The night was quiet, save for the soft rustling of leaves in the wind. The moon hung high, casting silver light over the dense forest where Addison, Amanda, and Aonmi sat around a small, flickering fire.
Addison could feel the tension thick in the air. Amanda sat beside her, arms crossed, her sharp gaze flicking toward Aonmi every so often. Aonmi, on the other hand, remained calm, his violet eyes reflecting the firelight as he absentmindedly twirled a small twig between his fingers. Addison sighed. She had enough of the unspoken hostility.
"Alright," she said, setting her eyes on both of them. "What's going on between you two?"
Amanda tensed. Aonmi only smiled, but there was something unreadable in his expression. "Nothing," Amanda answered first, her voice tight.
Addison frowned. "Amanda, come on. I see how you act around Aonmi, and I know you're holding back. Just tell me the truth."
Amanda glanced at Aonmi, as if debating whether to speak. He tilted his head slightly, still watching her with that unsettling calm. "You wouldn't believe me," Amanda finally muttered.
Addison turned to Aonmi. "And you? Do you have anything to say?"
Aonmi's smile softened as he met Addison's eyes. "I only care about you, Addison," he said gently. "I don't know why Amanda dislikes me so much, but I don't want to come between you two."
Amanda scoffed. "You're good at pretending, I'll give you that."
Addison looked between them, frustrated. Amanda wasn't explaining anything, and Aonmi was acting innocent.
"Then tell me what I'm missing!" she pressed.
Amanda hesitated again, gripping her own wrist as if holding herself back. She wanted to protect Addison-but if she said too much, Aonmi might take drastic action.
"Forget it," Amanda said at last, standing up. "I'm going for a walk."
She disappeared into the darkness of the trees.
Aonmi exhaled slowly, then turned to Addison with a soft smile. "She'll come around."
Addison didn't respond. She wasn't sure what to believe anymore. She stared into the fire, her thoughts tangled. Amanda wouldn't just dislike Aonmi for no reason-but if she wouldn't tell her why, what was she supposed to do?
Aonmi shifted closer, his violet eyes glowing faintly in the firelight. "You seem troubled, Addison."
She hesitated before answering, still watching the flames. "I just don't understand why Amanda's acting like this."
Aonmi sighed softly. "She's always been protective of you. Maybe she thinks I'm a threat to that."
Addison frowned. "But why would she think that?"
Aonmi was silent for a moment. Then, he gently took Addison's hand in his. His touch was warm, reassuring. "I care about you more than anything, Addison. Maybe she senses that and doesn't know how to handle it."
Addison felt a strange unease settle in her chest. Aonmi's words were comforting, but something about them-about him-felt too intense. Before she could respond, Amanda's voice cut through the trees.
"Addison!"
She turned to see Amanda rushing back, her face serious. But before she could say anything, Aonmi was already on his feet, stepping in front of Addison protectively.
Amanda narrowed her eyes at him before looking at Addison. "We need to talk. Alone."
Aonmi's jaw tensed, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he looked at Addison expectantly, waiting for her to choose.
Addison glanced between them. The tension was suffocating. Finally, she sighed and stood up. "Alright. Let's talk."
Amanda turned and led her away from the fire. They walked in silence until they were out of earshot. Only then did Amanda stop and face her. "You need to be careful with him," Amanda said firmly.
Addison crossed her arms. "Why won't you just tell me what's going on?"
Amanda hesitated again, then clenched her fists. "I don't trust him, Addison. He's obsessed with you."
Addison blinked, taken aback. "That's not-"
"He's not just some guy who likes you," Amanda interrupted. "He's obsessed. He watches everything you do. He follows you when you don't notice. And when I try to keep you safe, he looks at me like I'm the one in the way."
Addison opened her mouth to protest, but Amanda grabbed her hands, her grip firm. "Listen to me, Addison. I don't care if you don't believe me. Just... please, promise me you'll be careful."
