To tell the truth, Nia really hadn't slept for a very long time. After escaping from the hospital and wandering through the gray roads, she was exhausted physically and mentally. The opportunity to sleep on a soft and cozy bed, away from danger and uncertainty, seemed incredibly tempting. Who knew when she would have such an opportunity next time?

She looked at Lira, trying to see sincerity in her eyes. Could she be trusted? Or was this just a trick? But fatigue took its toll. Nia felt that if she didn't rest now, she would simply collapse without strength.

– Okay, – Nia said, surrendering. – I'm really very tired. Thank you.

Lira smiled and led Nia to a small room, furnished simply but comfortably. In the center of the room stood a bed, covered with a soft down blanket and pillows. On the walls hung paintings depicting some landscapes that did not look like the gray fields outside the window. The room smelled of herbs and freshness. Too cloying. Too perfect.

– Here, make yourself comfortable, – Lira said. – I'll bring you something to wear for sleep. And then I'll leave you alone.

She left the room, leaving Nia alone. Nia looked around. The room seemed safe and peaceful. She went to the bed and ran her hand over the soft blanket. How she wanted to just fall asleep and forget about everything in the world!

Soon Lira returned with some kind of nightgown made of soft fabric.

– Here, take it, – she said. – I hope it fits you.

Nia took the shirt and looked at Lira gratefully.

– Thank you, – she repeated. – You are very kind to me.

Too kind, flashed through her mind.

Lira smiled.

– Rest. You need to gain strength. And I'll be around if you need anything.

She left the room, quietly closing the door behind her. Nia was left alone. She quickly changed into the nightgown and lay down on the bed. The blanket was warm and soft. The pillow was fluffy and comfortable. Too comfortable… This is alarming.

Nia closed her eyes. Fatigue instantly fell upon her. She felt the tension leaving her body. She was falling asleep…

But even in her half-sleep, doubts and suspicions did not leave her. What was Lira hiding? And why was she acting so strangely? Something was wrong here. Nia felt it with all her being. But sleep was stronger. And she fell asleep, plunging into restless dreams about a glittering city, gray fields, and a mysterious girl named Lira.

Chapter 5

Nia was awakened by some strange pressure in her chest. In her sleep, it began to seem to her that something was pressing on her and suffocating her, not allowing her to breathe. She tried to turn over, but couldn't. Something was restricting her movements. Another nightmare?

Abruptly opening her eyes, she realized what was happening. Her nightgown was shrinking! The fabric constricted her chest, arms, and wrists, like steel hoops. And the long hem of the shirt had already bound her legs, tightly wrapping them like a rope. Nia tried to move, but couldn't. She was like a fly in a web. What was this devilry?

Panic overwhelmed her. What was this nightmare? What was happening? She tried to scream, call for help, but the fabric of the shirt was squeezing her throat, preventing her from making a sound. Betrayal…

Gathering her last strength, Nia still managed to exhale a hoarse, barely audible cry.

In that same second, the door to the room burst open. Lira stood on the threshold, and she was not alone. Several guys entered the room with her, or at least, Nia thought so at first. But looking closer, she realized that these were not quite ordinary people. Freaks…