A faint whisper echoed in the void.

  "You must bring joy to my people."

  Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

  Ray felt nothing but a cold emptiness around him. His body was weightless, floating in a darkness without end. His ears caught the sound of distant laughter—faint, nostalgic, like an old film reel playing in the background.

  "They have forgotten what it means to smile. You must remind them..."

  His eyes fluttered open. A blinding pair of headlights consumed his vision. The sound of tires screeching—

  Then

  , silence.