'Sonia...'

Sonia groaned and yanked the warm and cosy quilt around her closer.

'Sonia...'

She sighed in her sleep and knew within seconds that her ordeal was definitely not just a dream. 

'What time is it?' she mumbled with her eyes closed.

'It's time to get up o'clock,' replied Eric.  Sonia smirked.  The cheeky boy she met at the bookstore was back.  No more bad mood Eric.  She opened her eyes and found darkness.  It was still dark outside.

'Shouldn't we wait to head off when it's light outside?' she groaned.  A chuckle came from the corner of the room.

'You're definitely not a morning person,' he laughed.

'Morning?' laughed Sonia, 'it's still night outside!'  

'Get up!  I want you to witness the beautiful sunrise my world has to offer.'

*

An hour later Sonia was sitting on top of a large rock on a small hill.  

The hill was positioned just a meadow away from the forest surrounding Eric's home.  The hill overlooked miles upon miles of forest to the South, lake Clair to the West, vast mountains capped with snowto the North and more forest and fields to the East.  It was dark when Sonia first reached the hill.  Eric had lit a lantern and the light showed them the path.  

The air felt crisp and cold. Living in a city, Sonia forgot what fresh air felt like.  

Now the edges of the sky was slowly turning light and an orange and pink hue peaked out from behind the mountain ranges.  Birds started to sing from the forest behind them.  

The sky was turning lighter and the edge of the sun was now crawling into view.  Sonia could now see the landscape properly around her.  She gasped with awe.

'It's beautiful,' she whispered.  A stream trickled from the mountains to the lake.  A herd of deers were grazing in the meadow.  Sonia turned to Eric and watched his blonde hair turn a copper colour under the morning sky.

'You're so lucky to live here,' she told him.  Eric smiled.

'I know,' he replied.  He crouched down and rummaged through the two backpacks they had carried.  They were filled with sleeping bags, spare change of clothes and basic toiletries.  Sonia was thankful for the change of clothes, even if they were boy clothes.  Trekking through the country wearing her pyjamas would have looked odd.  Finally Eric found what he was looking for and produced a flask.  

'Would you like some hot chocolate?' he asked.  Sonia grinned.

'Yes please!'  He twisted the large lid of the flask and poured some into the lid, then passed the lid to Sonia.  'Thank you,' said Sonia.  She wrapped her fingers around the steaming mug and enjoyed the warmth spreading from her fingers to her limbs.

Eric sat back on the rock and took a sip from the flask.

'Can I ask you a few questions?' he asked.

'Sure, only if I can ask you some too?'

'Deal,' he said whilst grinning.  Eric thought for a moment then opened his mouth again, 'back at the lake, you told me that you've met me before, are you sure?'  Sonia nodded.

'Positive.  It was yesterday.  My dad took me to the bookstore, the local one in our town.  I was reading the blurb of a book when you jumped out of nowhere and started to recommend me a book.'  Eric scowled and looked down at the steam coming out of his flask.

'What book did I recommend?' he asked.

'The Underground Palace by Alexandra Ramsay.'  Eric shook his head.

'Never heard of it.'

'Really?  You told me it was really good and you were right.  I think it has to be one of my favourites.  It is so good!'  Eric fell silent, he was in deep concentration.

'I'm positive the boy I saw yesterday was you.  He was wearing shorts and a holey t-shirt.  He was exactly like you but ... a little more cockier.  He was really confident and quite cheeky.  It was like ... it was like he knew me.'  At this, Eric looked up and stared at Sonia.

'It's strange.  It definitely wasn't me."  They fell silent and Sonia pondered about the boy she met.  Everything was so confusing, which brought back a memory of the demon falling to the bookcase in her home.

"What was that thing you were fighting at my home?" she asked.

"Ah, yeah, that thing.  That's a really long story," started Eric and he took a long drink from flask, "but since we have lots of time today I guess I could tell you.

'This world,' began Eric, 'it seems perfect but it's not. Three quarters of the land is beautiful. But one quarter is dead. The land beyond Lake Clair belongs to a man named Master. No one knows what his real name is. He's ruthless to say the least. He takes life out of every breathing organism, literally. That's why the land around his castle is ashen and black. 

'He has an army of demons. Alps, trolls, imps, goblins, vultures, changelings - every demon worships Master. He sent that invisible demon to kill me. Master loathes the fact I have the ability to read myself into any book I want and he can't."

Eric watched Sonia slowly process all the information.  Her face was unreadable.  Eric continued, 'every few weeks or so I take a trip to the library and read some books and take some home.  The demon approached me when I was walking home, through the forest, near sunset.  It was vicious.  It jumped out of nowhere and I knew the only way to escape was if I read myself into a book.  I flipped to a random page in your book, started reading and found myself in your living room.  With that stubborn ass demon attached to my back."

"But I thought you told Geoffrey that the book was in your room, not in the forest?" asked Sonia.  Eric grimaced.

"Yeah, that was a white lie I told him back there.  Please don't tell him.  If he knew Master was sending demons out to kill me in our section of this world old Geoff would go marching to Master's castle and try and kill him."

Sonia slowly nodded and took a sip of her hot chocolate.  Her cup was nearly empty.  

'Why couldn't I see it?  The demon?' she asked.

'It's a good thing you couldn't see it.  It meant it couldn't see you too.  That type of demon was a foedari.  Imagine a zombie with vulture like DNA.  Stick thin but super strong, red eyes, teeth like a shark and nails like knives.  It can only see humans who are on Master's death wish list.'

'It sounds horrible,' said Sonia.  Eric nodded and gazed out at the landscape.  He looked deep in thought.

'This man, Master, if he hates you so much why does he send his minions to do his dirty work?  Why doesn't he kill you himself?'  For the first time since the grim discussion started Eric smiled a little.

'He can't.  He's bound to his land.  The Author of this world wrote it so.'

'That's lucky,' laughed Sonia.  

'Indeed it is,' he agreed.  Eric stood to his feet and finished the last remains of his hot chocolate.  Sonia finished hers too.  They packed the flask away and Eric gathered the backpack onto his back.

'Are you ready for a full day of walking?' he asked Sonia whilst grinning.  Sonia groaned.  Her limbs ached at the thought of it.

'No!' she replied frowning.  Eric laughed.

'How about if I tell you that if we make steady progress this morning, we might just reach a majestic waterfall by late afternoon that has perfect swimming temperatures?'

Sonia's eyes lit up.

'For real?'  Eric grinned and nodded.

'For real,' he confirmed.  

'I love swimming!' she declared.

'Well then,' said Eric.  He lifted her backpack up and held it out to her, 'let's get going.'