He stopped as he saw the look on my face. I had started backing away; not looking behind me, but somehow, the mysterious dancers knew to keep out of my way.
"No, wait, Dora. I can tell that you've seen the truth about your father, but there's still more you need to know - "
"More? Isn't it enough?" I couldn't bear there to be more.
"Your knowledge isn't complete without the other part - he's not your real father."
At that moment, I didn't care how real this dream was - I wanted out. I turned to run, but my legs seemed embedded in treacle, and every step took longer and longer. I heard Dominic's voice behind me, echoing like there was a long tunnel between us.
"He had everyone fooled, Dora - even me! Listen to me, Dora, it's me, not him! I would never hurt you!"
Dominic - my father? I couldn't take any more of this. My eyes shut involuntarily again, even as I tried to run.
I snapped them open again as I collided with something. Space and time had telescoped again, and I was staring at one of the crude doors set into the corrugated iron of the warehouse wall. I wrenched it open and ran out into the night.
The half moon in the sky had not changed, but around me were identical warehouses, faint sounds of music coming from each one, and perhaps the odd crack of light from under a badly fitting door. Each time I turned a corner, there were more, and when I looked behind, someone must have closed the door I had come through, and I could no longer see which of the rusty metal hulks I'd run out of.
I needed to wake up. I tried closing my eyes, but when I opened them again, nothing had changed. I closed them a second time in desperation, and I heard the sound of someone approaching. I looked out into the darkness at the approaching silhouette, hoping that the Envoys could guide me back to the waking world - but it was not them. The growl that I heard before I saw the face chilled me to the bone.
"You've been a bad girl."