‘Is it true, what Howie said? You’re not associating yourself with Sarah still, are you Dana?’ So, that was where it came from. If I didn’t know better, just hearing the way the lady said Sarah, I would have thought Sarah was some new-found species of vermin.

            ‘No, Mum. I haven’t been talking to Sarah since you told me to keep away from her.’

            ‘Liar!’ The boy shouted from across the room. ‘Mum, Dana’s lying!’

            I looked at the girl’s hands. Her fingers were fiddling with the racquet handle and the G.I. Joe figurine so furiously, they seemed to have a mind of their own.

            ‘Are you lying to me, Dana?’ The lady stepped closer to the girl and placed her hands on the girl’s shoulders. ‘You know I always mean the best for you right? Sarah is a bad influence. She plays truant from school, she has no respect for the teachers, even her parents can’t discipline her. I know she was the best doubles partner you had but she hardly goes for training, that’s why she got expelled from the team.’ The lady lifted her daughter’s head gently so that they were looking straight at each other. ‘Promise Mum you’ll keep away from Sarah, alright?’

            The girl lowered her head and nodded.

            ‘And don’t slouch. Stand up straight.’ The lady pushed her daughter’s shoulders backwards. ‘There, you look so much better like that.’

            Oh my god. She said that. She said what I heard in my head!

            Is she me? Am I her?

            Or am I a psychic? No, I can’t be. If I’m a psychic, I’ll at least know who I am or what I’m doing here.

            The lady was gone. The girl was still standing there, rooted to the ground, with her head lowered. She had a look of resignation on her face and she had slouched forward again. Her hands were not fiddling anymore but were gripping on her racquet so hard, her knuckles had turned white.

            It must really suck when your mother hates your best friend. I wanted to go over and give her a hug but I decided against it. Better to keep myself inconspicuous.

            I looked at the girl again. She hadn’t moved an inch. Oh dear. Come on. It’s ok. It’s not so bad! Maybe Sarah will change her ways, turn over a new leaf and you two can be buddies again! And she can teach you more interesting tricks! Or eat some chocolate – chocolate always makes me feel better, especially M&M’s! They melt in your mouth, not in your hands! Cos’ your hands must be really warm now, you’re gripping so hard. Haha.

            Ok I should just stop. She can’t hear me. I really need to get out of this place – it’s stifling, for some reason. Alice Piece-a-key’s place was so much better.

            My wish was granted. I’m back here. But the last thing I saw, before I came back, the girl.

            She was reaching into her pocket. And she took out a packet of M&M’s.

           Maybe I’m really a psychic. A psychic with amnesia. Is that even possible? If I had known I was going to forget everything, I should have done something to prevent it right? This is getting nowhere. I should see if there’s anyone around who can help me.

            15:44. So displayed the clock with the bright red digits.

            15.44? Really? I was only gone for 2 minutes? That’s not possible. It must have been 15 minutes at least. Maybe the clock is slow. I used to have this watch, Swatch nonetheless, which would be perfectly fine if left untouched but would go slow if I wore it out. I never figured out what was wrong with that watch. Some attitude it has.

            Why do I remember these redundant details and forget the big important things? And that place with the girl and her mother, was that a dream? It must have been.

            The girl was called Dana. I wonder if it’s the same Dana as this one on The Web of Names.

            Maybe. So many maybes.

            Maybe this is all a bad dream. Then I really wish I could wake up.