Addison searched Amanda's eyes, seeing the rare urgency in them. She wanted to believe Aonmi was just protective, just caring-but what if Amanda was right?
She exhaled slowly. "Okay. I promise."
Amanda looked relieved but still tense. "Good. Just... don't let him pull you too close."
As they turned back toward the fire, Addison felt a new weight in her chest.
Aonmi was still sitting by the fire, waiting. When he saw them return, he smiled-but this time, Addison couldn't ignore the way his violet eyes flickered past her to Amanda, watching her like a predator sizing up a threat.
The fire crackled as Addison and Amanda returned, its flickering glow casting long shadows around Aonmi. He sat patiently, but his violet eyes locked onto Amanda with a knowing, almost amused glint.
"Everything alright?" Aonmi asked, his voice as smooth as ever.
Addison hesitated before nodding. "Yeah... we just needed to clear things up."
Amanda didn't say a word. She sat down across from Aonmi, her posture tense, her arms crossed. The air between them felt heavier than before.
Aonmi smiled, as if nothing had changed. "I'm glad. I wouldn't want anything to come between us."
His words seemed directed more at Amanda than Addison. Amanda narrowed her eyes but held her tongue.
Addison exhaled and ran a hand through her hair. "Look, I don't want this weird tension anymore. Amanda, I get that you don't trust Aonmi, but he's never given me a reason to be afraid of him."
Amanda's jaw tightened, but Addison wasn't done.
"And Aonmi... I trust you, but I also trust Amanda. If she thinks something is off, I have to listen."
Aonmi's expression didn't falter, but something in his eyes darkened just slightly. "Of course," he said smoothly. "I understand."
Amanda didn't look convinced.
An uneasy silence followed. The fire popped, sending embers floating into the cool night air.
Addison rubbed her temples. "I think I just need some space. I'll be back in a bit." She stood up before either of them could argue, stepping away into the trees. The moment she was gone, Amanda and Aonmi were left alone in the firelight.
Amanda didn't move, her piercing gaze locked onto Aonmi. "Drop the act," she muttered.
Aonmi chuckled, low and soft. "I don't know what you mean."
Amanda leaned forward slightly. "I know what you are. You don't love her. You own her in your mind."
Aonmi tilted his head, his expression calm-but his violet eyes gleamed. "And yet," he murmured, "she trusts me more than you."
Amanda clenched her fists.
Aonmi smiled. "Careful, Amanda. If you push too hard... she might think you're the problem."
Amanda's blood ran cold. She knew what he was doing. Twisting things. Manipulating. But she wasn't going to let him win. Before she could respond, a sound in the distance made both of them look up.
Addison's voice.
It was distant. Muffled. And then-silence.
Amanda was on her feet in an instant.
Aonmi stood too, but his expression was unreadable now.
Something was wrong.
And they both knew it.
_______________
Amanda's heart pounded as she bolted into the trees, her breath sharp in the cold night air. "Addison!" she called, scanning the dark forest.
No answer.
Aonmi followed behind her at a slower pace, his expression unreadable. "Running off alone wasn't the best idea," he murmured.
Amanda ignored him. She focused on Addison's scent, her heightened senses picking up traces of her twin's presence. But there was something else-a scent she didn't recognize.
Then she saw it. Footprints in the dirt, not just Addison's, but someone else's.
Amanda knelt down, running her fingers over the tracks. The second pair was heavier, their stride deliberate. Whoever it was had approached Addison quietly.
And then the tracks disappeared.
Vanished.
Like something had lifted her off the ground.
Amanda's stomach twisted.
Aonmi knelt beside her, glancing at the tracks. His violet eyes flickered with something unreadable. "Interesting," he murmured.
Amanda shot him a glare. "This isn't a game, Aonmi. Addison is gone."
Aonmi stood, dusting off his hands. "Then we better find her quickly."
Amanda didn't wait for him to say anything else. She took off again, following the faint scent Addison had left behind. Aonmi trailed after her, unnervingly calm.
