Chapter 1
Hitomi tossed back and forth, unable to find a restful night's sleep. The dream that was causing the unrest, wasn't anything new. One could almost call this dream a nightmare. For months now, every time Hitomi fell asleep the same thing happened. The dream always starts out with Hitomi enveloped by a brilliant light. Then just as something amazing is about to happen, the whole experience stops and drops her a cold, dark familiar place.
Who in their right mind would put up with this? Hitomi thought every morning, as she woke up to a splitting head ache, and feeling like she could crawl in a hole and die.
It was not that long ago that she was walking home from the market near her apartment, that Hitomi swears she saw something. More than something, she saw someone from a life time ago. Since that day, Hitomi has been plagued by the unruly dreams.
The annoying buzz of the alarm jolted Hitomi from her thoughts. The alarm reminded her of the promise she made to show up to work. It had been five long years since the promise of a new life, was ripped from her grasp. Since then Hitomi reconnected with a grandparent, and lost them shortly after. through all the grief and pain Hitomi convinced herself that it could get better.
As she shuffled around the apartment getting ready for work, something shiny draws Hitomi's attention. 'what that hell is that?' she wondered, as she picked up the oddly shaped stone. Looking closer at the stone, Hitomi noticed something even more strange. The stone was missing a good chunk from the one side. "I don't have time for this weird crap!" Hitomi said loudly under her breath. She threw the stone into her messenger bag, and ran out the door.
Meanwhile in Gaia….
Van slowly stirs from whats left of a good dream. As he opens his eyes, he finds someone in his bed.
"Hey! Get your ass out of my bed right now!" Van bellowed.
"You promised you would be so mean." Merle said.
"Well, I changed my mind." Van replied, while using kicking Merle out of his bed.
Time had not been kind to Van. In the five years since he said good bye to Hitomi, he became more and more bitter and angry.
This morning felt like every other morning Van had experienced. What made today so different was small piece of stone. This morning that small piece of rock was emitting a steady long hum.
"Where the hell!? Who put that in here?" Van wondered aloud. Before he could think any more about the stone, Merle interrupted him with breakfast. Van could wolf down his breakfast fast enough, something kept telling him Hurry! Hurry! Before it's too late.
Back on earth…
The closer Hitomi got to work, the louder the voice in her head told her to turn around. She had somewhere else to go, somewhere else to be. She couldn't explain it. The stone was vibrating in her messenger bag, and telling her where to go … somehow.
