Shattered Illusions

Calista was abruptly awakened by the irritating sound of her phone, pulling her out of a peaceful slumber. She groaned as she fumbled for the device, quickly silencing it with a press of the side button. Letting out a satisfied sigh, she closed her eyes, hoping to return to the blissful embrace of sleep.

But the phone rang again, its insistent buzz cutting through the lingering haze of sleep. Calista squinted at the bright screen, the early morning sun filtering through the curtains and casting a warm glow across the spacious room. It took her a moment to remember where she was.

The room was unfamiliar, and for a few seconds, she felt disoriented. She finally answered the call, barely registering who it was as she brought the phone to her ear.

“Get yourself back to California!” her sister Willia’s voice blasted through the speaker, causing Calista to jerk the phone away from her ear.

“What’s going on?” she asked, confused by the urgency in Willia’s usually calm voice. She had intended