As they ran deeper into the woods, the air grew colder. The usual night sounds-crickets, rustling leaves, distant owls-had disappeared.
Amanda's instincts screamed at her. Something wasn't right.
Then, in the distance, she saw it.
A glow. Pale, flickering.
And a shadowed figure standing over someone slumped against a tree.
Addison.
Amanda didn't think-she lunged forward, baring her fangs, ready to strike-
But the figure moved impossibly fast. Before Amanda could reach it, a cold, invisible force slammed into her, sending her crashing into the dirt.
She gasped, struggling to push herself up.
Aonmi, still standing, watched the figure carefully, his expression unreadable.
The figure finally stepped into the faint light. A hooded being, its face obscured, its presence unnatural.
"She is not yours to protect," it spoke, its voice a whisper that echoed unnaturally.
Amanda snarled. "She's mine to protect more than anyone."
The figure tilted its head. "No. She belongs to something greater now."
Amanda's blood ran cold.
Before she could react, Addison stirred. She blinked groggily, her green eyes hazy as she looked up at the figure.
And then, barely above a whisper, she spoke:
"I know you..."
Amanda's breath hitched. Addison's voice was quiet, dazed-but there was something unsettling about the way she said it.
"You know them?" Amanda demanded, pushing herself to her feet.
Addison's eyes were unfocused, like she was seeing something beyond what was in front of her. She blinked slowly and looked at the hooded figure. "You were... in my dreams."
The figure didn't respond right away. It simply watched her, as if waiting.
Amanda's instincts screamed at her to grab Addison and run. She turned to Aonmi, expecting some kind of reaction-but he was just standing there, still too calm, too unreadable. His violet eyes flickered toward the hooded figure with an almost curious glint.
Amanda snapped. "Are you just going to watch, or are you going to do something?"
Aonmi finally looked at her, then at Addison. "I'm trying to understand," he murmured. "This... might be important."
"Important?!" Amanda hissed. "Addison is right there! She's not some experiment!"
Addison suddenly swayed, her knees buckling. Amanda rushed to catch her, lowering her gently to the ground.
The hooded figure tilted its head. "She is waking up."
Amanda's pulse pounded in her ears. "Waking up to what?"
The figure finally moved, slowly reaching out toward Addison. Amanda growled, her body tensing-but Addison weakly lifted a hand, stopping her.
"It's okay," Addison mumbled. "I... I think I understand."
Amanda's heart clenched. "Understand what?"
Addison turned her green eyes toward Amanda, and for the first time, Amanda saw something... different in them. Something ancient. Something otherworldly.
Then Addison spoke, her voice layered with something that wasn't entirely her own. "I was never meant to stay asleep."
Amanda froze.
Aonmi took a slow step forward, his violet eyes shining with interest. "Ah," he murmured. "Now this is fascinating."
Amanda clenched her fists, her protective instincts flaring. She didn't know what was happening, but she wasn't going to let anyone take Addison from her. "You're not taking her anywhere," Amanda snarled at the hooded figure.
But the figure simply stared at Addison. And Addison...
She was smiling.
Not her usual, warm smile.
But something distant. Something knowing.
And in that moment, Amanda felt like she was standing next to a stranger.
________
Amanda's grip tightened around Addison's shoulders, her pulse pounding in her ears. This wasn't right. This wasn't Addison.
"Snap out of it!" she shook her twin slightly. "Whatever this is, fight it!"
But Addison didn't look at her. Her gaze remained locked onto the hooded figure, her expression eerily calm. "I remember now," she whispered.
Amanda's breath hitched. "Remember what?"
The hooded figure finally spoke, its voice like a whisper carried through time. "The truth."
Amanda bared her teeth. "Shut up."
Aonmi, still watching silently, took another step forward, his violet eyes flickering with something unreadable. "She was never just a girl, was she?" he mused.
