Back to Reality

Ethan's eyes snapped open, and he sat up with a start. He was back in his own bed, in his own room, and everything felt eerily normal. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the vivid dream he had just had.

But as he looked around his room, he noticed something strange. The symbol on his palm was still glowing softly, and the air felt charged with an otherworldly energy.

He shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs. It was just a dream, he told himself. But the feeling of unease lingered.

Ethan got out of bed and began to get dressed, trying to shake off the lingering sense of dread. He had to get to school soon, and he couldn't afford to be late.

As he walked to school, Ethan couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. The symbol on his palm seemed to be pulsing with energy, and he could feel its presence even beneath his clothes.

When he arrived at school, Ethan was greeted by the familiar sight of lockers and hallways. But something felt different. The students seemed quieter than usual, and the teachers looked more serious.

Ethan made his way to his first class, trying to focus on the lesson at hand. But his mind kept wandering back to the dream he had had.

As he sat in class, he noticed that his friends were all staring at him. "What's wrong?" he asked, feeling a sense of unease.

Rachel leaned over and whispered, "You okay? You look really pale."

Ethan shook his head. "Just a bad night's sleep," he said, trying to brush it off.

But Rachel's eyes narrowed. "You're not fooling anyone," she said. "Something's going on with you, Ethan. And we need to talk about it."

Ethan felt a sense of unease grow inside him. What was going on? And how could Rachel possibly know what was happening?