"Lydia! Wake up!" says someone. The sound of Mario's voice jolted me awake all of a sudden. I massaged my eyes and blinked my eyelids many times as I realized that the events that had occurred to me felt so strange that I even believed they were taking place right then and there.

If Mario had not bothered to wake me up, it is possible that I would have remained in the dream indefinitely. Was it a dream, or was it real? I had the distinct impression that I was being transported back in time.

When I had the sensation that something was lifting me up into the air, it...