Nothing...I don't want to make this weird.

“You look sharp, is all,” you tell Flora.

She works a smile at you and then cleans her teeth before side-stepping to avoid stepping on your toes. Once inside, you both go back to your room and sit down. Flora shivers as she hugs herself, mumbling to herself in Dutch. Awkward silence builds, and then you kick your legs up.

“Do you know any good card games?” Flora asks. “

“You ever heard of the game called caravan?”

She’s about to answer when Amara comes out from one of the rooms with her hands on her hips. She’s fresh out of the shower. Her skin was still clean, and her hair dripped with water. “I’m going to bed. So you two should too.”

Flora stands up. “Can we talk before I go to bed?”

“No,” Amara says flatly. “Maybe tomorrow, but I’m too tired to have any serious conversations.”

You shift your weight awkwardly and yawn. “When do we need to be ready tomorrow?”

Amara clicks her tongue. “Ah, finally. A question I like to be asked…”

She regards both you and Flora. “I’d like to be out of here by noon. Foot traffic will be busy enough that no one is going to notice a group of our size going into alleys, so enjoy and sleep in you two.”

Flora doesn’t look pleased but nods anyway. Amara continued. “Listen, you two will be sharing a room, so please don’t touch either.”

“Not in my wildest dreams,” Flora yawns. “He can control himself.”

…

…

For two hours, you had laid in the same bed with Flora as she soundly slept. She was probably out as soon as her head hit the pillow. The silence of the room rang in your ears as you stared at the ceiling. You filtered through your storage of memories as you thought about all the other places you had been when you couldn’t sleep.

Only, this time was different. Sure, you had slept in the same bed with a girl before, but they were usually prostitutes, not someone so innocent and background heavy. Flora shuffled, taking most of the blanket with her as she rolled away from you. You sighed and turned your back from her. Now Flora was flooding your mind, and she remained in your mind as you drifted off to sleep...

...You begin to dream lucid dreams. Bright colors fill your vision as intense subjects take place in your head. They feel so natural you forget all about the weird things happening in the background believe you’re experiencing these unfolding events.

Eventually, your dream melts, and you somehow end up in a city that you are unfamiliar with. But you see, it still astonishes you. The massive city you are now in the middle of is unbroken and clean. Skyscrapers in pristine condition reflect the electric glow of the lights and passing cars. It’s nighttime, so everything is ignited in brilliant colors.

Cars? You turn and watch working automobiles, which are in immaculate shape, stream in the streets, making it lively with life. The vehicles are painted in shiny coats of blues, reds, and whites. You step back to watch them, but you run into someone—a woman wearing a dress and a heavy overcoat. You make eye contact, and the woman smiles and apologizes before continuing down the sidewalk. You realize there are more people here. You’re surrounded by pleasant-looking folk that is dressed in fancy clothes. Black three-piece suits, elegant dresses, skirts, and blouses. Golden jewelry and reflective watches and chains of silver.

Above all is a sense of order and harmony, though. You reach down to disarm yourself but find that your attire has also changed. No uniform and cloak. No dark jeans or a T-shirt. You’re also in a suit, tailored for your body: it fits you like a glove. A car begins to park beside you. It’s an excellent-looking vehicle with tinted windows. You stare into your reflection and catch your breath. You look good. Really, really good! Your hair is trimmed and brushed, styled and clean. Your tie is black, and your blazer is ironed. Your dress shirt makes the ties and jacket stand out like it was somehow different from all the other 3-piece suits you had seen. Your eyes also twinkled innocently. You leaned in and squinted. They looked young, healthy, unmolested by witnessing **** and destruction.

The window you were using as a mirror begins to roll down. The figure in the driver’s seat is one you are familiar with. But, then, you’re thrown into a pool of peace, and you can’t help but smile and shout. “Oh, Astrid!”

Astrid smiles too. Her smile is inhumanly bright but holy and perfect. She steps out and hugs you, and you hug her back. Your heart flutters, and you squeeze her. Your eyes travel the world around you, blink and push away. “Am I…is this heaven?”

