’t be afraid to take your time.”

Clara’s heart skipped. That spark—the warmth that had pushed her through time—was still faintly glowing beneath her skin. How could he know? How could anyone even sense it?

Before she could ask, a soft hum vibrated through the floor. Clara froze, staring at the polished tiles. Mike’s eyes narrowed.

“That… that’s not normal,” he muttered, fingers flying across a panel. Screens lit up, showing small, flickering energy readings. “Something… or someone… is out there.”

Clara swallowed hard. She recognized the feeling immediately—the same energy from last night. Her heartbeat quickened. The villains were here. Somehow, they had followed her into this strange, bright world.

Mike stood and moved closer to her. “Clara, whatever this is… we need to be careful. I don’t know what it is yet, but I can feel it too. You’re not alone. And we’ll figure it out.”

Clara nodded, gripping the pendant. “I… I don’t know if I’m ready.”

“You will be,” Mike said firmly. “We’ll take it one step at a time.”

They spent the next hour exploring the house. Clara tried to absorb everything—the humming machines, the strange boxes that opened with buttons, the rooms that seemed to go on forever. Every so often, she felt the faint prickling of danger at the edges of her awareness, like tiny shadows moving just beyond sight.

Then, just as she was beginning to relax, a sudden chill swept through the study. The lights flickered for a second. Clara’s chest tightened.

Mike noticed it immediately. “Did you feel that?”

Clara nodded. “Someone… or something… is outside. Watching.”

Mike’s face hardened. “Good. That means my instincts aren’t lying. We need to stay sharp. Whoever’s out there… they’re looking for you.”

The pendant pulsed faintly again against her chest, like a heartbeat. Clara pressed it closer, trying to steady herself. She had survived fire, death, and time itself. Surely she could survive this new world.

But deep down, she knew one thing: her past wasn’t finished with her. And whatever shadows had followed her into the city were already plotting their next move.

A faint noise from the garden made her turn. It's just a flicker of movement, too quick to identify.

Her pulse quickened.

“They’re close,” she whispered.

Mike’s eyes met hers. “And they’re not waiting.”

Outside, the city shone like gold and glass, alive and indifferent. But in its streets and alleys, hidden among the lights, something moved. Watching.

—END OF CHAPTER 2—

A flicker in the garden caught Clara’s eye. “They’re close,” she whispered.