4 months ago .” The couch glided to a halt and settled down on the ground, nestling itself between some wide trees and grass. Mohini stepped out and gestured for Ariadne to follow. They walked a bit along a narrow, uneven trail, with Mohini peering intently at the trees around them. Ariadne studied the trees more closely: they were immense and full of leaves, branches pushing out in all directions. The leaves shimmered and glowed with a faint, silvery light. They moved gently in the breeze, except there was no breeze. She stepped closer and examined one of the tree’s branches. She noticed that the leaves, shaped somewhat like those of a maple tree, pulsated. Strange forms moved across their surface. She looked more closely at one: a scene played out on the surface of the leaf, like a movie or television screen, except three-dimensionally. Figures walked along a pathway in front of a large building. There was something vaguely familiar about it—she reached out and grasped the leaf, trying to steady its gentle sway. Her eyes widened in astonishment. 1160943d356 PRO 0 34