Amanda whipped around to glare at him. "You knew something about this, didn't you?"
Aonmi only smirked. "I had my suspicions."
Amanda's claws extended instinctively, her frustration boiling over. "I swear, if you-"
Addison suddenly moved.
She placed her hand over Amanda's, gripping it gently. The touch startled her, sending an unnatural warmth through her skin. "Amanda," Addison said softly, her green eyes glowing faintly. "It's okay."
Amanda's throat tightened. "No, it's not. You're scaring me."
Addison's expression flickered-just for a second. A brief crack in whatever was happening to her. But then she turned back to the hooded figure. "What do I do now?" Addison asked.
Amanda felt her stomach drop.
The hooded figure stepped closer, extending a shadowy hand. "Come with me. It is time."
"Like hell she is!" Amanda shoved Addison behind her, fangs bared.
Addison's eyes flashed. "Amanda-"
"No," Amanda cut her off. "You promised me. You promised you'd be careful. That you wouldn't let anything take you away from me."
Addison hesitated.
Amanda saw the doubt creeping into her twin's expression, the way her hands trembled slightly. That was all she needed.
Taking a deep breath, Amanda grabbed Addison's arm. "You are my sister. You are Addison Flynn. And you are not going anywhere with them."
For the first time, the hooded figure seemed to react. Its form flickered, its presence growing heavier. "She is more than just your sister," it said. "She is awakening to what she has always been."
Amanda gritted her teeth. "I don't care."
Then she turned to Aonmi. "And you-if you actually care about her, then help me get her back!"
Aonmi's smirk faltered slightly. His violet eyes flickered toward Addison.
Something inside of him twisted.
She was changing. He could see it. Feel it.
And for the first time, a strange, unfamiliar fear crept into his chest.
Because if Addison became whatever this was...
She might not be his anymore.
Aonmi exhaled slowly, then smiled-this time, without amusement. "Fine," he murmured.
Then, without warning, he lunged.
Not at Amanda.
But at the hooded figure.
And the night exploded in shadows and light.
_________
The moment Aonmi lunged, the hooded figure barely flinched. Shadows rippled around it like living tendrils, reaching to meet his attack.
Aonmi's violet eyes gleamed, his sharp grin unwavering as his own darkness clashed against the figure's. The impact sent a pulse of energy through the air, making the ground tremble beneath them.
Amanda grabbed Addison, pulling her back. "Stay with me!" she pleaded, but Addison's gaze was distant, locked onto the hooded figure even as Aonmi fought it.
The figure didn't falter under Aonmi's attack. Instead, its voice remained steady, even as darkness and light wove around them in an eerie dance.
"Foolish," it murmured. "You cannot stop what has already begun."
Aonmi snarled. "Watch me."
His shadows wrapped around the figure's arm, trying to restrain it-but the moment they touched, the figure dissolved, slipping through the darkness like smoke.
Amanda's heart pounded. "Aonmi-" But before she could finish, the figure reformed right behind Addison.
"Addison!" Amanda shouted, but she was already moving-throwing herself between her sister and the figure.
The hooded being did not attack. Instead, it raised its hand-palm facing outward.
Amanda felt a pressure in the air, heavy and suffocating. She couldn't move.
"Amanda," Addison's voice was quiet, almost apologetic.
Amanda fought against the force pinning her in place. "Addison, listen to me! This isn't you! Whatever they're telling you-it's a lie!"
Addison's green eyes flickered. Her fingers twitched.
For a brief moment, she looked... uncertain.
Then the hooded figure whispered something-something too soft for Amanda to hear.
And in an instant, Addison stopped resisting. Her shoulders relaxed, her expression cleared. And when she turned back to Amanda, the warmth in her gaze was gone.
Amanda's breath caught in her throat. "No..."
Aonmi, watching from the side, felt something deep inside him snap. Addison was his. His obsession, his everything. He had allowed Amanda to stay close, had tolerated her, but if she lost Addison now-
"Not happening," Aonmi snarled.
