I couldn't stop staring at my feet.
That ash-like dust…
It was real.
"This is not possible…" I whispered.
Dreams don't leave marks.
They don't follow you into reality.
Right?
I quickly stood up and stepped back.
My mind was racing.
If that wasn't just a dream… then what was it?
The whole day felt strange after that.
I tried to act normal.
Tried to ignore everything.
But every little thing reminded me of last night.
The silence.
The voice.
The shadow.
And those words—
"I want you to remember."
"Remember what?" I said under my breath.
Classes felt longer than usual.
Voices around me sounded distant.
Like I wasn't fully there.
Until—
"Hey! Are you even listening?"
I blinked and looked up.
It was my friend sofia.
She was staring at me with a confused expression.
"You've been acting weird since morning," she said. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing… I just didn't sleep well," I replied quickly.
She narrowed her eyes.
"You sure?"
I forced a small smile.
"Yeah."
But I knew I was lying.
That night…
I didn't want to sleep.
I kept the lights on.
Sat on my bed.
Phone in my hand.
Trying to distract myself.
But sleep…
It always comes.
And eventually…
My eyes closed.
When I opened them again—
I was back.
The same endless road.
My breath hitched.
"No… not again…"
The air felt colder this time.
Heavier.
But something was different.
I wasn't alone.
There was someone standing ahead.
Not a shadow this time.
A boy.
My heart skipped a beat.
He stood with his back facing me.
Wearing a black jacket.
Still. Silent.
"Hey…" I called out softly.
He didn't move.
I took a step forward.
Then another.
"Who are you?" I asked.
He slowly turned around.
And for the first time—
I saw a face.
My breath stopped.
I knew him.
Or at least…
It felt like I did.
His eyes locked onto mine.
Deep. Familiar.
Almost… painful to look at.
"You finally came," he said quietly.
My heart started racing.
"Do I… know you?"
For a moment, he didn't answer.
Just kept looking at me.
Then he smiled.
A sad smile.
"You forgot me too…" he whispered.
Those words hit harder than anything.
"What do you mean?" I stepped closer.
Before he could answer—
The wind around us grew stronger.
The sky darkened.
And suddenly—
That presence returned.
The shadow.
It appeared behind him.
Darker than before.
More… powerful.
"Stay away from her," the boy said firmly.
My eyes widened.
"You can see it too?"
The shadow let out a low whisper.
"She belongs here…"
Fear gripped my chest.
"What is this place?" I asked, my voice shaking.
The boy looked at me.
This time, serious.
Urgent.
"This is not just a dream," he said.
"Then what is it?"
Before he could answer—
The shadow moved.
Fast.
The ground beneath us cracked.
The road started breaking apart.
"Run!" he shouted, grabbing my hand.
The moment he touched me—
A strange feeling rushed through me.
Warm.
Familiar.
Like I had felt this before.
We started running.
But the world around us was collapsing.
"Don't let go!" he said.
"I won't!" I replied.
But suddenly—
The shadow's voice echoed loudly—
"You can't escape this time."
Something pulled me back.
Hard.
My grip slipped.
"No!" the boy shouted.
Our hands separated.
And I fell.
Into darkness.
I woke up with a gasp.
My room.
My bed.
My reality.
Tears were running down my face.
Without me even realizing.
"What… was that?" I whispered.
My heart ached.
For no reason.
Or maybe…
For a reason I couldn't remember.
Then I looked at my hand.
The one he held.
And froze.
There was a mark.
A faint, glowing mark.
Like someone had held it…
Too tightly.