Astrid giggles and shakes her head. “No, Warren. This isn’t heaven, but I’ll give you a star for trying.”

You study Astrid entirely for the first time. Her blonde hair is cascading down her shoulders as it frames her face. Her blue eyes stick out as usual, and the light makeup compliments her angelic features. Yet, she looks different somehow, more human and natural. You stammer, stepping back more. She isn’t dressed like the other people you have seen: jeans, boots, a green coat over a plain white shirt, and a gray beanie. Happiness unravels in your bloodstream. “You look gorgeous!”

Astrid blushes. “You’re looking pretty sharp yourself.”

You blush even harder and stuff your hands in your pockets, speechless and unsure if you could ever pay her back for her compliment.

“Where are my manners?” She sighs and straightens herself. She wrinkles her nose and grabs your hand. “Am I welcome here? In your mind?” She smiles at you. Hopefully, her hand reaches for your to hold on to her. Fire hugs your face so tightly that it burns away perversions and impurities. Astrid is so above your league you feel embarrassed to even talk to her, even in the state you are right now.

You swallow and let out a stupid-sounding laugh. “Of course you are! I oughtta be asking you if you even want to be here.” You squeeze her hand back and tug on her to follow you.

You and Astrid begin to run down the sidewalk in a directionless pattern. You both start laughing without reason. You feel young and lively. Your innocence was forgotten somewhere on the road to adulthood, but it was here all along in the depths of your mind. Eventually, your aimless running brought you to a park populated with people that seemed to be living their lives too.

Puffs some smoke leaves your mouths as you pant. Your cheeks are red, and your noses are pinched by the cold you weren’t aware of until just then. “Don’t think…don’t you think that this missing something?” Astrid asks, gesturing to the sky.

Your eyes screw up, and you shake your head. “What is missing?”

There were decorations around the park. For example, golden lights weren’t festive, but they indicated winter. Astrid looked into your eyes with her blue eyes watched you as your mind worked. What is missing? You looked down, feeling a little stupid at first, but then thought: snow!

Snow gently started to fall, but the landscape quickly changed with mounds of white. The temperature didn’t change, but the mood certainly did. It felt romantic, and the world around you became more photogenic.

You begin to worry, and your expression shows it. You didn’t want to wake up right now. The city’s light flickered briefly, but Astrid brought your attention back to her. “Don’t worry. You won’t wake up soon. Let’s enjoy the time we have with each other, though, OK?”

The city glows in its now-familiar hue once more when you focus on Astrid. The people who occupy your mind seem to have noticed the flutter of electricity but return to normal once everything brightens. You wonder how much of this world is fiction and which parts are shared…

A couple of inches of snow have accumulated around you by the time you return to this so-called reality. For a moment, you feel so cold you consider wishing for a coat, but then Astrid wraps herself around you. “Come on. Snap out of it.” You close your eyes and feel your body become slightly heavier. A scarf is around your neck, and your hands are gloved — a coat has suited itself over you too.

But it’s Astrid that warms you. Her tangled body provides no corrupt thoughts, just comfort, and ease. The anxiety caused by your thoughts made you grossly human and ****. None of the matters, however. Not right now, at least. You’re squeezed, and your ears are greeted with an angelic sound: Astrid’s giggling. “Let’s keep moving.”

There is no reason to deny her suggestion, so you unfreeze yourself and break the hug to continue your meaningless quest. You continue to hold hands, however, making small talk like you.

The park is beautiful, and there seem to be a lot of couples here.

You continue to walk down the city without worry. Occasionally, you sneak a glance at your beautiful Angel every couple of seconds to study her — her eyes flashing from the lights around you, giving her more human appearance a surreal glow. She catches you staring a few times and wrinkles her face at you. It feels like you’ve been dating her for years, yet you hardly know anything about her.

There’s so much of her to admire, too much of her to appreciate in your lifetime. But, again, you were staring, entranced by her. She gasps and points. “An ice rink! Can you skate?”