Before the hooded figure could move, Aonmi unleashed his full power.
The forest erupted in darkness, tendrils of shadow slamming toward the figure, forcing it back. Amanda felt the pressure release from her body, and she moved-lunging for Addison's wrist.
"You are not leaving me!" Amanda's voice was raw, desperate. "I won't let you!"
Addison blinked. Her body froze for just a second.
And Amanda saw it.
A flicker of the real Addison-trapped beneath whatever was taking her away.
"Fight it!" Amanda begged. "Please-"
The hooded figure flickered again, reforming a few feet away. It seemed... displeased.
"She is resisting," it murmured.
Amanda's hope surged. "Yes! And she always will!"
Addison gasped suddenly, gripping her head. "I..."
The conflict in her eyes was growing stronger.
Amanda held onto her tightly. "I've got you. Stay with me."
But the hooded figure wasn't done.
It extended a hand toward Addison again.
"Enough."
A pulse of energy surged forward-aimed directly at Addison's chest.
Amanda moved, yanking Addison into her arms to shield her.
And then-
Pain.
Searing, burning pain.
Amanda's body jerked as the energy struck her instead.
Her vision blurred.
The last thing she saw was Addison's horrified face, screaming her name.
Then-
Darkness.
__________
Amanda's body hit the ground hard. The impact barely registered through the searing pain ripping through her chest. Her vision swam, and for the first time in a long time, she felt weak.
Somewhere in the distance, she heard Addison's voice-raw, frantic.
"Amanda?! Amanda, wake up!"
Aonmi snarled, his violet eyes burning with rage. "You-" His shadows lashed out again, faster and more vicious than before, but the hooded figure barely acknowledged him.
Instead, it turned its attention fully to Addison.
"You must let go," it whispered. "She is holding you back."
Amanda tried to move, to push herself up, but her limbs felt sluggish. The energy that struck her wasn't just an attack-it was draining her.
Addison was shaking, her hands hovering over Amanda as if unsure what to do. "You're going to be okay, just hold on!"
But Amanda could barely keep her eyes open. "Don't... listen to them..." she rasped.
The hooded figure continued, undeterred. "You are beyond them, Addison. You were never meant to stay."
Aonmi's fury was near its breaking point. "Shut up!" He launched forward again, but this time, the hooded figure barely lifted a hand.
Aonmi's attack stopped mid-air.
His entire body locked up.
His violet eyes widened in shock as an unseen force crushed around him, forcing him to his knees.
The figure didn't even spare him a glance. "You hold onto her for selfish reasons."
Aonmi clenched his teeth, trying to break free. "I don't care," he growled. "She's mine."
The hooded figure finally turned its faceless gaze toward him. "She was never yours to keep."
Aonmi felt his chest tighten with something dangerously close to fear.
And then-
"Stop!"
Addison's voice rang out, clear and sharp, cutting through everything.
The hooded figure stilled.
Aonmi gasped as the pressure around him eased just slightly. Amanda, barely conscious, forced her eyes open.
Addison stood between them and the hooded figure now. Her green eyes were glowing-brighter than before, but not with the same eerie emptiness from earlier.
This was her.
"I don't care what I'm supposed to be!" Addison's voice shook, but there was strength behind it. "I won't leave them!"
The hooded figure remained silent for a long moment. Then, with an air of quiet disappointment, it murmured, "Then you are not ready."
And just like that-
It disappeared.
Gone, as if it had never been there.
The forest fell deathly silent.
Amanda gasped for air, relief flooding her even as pain still wracked her body. "Addison..."
Addison collapsed to her knees beside her. "I'm here, I'm here," she whispered, hands hovering over Amanda's wounds. "I'll heal you, just stay with me."
Aonmi let out a slow breath, his expression unreadable. The tension in his body eased, but his hands still trembled slightly.
