I looked up to find a massive house standing ominously in the middle of the forest. And there he was—just like always—cloaked in black, his piercing red eyes fixed on me. Something primal stirred within me, and without thinking, I turned and ran, driven by pure instinct. Fear clung to me like a second skin as I pushed through the thick forest, desperate to get away from that eerie mansion and the man cloaked in shadows.
A sudden, deafening noise jolted me awake. My heart pounded as I realized—it was the same dream again. The fifth night in a row.
Groaning, I reached for the alarm clock on my bedside table, fumbling to shut it off. Before I could stop the blaring sound, my bedroom door slammed open. My little sister stood there, toothbrush in hand, yelling, "You're gonna be late for your first day of school! Hurry or you'll miss the bus!"
I glanced at the clock. I'm already late!
In a frenzy, I jumped out of bed, shoved my sister aside, threw on my new school uniform, and dashed toward the bus stop. By some miracle, the bus was running ten minutes late. I made it just in time.
Climbing aboard, I was greeted by a sea of unfamiliar faces, all wearing the same uniform and excitedly whispering among themselves. Their energy was contagious; before long, I found myself smiling too. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all.
The bus screeched to a halt, and the crowd surged forward. I stepped off and stood in front of my new school, a mix of nerves and anticipation bubbling within me. It felt like something was waiting for me—something thrilling, something unknown.
But as I stepped toward the crosswalk, a loud blare shattered the moment. A massive shape barreled toward me.
I didn't even have time to scream.
I had been hit by the bus.
My thoughts scattered as pain bloomed across my body and the world blurred around me. Is this it? I wondered. Is this how it ends? All my dreams, my hopes—gone in an instant?
And what about Enis? Who will take care of her now? Who will protect her?
As those thoughts spiraled through my mind, the darkness took over. I collapsed, slipping into unconsciousness.
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