A purplish-violet sky stretched out, as if painted half-finished. Clouds hung low, dancing slowly without wind. But the air around me... was so silent, as if time had stopped. In the distance, a flock of black birds soared, then vanished just as quickly. The leaves of the black trees around them didn't fall, only swayed gently, creating a whisper like a breath.
I stepped onto the expanse of grass—it felt soft yet surreal—moving towards a figure I had known all my life. Only, that figure felt alien. Her silver hair, usually softly undulating, now hung stiffly. Her posture was erect but rigid, like a statue.
"Selene?" my voice echoed twice, filling the empty space.
The girl had her back to me, staring at a black-rooted tree that crept into the ground. The roots pulsed as if alive. I held my breath, my heart pounding against my chest.
"Why are you here? This... isn't our world." Her voice sounded flat, though her heartbeat was soaring.
