Fiction/Paranormal
Dreamwalkers — Chapter Four
Even asleep, you’re not alone
Groggy yet restless, I made my way to the bathroom to splash cold water on my face. The coolness helped to shake off the remnants of sleep and the haunting dream. As I stared into the mirror, my reflection seemed to echo a silent question, one that mirrored the confusion swirling in my mind.
The previous day at school with Chase and Stefan had been unsettling, to say the least. The way they looked at me, it was as if they knew me, but that was impossible. I had just moved to Kaysville and had never met them before. Yet the familiarity in their eyes was undeniable, almost as if they were a part of my dream, a part of that mysterious world I visited each night.
Breakfast was a quiet affair. Aunt Madelyn was already at the kitchen table, engrossed in her laptop. The soft clattering of her keyboard was the only sound breaking the morning silence. She glanced up briefly, offering a warm but distracted smile.
“Morning, Cera. Did you sleep well?” she asked, her eyes returning to the screen.
“Uh, yeah, I guess,” I lied, buttering a piece of toast more out of routine than hunger. I couldn’t tell her about the dreams, not yet. She had enough on her plate.
The drive to school was a blur. My mind was occupied with thoughts of the dream, the mysterious man, and those unsettling encounters with Stefan and Chase. As Aunt Madelyn’s car pulled up in front of the school, she turned to me, her expression softening.
“Cera, remember, if you need anything or just want to talk, I’m here,” she said earnestly.
I nodded, offering her a half-hearted smile. “Thanks, Aunt Madelyn.”
Stepping out of the car, I took a deep breath and braced myself for another day at Kaysville High. The school corridors were bustling with students, the air filled with a mix of excitement and the usual teenage angst. I maneuvered my way through the crowd, heading to my locker to gather my books for the first class.
As I closed my locker door, I felt a presence behind me. Turning around, I found myself face-to-face with Chase and Stefan. Their sudden appearance made my heart skip a beat.
“Cera, we need to talk,” Chase said, his tone serious.
I glanced around, noticing a few students casting curious looks our way. “Not here,” I murmured, feeling a sudden urge to keep this conversation private.
Without giving me a response, they led me to a secluded corner of the school, near the old gymnasium that was rarely used. The distant sound of basketballs bouncing and sneakers squeaking against the gym floor provided a faint backdrop to our clandestine meeting.
“What’s this about?” I asked, trying to mask the nervousness in my voice.
Stefan stepped forward, his dark eyes locking onto mine. “It’s about your dreams, Cera. We know about them.”
My heart pounded against my chest. “How could you possibly know about my dreams?”
Chase’s expression was solemn. “Because we’re part of them. We’ve been trying to reach you through them. We’re dream walkers.”
I felt my knees weaken. This was insane. How could they be a part of my dreams? Were they reading my mind? Was I going crazy?
Seeing my confusion, Stefan continued, “It’s hard to explain. But your dreams are a gateway, a connection between our worlds.”
“Our worlds?” The words slipped from my lips before I could stop them.
“Yes,” Chase interjected. “There’s more to this world than you know, Cera. And you’re a part of it, a significant part.”
I leaned against the wall, trying to process their words. It felt like a plot straight out of a fantasy novel.
“Look, I know it’s a lot to take in,” Stefan said gently. “But we need your help. And in return, we can help you understand your dreams, your past, and who you are.”
I looked between them, trying to gauge if this was some elaborate prank. But their expressions were earnest, their eyes reflecting a truth I couldn’t yet comprehend.
“Help with what?” I asked, my curiosity piquing despite my skepticism.
“There’s a threat, Cera,” Chase explained. “A danger that’s looming, not just over you, but over all of us. And we believe you’re the key to stopping it.”
A shiver ran down my spine. This was too much like my dream — the girl running, the wolves, the sense of impending doom.
“What kind of threat?” I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
Stefan exchanged a look with Chase before answering. “An ancient evil, one that has been dormant for centuries, is awakening. And it’s seeking something powerful, something it lost a long time ago. We believe it’s seeking you, Cera.”
I felt a cold dread settle in my stomach. “Why me? I’m just a regular girl. I don’t have anything special.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Chase said. “You have a power within you, a legacy that’s been passed down through generations. Your dreams are just the beginning.”
I tried to laugh it off, but the sound was hollow, even to my ears. “This sounds like a fantasy. Powers, legacies, ancient evils — it’s too far-fetched.”
“Cera, we wouldn’t be telling you this if it weren’t true,” Stefan insisted. “Your mother was a part of this world too. She knew about the danger and took steps to protect you. But now, it’s time for you to know the truth.”
My mother? This was getting more bizarre by the second. “My mother never mentioned anything about this.”
“There’s a lot she didn’t tell you, for your own safety,” Chase said. “But we can’t keep you in the dark any longer. The danger is too great.”
