That single thought pounded in her head.
Emerging from the alley, Nia froze, staring in awe at the scene before her. A city. But not like she imagined it. Or rather, like she thought she imagined it. Tall, warped buildings, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow. Flying cars darting between them like fireflies. Huge screens broadcasting unimaginable images.
This isn't my world. She knew it in her gut. But whose is it then? Surprise turned to anxiety. Where is everyone? Why is no one noticing me? She was like a ghost in this shimmering, but cold city. Gathering the remnants of her will, Nia stepped into the nearest building. A large hall filled with people, or rather, their imitations. All were glued to screens hanging right in front of their faces or manipulating something with their fingers in the air. No one talked, laughed, or paid attention to each other. They moved like programmed robots, each in their own digital world.
Nia walked along the wall, trying not to attract attention, feeling alien and lost. She peered into the windows of strange little shops, trying to understand what they were selling. Some glowing capsules, strange devices with lots of buttons, food that looked like colorful plasticine. The prices were listed in some incomprehensible symbols: "50 TM," "100 TM." What was that? Currency? But it meant nothing to her. In one of the windows, between the glowing capsules and the plasticine-food, she saw her reflection. Long chestnut hair, slightly below her waist, framed an oval face. Large brown eyes, now full of bewilderment, usually probably sparkled with laughter. A delicate, slightly upturned nose and sensual lips – she was beautiful, even in this ridiculous outfit.
Despair crept in. She was completely alone in this alien, indifferent world. I need to find out something about myself, about how I got here. Finding a secluded corner, Nia sat down on a bench and opened the bag with trembling hands. Inside, there wasn't much: a slim wallet, a strange-looking key, something like a flash drive, and a holographic photograph.
The photograph was of her, but she looked different. Her hair was braided in an intricate style, her face held a confident smile, and her eyes sparkled with mischief. She was dressed in comfortable, loose clothing made of some soft fabric, clearly designed for active movement. They were sitting on the edge of a cliff, admiring the sunset. And next to her was someone with short, light brown hair. Their gender was hard to determine. Their features simultaneously read as masculine and delicate. They were sitting shoulder to shoulder and looked more like close friends than lovers. There was something about this person's eyes… something complex. A mixture of strength, tenderness, and a deep sadness.