"What? How? What do you mean?" I asked with a confused look on my face.

"This was part of my work with the company." She replied vaguely.

"Okay? Didn't you tell me that you were supposed to do a device and that's it?"

"Yeah, the device was tested here."

"What is the purpose of the device?"

"To control minds into doing something."

"So, all the people that are in there are being brainwashed slowly?"

"Kind of."

"But they're not doing anything, how do they brainwash them?"

"The trees that are surrounding them aren't actual trees. They are devices that send rays to the brain which will make them do specific things. That's why when people go into the forest they don't come back."

"But I didn't feel anything weird happening to me."

"Well, you were staring at me weirdly when I first came in."

"What do you mean by weirdly? I was waiting for you to shoot that guy."

"What guy?"

"The guy that was holding a gun."

"So, it did get to you in the end."

"What? I'm confused."

"There was no man, those were just the rays that got into your brain."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah."

"But what about the mud? And the fire?"

I looked down at my clothes and they were perfectly clean. That means it was all just an illusion. There were no trees burning, no mud that is pushing me down. How didn't I notice this? That's why people don't get back. The illusions control their minds into killing themselves. That's awful. I almost killed myself.

"Lyn?" She asked.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I was just connecting the dots."

"I know it's too much to take in, but that's the truth."

"We need to get them out of there."

"Get who out of there?"

"There was a girl called Lara and two other guys that were there too. I wasn't alone."

"Lyn, you still don't get it, do you?"

"What?"

"Those were just the rays that got into your brain. You were alone. There was no one there."

"How could you be so sure?"

"Because I created this device."

"You said that it was tested there."

"Yeah, it was tested and applied there."

"Then why were they chasing you?"

"They want the last piece of the device."

"Does that mean that it's not complete yet?"

"Yeah, it's still not done. So, they want me to finish it for them. But I didn't know that they were consuming the device in such a way. The moment I knew about it, I stopped working for them."

"Take me to Branklin."

"Are you sure you want to go there? You don't want to go home first?"

"Are you serious? Branklin is home."

"But it's midnight Lyn."

"I know, but I need to go there."

"Alright."

She turned around and drove the other way. Sleep decided to visit me on this journey. My eyes were missing sleep. In seconds, I was in dreamland. Maria was standing in the middle of the woods staring at me creepily. She was running towards me with a knife in her hand.

"You didn't help me." She shouted.

"I'm sorry," I replied.

"Sorry won't save me."

"I didn't know about it."

"I'll get rid of you, just like how you got rid of me."

"No, please. No."

"You deserve to die."

"Lara. No."

She stabbed me and started laughing loudly. My eyes unconnected with each other. That was a terrible nightmare. I was still in the car, but we weren't moving. I looked at April and she was sleeping. She must've parked on the side of the road so we can rest a bit before going into Branklin. I opened the door and stood on the side of the road witnessing the gorgeous landscape that surrounded the road. I've never been here before.

I never thought that there were mountains near Branklin. The mountains were perfectly drawn, it's like I'm witnessing a masterpiece. The view was definitely breath-taking. The breeze in the air made the view much more enjoyable. My lungs were inhaling the freshest air it ever got. The car was supporting my back as I leaned on it.

"Good morning." Said April as she stood by me.

"Good morning," I replied with a smile.

"So, enjoying the view?"

"Yeah, it's a great view. I didn't know that Branklin had places with such views."

"These are the areas that we're not allowed to go to as Branklin citizens, but we can as citizens of Trinel."

"Probably."

"It's awful how discrimination invaded humans' minds."

"Yeah, it is."

"Do you think Branklin changed after we moved out?"

"Branklin will never change. It's always the same."

"It kind of is always the same."

"So, should we get moving?"

"I think we should."

"Alright, let's go."

"I think it takes less than an hour if we go down this road."

"Yeah okay. I'll drive."

"No. No, it's fine. I can drive."

"You're probably tired. I'll drive. You can enjoy the view."

"As you wish."

I sat in the drivers' seat and started driving. I followed the navigation that displayed the route to Branklin. The masterpiece continued as we drove down the road. I wanted to get to Branklin as soon as possible. I missed my mom's warm hugs. I missed my sister's sweet laugh. I missed my dad's wise pieces of advice. I wonder if the house is still there. I wonder if the neighborhood is still the same. Many illusions visited my imagination of how the place will look like. I don't know what their reaction will be. Will they be happy to see me?

"Lyn." Said April interrupting my thoughts.

"Yes?" I replied.

"Do you think your parents will be excited to see you?"

"Of course, they will."

"Will they know you?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean like after all the changes with your clothes and stuff, will they recognize you?"

"Are you seriously asking me this question?"

"Yeah, I'm serious."

"A shirt and some skinny jeans won't change how a person looks like. It didn't change me from the inside nor from the outside."

"Oh, that's nice to hear. And speaking of the shirt and jeans, you look like you're wearing a Darth Vader costume."

"Why?"

"From all the mud and the nasty stuff that are on it, I mean look at how disgusting that thing has become."

