Dimension

"Hey, are you okay?" A girl came running over to me. Her brown eyes sparkled with curiosity and concern as she knelt next to me.

"I...yeah, I'm okay, I just..." I sat up, my hands pressing into the rough asphalt. The world circled around, coming in and out of focus. I looked back up at the girl.

"What happened to me?" I asked. She grimaced.

"I don't know, I looked over and I just saw you collapse." She explained. "What's your name?" She asked. The wind made her curly brown hair ripple like the ocean.

"I'm Mai." I said. "What's your name?"

"I'm Alya." She replied. I nodded, slowly.

"Where am I?" I asked. Alya looked at me strangely.

"Are you sure you're okay? Maybe you bumped your head or something..." She said, starting to get up, her eyes skittishly scanning for someone - a teacher, maybe. It did appear as if I was in a schoolyard.

"I've never seen you here before." Alya noted. "Are you new?"

"You could say that." I said, struggling to get up. Alya took my hand and helped me stand. It took her a couple seconds to let go.

I stared around the yard. Teens stuck together in gaggles all laughing and talking. A few adults patrolled the edges, looking extremely bored. I had no idea how I'd gotten here. Just a few minutes ago, I was in science, doing a lab. I'd tripped and landed here.

"This is Lincoln School, by the way." Alya said. "You know, out in Michigan?" I nodded, but my mind was spiraling. I'd never heard of Michigan in my life. It sounded like a more like something from a hundred years ago. Or a different universe.

"Could I go on the computer really quick? I'm not sure where it is though." I said to Alya. She nodded.

"Just follow me, the computers are all inside." She started walking towards one of the teachers and I meekly followed. A couple of the students gave me a strange look, but most of them ignored me, for which I was thankful.

Once Alya and I were inside, she led me through some well-lit hallways and into a room stocked with computers.

"Just choose any computer and log on using the sign in the school's given you!" She said.

"Oh..." I began, my mind quickly throwing together a plan. "The school hasn't given me my sign-in yet. I don't suppose you could sign in for me...?" I asked hesitantly. Alya shrugged.

"Sure, let me sign in real quick." Alya sat down at the nearest computer. "So, Mai, where did you move from?"

"Oh, I moved here from... just a few towns over. Not very far, but it was a, uh, pretty small town so this is a bit of a change." I lied. Alya grinned.

"Wow, I can't imagine moving from a small town to here! It's pretty crazy and all, but don't worry. You'll get used to it eventually. Oh, here you go!" Alya had signed in and offered the chair to me. I quickly sat down and opened up the web browser. I got onto a map and found my current location, then zoomed out, so far out I could see the entire planet. All the shapes of the land were the same, so I was definitely on the same planet. But Michigan...where was Michigan? I zoomed back in, slowly. It appeared as if Michigan was part of Canadia, but... different. Rather than just one big Canadia, it appeared to be split into three different parts - Canada, America, and Mexico. Michigan was one small part of America. Quickly, I closed the browser and stood up.

"I think I need to use the restroom. I don't suppose you could show me where it is?"

"Right this way." Alya smiled. She led me down the hall and showed me the bathroom. I thanked her, walked in, and locked the door behind me. I slid down against the door and closed my eyes, trying to carefully even out my breathing.