Chapter 26: Shock

LISA'S POV

My eyes fluttered open, and I gasped for air as if I had been underwater for too long. My chest heaved, and my heart raced like a wild animal. Sweat dripped from my forehead, tracing a path down my cheek and onto the pillow. I was drenched, my nightgown clinging to my skin. As I sat up, my hand instinctively went to my heart, as if to calm its frantic beating. I breathed heavily, my mouth open, and my shoulders rose and fell with each ragged inhale and exhale.

"Oh my god," I whispered, my voice shaking. "It was just a dream." But what a dream. It had felt so real – the portal, the strange world, the woman with blue skin, and the orbs. My mind reeled, trying to process it all.

I threw off the covers and ran my hands through my tangled hair, trying to calm myself down. My sheets were soaked with sweat, and I felt like I needed a shower. I took a few deep breaths, trying to slow down my racing heart. I looked around my darkened room, the shadows cast by the moonlight making me