BACK WHERE WE STARTED

Alice was no longer in the car.

Everything around her had faded away into nothing. She was in an infinitely vast space, as dark as the space behind her eyes, which is to say that streaks of color and light passed through it occasionally but very little information to provide any sense of depth.

“Where am I?” she asked nobody in particular.

And, to her amazement, that nobody answered. A flash of light came down, and with it the whole room lit up – was it a room? Was it a cave? She didn’t know. But now, standing in front of her, there was some really weird guy.

“Who are you?!” she gasped.

The figure straightened themself, then looked down at her. “I’m the Liaison,” he said, extending a hand out to her – she did not take it – and then scowling and wiping it off on his jacket. “I’m here to help.”

She was already tuning him out. “Oh my God. I’ve heard of this. You’re a furry.”

Whatever he was expecting her to say, she got the feeling it wasn’t that. “I… am not a furry. I’m a catboy. It’s different!”

“I don’t have to listen to you. You’re some sort of degenerate sex pervert, and a stranger, and I don’t talk to strangers.” She turned around and started walking away – she quickly realized her feet weren’t actually doing anything – it was like swimming in thick water.

He caught up to her and turned her back around to face the three doors. “You’re right about both of those things, but I’m still here to help you make a choice. That’s what you’re doing today, right?”