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    So I''d been with Jen. And we''d hit up some bars. I tried to scour my mind for any more information it could come up with. It was unlike me to drink too much. I liked to think of myself as a fairly responsible person. Never before could I not remember what happened the night before.


    He had a point. But fuck, I never drink more than maybe a beer if I''m the driver. Its not like I never got tempted, but I was certain that I wouldn''t drive drunk.


    How the hell did it get here, into this increasingly weird dream?


    She really was beautiful.


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    "What do you want?" I snapped, my frustration seeping through my words.


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    A sly smile curved on her lips as she took a step closer, her presence becoming more overpowering. "My, oh my, someone is in a foul mood today," she whispered, her voice a tantalizing caress. Despite my instincts urging me to move away, I found myself frozen in place as she reached out, her fingertips delicately grazing my cheek. A shiver ran down my spine, a mixture of both apprehension and a strange, undeniable allure.


    "I want nothing, my dear," she continued. "It is you who desires something, or rather, you''re going to want something. And when that day arrives, you will think of me. You will know deep in your soul that only I can grant you what you seek."


    I couldn''t move. I couldn''t speak. Come to think of it, I couldn''t even breathe. Not that it mattered in a dream, but still. My thoughts were racing to make sense of the situation, but I couldn''t focus. She was too close, too much for my thoughts to work out.


    Uncaring to my internal struggle she continued. "Your world, Joshua, has been chosen," she declared, her voice carrying a mix of excitement and grandiosity. "Isn''t it simply marvelous? Your humble, magicless backwater is destined for far greater things. Yes, the path ahead may be tumultuous during this transitional period, but fear not, for the rewards that await you shall exceed your wildest imagination."


    With a casual turn, she began to walk away, her presence receding like a wisp of smoke. "But for now, my dear, it is time for you to wake. Someone is waiting at your door," she added, her words punctuated by a snap of her fingers. In an instant, everything plunged into darkness, engulfing me entirely.