This is like a horror movie, and something about the incongruity of the music snaps her back into focus too. Kyna follows Ian's lead, backing up slowly, eyes locked on the thing in front of her, but then motion out of the corner of her eye makes her heart stop.

This is just a dream. It's just a dream. None of it matters.

She repeats it in her head silently, like a litany, even as Nico lifts his head and her breath catches at the blood dripping from his temple.

Just a dream. It isn't real.

Then Nico tries to free his hands, to squirm away from the group, and one of the aliens forces him downward again, his head slamming into the ground.

"Let go of me," she snaps at Ian, not a plea but a harsh demand. Before he has a chance to react, she yanks her wrist out of his grip, twisting away and sprinting towards the group, heart in her throat.