For the first time, he almost lost Addison. And he wouldn't let that happen again.
Amanda, barely holding onto consciousness, weakly squeezed Addison's hand. "You... fought it..."
Addison nodded, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. "Of course I did. I'd never leave you."
Amanda tried to smile, but the exhaustion was too much. Her eyes slipped shut.
The last thing she felt was Addison's warmth surrounding her as the healing took effect.
And somewhere, hidden deep in the shadows of the trees, unseen eyes continued to watch.
This wasn't over.
_________
Amanda drifted between consciousness and darkness, the warmth of Addison's healing energy keeping her tethered. Time felt distant, like a dream slipping through her fingers. But she felt Addison there, her presence unwavering.
Slowly, her pain eased, the searing burn in her chest cooling into a dull ache.
She opened her eyes.
Addison was still kneeling over her, hands glowing faintly against Amanda's skin. Her face was drawn tight with worry, green eyes darting across Amanda's wounds as they closed bit by bit.
"Hey," Amanda rasped, voice weak but teasing. "You're gonna get wrinkles if you keep looking so stressed."
Addison let out a breathless laugh, relief washing over her. "Shut up," she mumbled, but her voice cracked.
Amanda's lips twitched into a smirk. "Told you I'd be fine."
Aonmi stood nearby, watching them. His usual smirk was gone, his expression unreadable. But there was a strange tension in his eyes-one Amanda didn't like.
She exhaled and pushed herself up with Addison's help. "How long was I out?"
"Not long," Addison murmured. "But it felt like forever."
Amanda glanced around. The forest was still, the air heavy with the remnants of whatever had happened. The hooded figure was gone, but its presence lingered like a shadow in the back of her mind.
And then there was Aonmi.
Amanda turned to him. "You alright?"
Aonmi's gaze flickered toward her, then back to Addison. "You hesitated," he said, voice quiet but sharp.
Addison stiffened. "What?"
"You almost went with it."
Addison's breath caught. "I-I wasn't-"
"You were." Aonmi stepped closer, his violet eyes dark. "For a moment, you believed them."
Amanda narrowed her eyes. "She fought it. That's what matters."
Aonmi's jaw clenched. "Does it?"
Amanda shot to her feet, still unsteady but fueled by anger. "Don't start this, Aonmi. She chose to stay. She chose us. What else do you want?"
Aonmi's gaze didn't waver. "I want her to never doubt again."
Addison swallowed hard, guilt flickering in her eyes. "I didn't mean to-"
"I know," Aonmi interrupted, softer this time. "But next time... there might not be a choice."
Amanda's fists clenched. "There won't be a next time. We'll be ready."
Aonmi didn't respond. He simply looked at Addison one last time before turning away, disappearing into the shadows without another word.
Silence settled between the twins.
Amanda sighed and rubbed her temples. "That guy seriously needs to chill."
Addison hugged herself, her expression troubled. "He's not wrong, though."
Amanda grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. "Hey. Don't do that. You fought back. You won.*"
Addison bit her lip. "But I felt something. When they spoke to me... it wasn't just words. It was like... like a part of me recognized them."
Amanda's heart sank. "That doesn't mean they're right."
Addison hesitated. "Then what does it mean?"
Amanda exhaled. "It means we figure it out together. Like always."
Addison looked at her for a long moment, then slowly nodded.
"Like always," she echoed.
But deep down, Amanda knew-this was far from over.
______________________
Addison's POV ♡
The weight of everything pressed against my chest, even as Amanda squeezed my hand. I wanted to believe her-wanted to believe that fighting back had been enough. But the echo of that voice still lingered in my mind.
"You were never meant to stay."
Even now, the words sent a shiver down my spine.
I glanced at Amanda, her blue eyes filled with stubborn determination. She always had a way of grounding me, of pulling me back from whatever storm was raging inside. But this time... this time felt different.
Because for one terrifying moment-before I fought back-I had felt something.