I was about to protest, to deny their claims when the memory of the man in my dream came back to me. The one who had protected me from the wolves, who had said I was in danger.
Could it be that Chase and Stefan were telling the truth? That there was a hidden world, a secret legacy that I was a part of?
“What do you need me to do?” I asked, not fully believing my own words.
Chase and Stefan exchanged a relieved look. “First, we need to show you something. Something that will help you understand,” Stefan said.
“Where?” I asked, a part of me still skeptical, yet another part intrigued by the mystery unfolding before me.
“In the forest, where your dreams often take you,” Chase replied. “There’s a place, hidden from the ordinary world, where we can explain everything.”
I hesitated, the rational part of my mind screaming that this was insane. But the dreamer, the part of me that longed for adventure and answers, urged me to go.
“Okay,” I finally said. “Show me.”
The walk to the forest was filled with an uneasy silence. Chase and Stefan led the way, their strides confident and purposeful. I trailed behind them, my mind racing with questions and doubts.
As we entered the forest, the atmosphere changed. The air felt charged, almost electric. The trees seemed to lean in, whispering secrets I couldn’t quite hear. It was both eerie and mesmerizing.
“We’re almost there,” Stefan said, glancing back at me.
“Where exactly are we going?” I asked, my voice tinged with apprehension.
“To a place we call the Veil,” Chase replied. “It’s a threshold between worlds, a place where the veil between the ordinary and the extraordinary is thin.”
The concept was fascinating, yet terrifying. I had read about such things in books, but to experience it in reality was something else entirely.
After a few more minutes of walking, we reached a clearing. In the center was an ancient stone structure, covered in moss and vines. It looked like an altar or a shrine, something out of a time long forgotten.
“This is the Veil,” Stefan announced, his voice echoing slightly in the quiet of the forest.
I approached the stone structure, a sense of awe washing over me. It felt sacred and powerful. I reached out to touch it, half expecting some sort of shock or jolt.
But there was nothing. Just the cold, hard surface of the stone under my fingertips.
“I don’t understand,” I said, turning to face Chase and Stefan. “What is this supposed to show me?”
Stefan stepped forward, his eyes meeting mine. “It’s not about what you see, Cera. It’s about what you feel. Close your eyes and reach out with your senses. Feel the energy of this place.”
I was skeptical, but I did as he said. I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath, trying to clear my mind of doubts and fears.
At first, there was nothing. Just the sound of my own breathing and the distant rustling of leaves. But then, slowly, I began to feel something. A tingling sensation, starting at my fingertips and spreading through my body. It was like static electricity, but more intense, more alive.
I gasped, my eyes snapping open. “What was that?”
“That was the power of the Veil,” Chase said, a hint of excitement in his voice. “You felt it, didn’t you?”
I nodded, still trying to process the sensation. “But what does it mean?”
“It means you’re connected to this place, to this world,” Stefan explained. “Your heritage, your legacy, it’s all tied to the Veil and what it represents.”
I took a step back, feeling overwhelmed. This was too much to take in. A hidden world, a legacy of power, a connection to a place like this — it was the stuff of legends, not reality.
“We know it’s a lot to process,” Chase said, his voice gentle. “But we need you to understand, Cera. The danger we mentioned, it’s real. And it’s coming.”
“What danger?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Stefan and Chase exchanged a look as if debating how much to tell me. Finally, Stefan spoke up.
“An ancient entity, a being of immense power and malevolence, is awakening. It seeks to break through the Veil, to enter our world and wreak havoc.”
“And you think I can stop it?” I asked, disbelief coloring my tone.
“Not alone,” Chase said. “But with our help, and the help of others like us, yes. You can stop it.”
I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of confusion. “Why me? Why am I so important in all of this?”
“Because of who you are, Cera,” Stefan said, his eyes holding mine. “Your mother was one of the guardians of the Veil, a protector of this world and the next. And now, that responsibility falls to you.”
I felt a weight settle on my shoulders, a sense of destiny that was both terrifying and exhilarating. My mother, a guardian? It was almost too much to believe.
“But how? I don’t know anything about this. I don’t have any powers or special abilities,” I protested.
“You do, Cera. You just haven’t discovered them yet,” Chase said. “But we can help you. We can train you, teach you everything you need to know.”
I looked between them, seeing the sincerity in their eyes. They believed in me, in this destiny that had been thrust upon me. And a part of me, a part I had always suppressed, believed too.
“Okay,” I said, the word feeling like a key turning in a lock. “I’ll do it. I’ll help you stop this threat.”
Stefan and Chase smiled relief and determination in their expressions. “Welcome to our world, Cera,” Stefan said. “Your journey has just begun.”
As we left the clearing and made our way back through the forest, I felt a sense of purpose ignite within me. I didn’t understand everything yet, but I knew one thing for sure.
My life would never be the same again.
The story will continue…
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