"Oh yeah, I totally forgot about that."

"I'll stop at the next gas station for you to change. God, that thing smells like shit."

"Stop it, it's not that bad."

"Oh, it's way worse."

"Okay, then stop at the next gas station."

"Oh, I will."

"Still, how a person looks shouldn't change their inner soul."

"True."

"I'm just so nervous to see them,"

"Why are you nervous? You should be excited."

"Because I don't know how they'll react. Plus, I don't really know if I'll see them or not."

"Why wouldn't you see them? You came all this way to see them."

"I don't know what Elvira did to them. I didn't come all this way just for them."

"Then, why did you want to go to Branklin?"

"To unleash the truth."

"The truth to what?"

"The truth to everything."

"You're scaring me. What does that mean?"

"I need to know how everything started. To know that, I need to start with my parents."

"How are your parents related to this?"

"They must've known something, but hid it from me."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because it's impossible for Dyrlisia to know so much about my life without the involvement of my parents."

"Maybe they've been following you, that's it."

"Even if they followed me, it still doesn't make any sense."

"Why not?"

"They had access to a lot of personal stuff in my life."

"I don't think your parents are involved in this. Don't make them worry about you."

"April, I need to know the truth. This is my right."

"I know that it's your right, but sometimes not knowing the truth is better."

"I can't live like this."

"Lyn, life is an endless field of surprises, you can't know the surprises all at once. You wait patiently for the right time to come, so you can reveal them. So, don't make a big deal out of nothing."

"I'm not making it a big deal, it is a big deal."

"No, it's not. You're working in a company that has data about you, how is that a problem?"

"You haven't seen the files that I saw earlier. If you saw them, you wouldn't say what you're saying right now."

"Which files?"

"They had a file filled with my pictures when I was younger all the way till this point."

"This is probably the effect of the rays on you."

"Oh my god, you can't be serious."

"Lyn, I'm not trying to make you doubt everything, but these rays are quite powerful."

"I can't believe it. I saw it right in front of me."

"You're a bioengineer, you should be able to know the effect of rays on a person's brain."

"Exactly, because I'm a bioengineer, I don't agree with what you're saying."

"There's a gas station here, I think they have some clothes in there. Go find anything and change that nasty costume of yours." She said as she parked the car right in front of the gas station.

"Alright, alright. Chill." I said as I got out of the car.

I entered the gas station, and thank God, they had some clothes. I kept looking for decent t-shirts but didn't find any. I found a cheap white t-shirt, and some black ripped jeans. I took grabbed them quickly, bought them, and went to the bathroom and changed. I didn't even both taking that shirt and jeans I just threw them away. I finished in a few minutes and got back to the car.

"Wow, now we're talking." She said as she stared at my outfit.

"C'mon it's just a white t-shirt and some cheap jeans," I replied.

"You still look good."

"Thanks."

"I honestly didn't know how to tell you that thing smells bad and looks way worse."

"Oh, so that's why you asked that question? Smart."

"Kinda, yeah." She said as she laughed.

"Wow," I replied with amazement.

She drove away from the gas station back to the route.

"We're almost there."

"Cool. How much time is left?"

"About fifteen minutes."

"Finally."

"Yeah."

The fifteen minutes traveled alongside my excitement. My excitement was indescribable. I wanted to hug them all so tight. I was imagining the warm hug that I'll get from my mom. I didn't know what to expect honestly, but all I know is that I've never been this excited.

"We're here. Just tell me where your house is." Said April.

"Oh, yeah sure. It's right around the corner actually." I replied.

I guided the way to my house. We were finally there, right in front of my actual house. What was weird is that it wasn't burned or anything, it was the same. I was surprised by that, I haven't been away for much for the renovation to be so quick.

Usually, renovations in Branklin takes about two months or so. I started thinking of what happened to the house. But I won't let my questions interrupt this special moment that I'm about to have with my family.

"What are you waiting? Get out of the car, and go in," she said.

"It's weird because the house was supposed to be burnt, but it's not," I replied.

"Why is it supposed to be burnt?"

"Because a huge fire started the last time I was here."

"Oh, I didn't know that."

"Well, now you know."

"Yeah, but don't let this ruin your moment. C'mon get out there."

"Yeah, you're right. You should come with me though."

"No, why would I come with you?"

"Because you got me here in the first place. Without you, I wouldn't be able to meet them. Plus, I really want to introduce you to them. They'll love you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, of course, I am."

"Alright. As you wish."

"C'mon."

I opened the door and got out of the car. I was inspecting the house as April made her way out of the car. I took a dose of fresh air and knocked on the wooden door. I was so happy that I finally made it here. The sound of the footsteps visited my ears, so did the sound of the door opening.

I wanted to know who was behind that door so bad. I just couldn't wait. It didn't take long for that person to come to the light. The door opened, and my mom was standing right in front of me. A smile was automatically drawn on my face.

"Mom," I said as I rushed to hug her. I hugged her tight. Her warm hug still felt the same, nothing changed. As I was about to introduce her to April, she pushed me away.

"Who are you?" She said with a confused face.