Not just the pull of the hooded figure's voice. Not just the pressure in my mind.
Something deeper.
Something familiar.
I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to stay steady. "We should go home," I said. "Before something else finds us out here."
Amanda studied me for a long second, like she wanted to say more, but eventually nodded. "Yeah. Let's get out of here."
We started walking, our footsteps crunching softly against the forest floor. The night air felt too still-like the world was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
Aonmi was gone. I didn't know if that was a good thing or not.
I pressed my fingers against my temple, trying to shake the dull ache forming in my skull. My thoughts were still too loud, looping back to that moment when I almost let go-when I almost believed the figure's words.
And worse than that?
I wasn't sure if Amanda noticed... but for just a second, I felt like I had been there before.
Like the figure wasn't a stranger at all.
But a shadow of something I'd forgotten.
Something I wasn't supposed to remember.
I clenched my fists. No. I couldn't let myself fall into that spiral.
I was still me. I still had Amanda.
And as long as she was with me, I wouldn't let the past-whatever it was-take me away.
I wouldn't lose myself.
I couldn't.
The walk back was eerily quiet. Normally, Amanda would have cracked a joke, nudged me, or distracted me with some random story to keep my mind off whatever was bothering me.
But she didn't.
And that's how I knew she was worried.
I could feel her watching me from the corner of her eye, like she was waiting for me to break the silence first. But I didn't know what to say.
Because I still felt it.
That lingering presence, like the hooded figure hadn't really left. Like something inside me had been unlocked, and now it was just... waiting.
The thought made my skin crawl.
When we finally reached the outskirts of the town, Amanda finally spoke. "You should rest."
I blinked, startled out of my thoughts. "What?"
"You got drained back there," she said, her voice firm but gentle. "Even if you won't admit it, I felt it, Addy. You're exhausted."
I wanted to argue, but she wasn't wrong.
The weight in my limbs. The sluggishness in my thoughts. The dull ache behind my eyes.
Yeah. I was drained.
"I'll rest," I finally muttered. "But only if you do too."
Amanda smirked. "Deal."
The tension eased just a little.
But as we headed inside, I caught my reflection in the glass of the window.
And for just a second-
I saw them.
Not my own green eyes staring back at me, but something darker.
Something watching me from inside my own reflection.
My breath hitched, and I turned away before I could see more.
I didn't tell Amanda.
Because for the first time in my life...
I wasn't sure if I wanted to know the truth.
Sleep didn't come easily.
_________
I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the soft hum of the night. Amanda was in the next room, probably asleep already, but I could still feel the weight of her concern.
I should have told her about the reflection. About how, for that split second, I wasn't sure if it was me staring back.
But I couldn't.
Not yet.
I turned onto my side, gripping the blanket a little tighter. My body was exhausted, but my mind was wired-thoughts looping back to that hooded figure. To their words.
"You were never meant to stay."
Why did that feel... right?
I squeezed my eyes shut. No. Stop.
I belonged here. With Amanda. With my life.
Nothing was going to take that away from me.
I forced myself to breathe slow, deep.
In. Out. In. Out.
And finally, finally... I felt myself start to drift.
I was standing in the woods again.
But it wasn't the same as before.
The trees were wrong. They stretched high and endless, their trunks twisting in ways that didn't make sense. The ground felt empty, like I wasn't standing on anything at all.
And in front of me...
They stood there.
The hooded figure.
"You're back," they murmured. Their voice wasn't as distant this time. It was... closer. More familiar.
My heart pounded. "This is a dream," I said, more to myself than them. "You're not real."
"A dream?" They tilted their head. "Or a memory?"
A chill ran down my spine.
"No," I whispered. "I don't know you."
They took a step closer. "But you do."*
I wanted to run. I wanted to wake up.
But I couldn't move.
Because somewhere, deep inside me...
I knew they were right...
I did know them...
I just didn't remember how.
Tomorrow... I'm leaving to find out.
To be continued