Chapter 2: So it was you

As he lay there, staring into the darkness, his mind refused to quiet. The questions kept circling. Why him? What had he done to deserve this? Was there some higher power, some cruel god, laughing at his misery? Or was it all just random, senseless chaos?

He didn't know. And maybe he never would.

But for now, all he could do was close his eyes and hope that sleep would come. Sleep was the only escape he had left. The only thing that could numb the pain, even if just for a little while.

And as the darkness swallowed him, Aiden was left with one final, lingering thought as he drifted into an uneasy sleep: What if it never gets better?

His dreams were fragmented, a swirl of memories and fears that blended together into something incoherent yet vivid. He saw Emily's face, but when he reached out, she disappeared into the fog.

He saw his parents' graves, cold and silent, the earth freshly turned. Max was there too, running toward him, but just as Aiden knelt to embrace his dog, Max faded into nothing, leaving him grasping at air.

The fog thickened, and now he was back at school. He was younger, standing in the middle of a hallway filled with faceless students. Their laughter echoed around him, but he couldn't make out what they were saying.

All he knew was that they were laughing at him. It was the same feeling he'd had in real life, the same gut-wrenching sense of isolation, of being trapped in a world that didn't care about him.

Suddenly, the laughter stopped. The hallway was empty now, the walls closing in. A door appeared at the far end, and for some reason, Aiden felt drawn to it. His legs moved on their own, carrying him forward, closer and closer, until his hand reached out for the knob.

As soon as his fingers touched the cold metal, a voice—deep and unfamiliar—rumbled through the dream. It wasn't loud, but it reverberated through his entire body, shaking him to his core.

"You think it's all coincidence, don't you?"

Aiden froze, his hand hovering over the door. His heart pounded in his chest as the voice spoke again, this time closer, as though it was right behind him.

"Do you really believe the universe is just chaos? That there's no reason for what you've endured?"

He turned slowly, his breath catching in his throat. The hallway was empty. There was no one there. But the presence was unmistakable, like a weight pressing down on his chest.

"Who's there?" Aiden's voice was barely a whisper.

"You already know the answer," the voice replied. "You've been asking for it, haven't you? Wondering if something out there is responsible for all this."

Aiden's mind raced. Was this some kind of twisted dream? Or was he finally losing his grip on reality?

The voice chuckled softly, as if amused by his confusion. "I've been watching you, Aiden. Every step, every fall, every tear. You've been waiting for a reason. Maybe now, you're ready to hear it."

"What do you mean?" Aiden asked, his voice trembling. "Why is this happening to me? Why did I lose everything?"

There was a pause, as though the voice was considering its response.

"Because you were chosen," it finally said. "Chosen to endure, to suffer, for a purpose greater than you can imagine."

Aiden's stomach dropped. "Chosen? For what? I never asked for this! I never wanted any of this!"

The voice remained calm, almost sympathetic. "I know. But life doesn't ask for your permission. You've been tested because you're stronger than you think. And whether you realise it or not, you're on the edge of something far greater than the pain you've known."

Aiden's mind was reeling. This had to be some kind of delusion. It was too surreal, too bizarre to be anything else. Yet, deep down, a part of him clung to the words, desperate for meaning, for an answer that explained why his life had spiralled into such chaos.

"Who are you?" he demanded, his voice firmer now, more insistent. "Why are you telling me this?"

"You'll know soon enough," the voice replied. "But first, you must survive. You must endure. Only then will you understand."

The hallway around him began to blur, the walls dissolving into mist. The door behind him creaked open on its own, revealing only darkness beyond. The voice began to fade as the world crumbled around him, leaving Aiden with one final, cryptic message.

"Wake up, Aiden. Wake up, and find the truth."

---

Aiden jolted awake, gasping for breath, his heart pounding in his chest. His room was the same as before—dark, cold, and suffocatingly silent. The dream still clung to him, like a shadow lingering in the corners of his mind.

He sat up, wiping the sweat from his forehead, trying to shake the feeling that something was different, that something had changed.

He glanced at his phone. It was still early, barely 4 a.m., and the world outside was pitch black. But Aiden couldn't shake the words of the dream. You were chosen.

Chosen for what? He felt no stronger than he had before. He still felt broken, lost, abandoned. But there was a strange new thought worming its way into his mind—a flicker of hope, or maybe curiosity.

The dream had felt real, too real. He'd never experienced something so vivid, so filled with purpose. Was it just his brain trying to cope with the overwhelming grief? Or was it something more?

Aiden swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, feeling the cold floor beneath his bare feet. He walked to the window and pulled back the curtain, looking out into the dark street below. The world seemed so still, so empty. It matched how he felt inside.

But then, something stirred in the distance. A faint, flickering light at the end of the street caught his eye. It wasn't a streetlight or a car. It was something else, something that seemed to shimmer and pulse, almost like it was alive.

Aiden blinked, wondering if his exhausted mind was playing tricks on him. But no, the light was there, faint but undeniable, calling to him in a way he couldn't explain.

Without thinking, he grabbed his jacket and slipped on his shoes, his body moving on instinct. He wasn't sure why, but he felt compelled to go outside, to follow the light. Something deep inside him, something primal, urged him forward.

As he stepped out into the cold night air, the silence felt even heavier, the world around him eerily still. The light at the end of the street flickered again, brighter this time, as if beckoning him closer.

Aiden's heart raced as he walked, his breath visible in the cold air. The closer he got, the more he felt that something was watching him, guiding him. It was unsettling, yet strangely comforting at the same time.

When he reached the spot where the light had been, he found nothing but an empty alleyway. Confused, he looked around, his breath quickening. Had he imagined it? Was the dream still messing with his head?

But then, a voice—soft and familiar—whispered from behind him.

"Aiden."

He spun around, his heart pounding in his chest. There, standing in the shadows, was a figure cloaked in darkness, barely visible. But the voice… it was the same one from his dream. The one that had told him he was chosen.

Aiden's mouth went dry, and he took a hesitant step forward. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice shaking.

The figure stepped into the faint light, revealing a face that was both human and otherworldly. The eyes glowed faintly, filled with an ancient wisdom that sent chills down Aiden's spine.

"I'm the one who's been watching you," the figure said. "The one who's been guiding you."

Aiden's heart raced. This couldn't be real. None of this made any sense.

But before he could speak, the figure raised a hand, silencing him.

"There's no time to explain," the figure said. "But you're not alone, Aiden. You never were. Everything you've been through—your losses, your pain—it's all led you to this moment."

Aiden stared, his mind racing with questions. "Led me to what?"

The figure's glowing eyes softened. "To the truth. To the beginning of your journey."

And then, with a soft whisper, the figure vanished into the night, leaving Aiden alone once more.

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