Puzzle

Khai didn't speak his mind and swiped to the next photo.

What was next made his sanity almost snap right there and then.

Before him were two people dressed in medieval clothing.

Their faces weren't filled in; they were left blank but their clothes and stature was one Khai recently saw.. it was also from his dreams! Just yesterday!

The man was wearing a mantle and the woman had long, wavy hair that reached her waist.

"Anna, you need to tell me exactly what's happening." Khai threw the phone away and faced her.

"I-I-" Pressured by Khai's intent glare, her voice got shaky.

"Listen carefully. If you want me to help you, you need to do me this favor, okay?" Khai tried his best to sound patient.

As in reality, he was inwardly shaking. Everything was too unbelievably scary!

What the fuck!

"I-" Anna still wasn't in a state to talk.

'Fuck!' Khai was mercilessly reciting every curse that ever existed in his mind.

What was happening? What were all these bullshit?

If he wanted answers, he'd have to get it directly from the source.

"Hold up." Khai went to his mini-fridge, took a bottle of water and presented it to Anna, hoping that she'd calm down before he'd rupture.

He waited with all the 'what if's' in his head spinning crazier than he could ever have imagined.

Finally, as his patience was running out, Anna spoke up, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, how are you feeling?"

"I think I can talk now."

"That's great! Please, tell me everything you know!" Khai almost begged right then and there.

"Okay." Anna took a deep breath and narrated;

"It started 5 years ago. I don't know when exactly and what triggered it but I just started to have these weird dreams. It was unusual for me, since the last time I dreamt was when I was a small child.

They were very vivid in my dreams but when I wake up, they suddenly vanish. However, I was sure of one thing, I was dreaming about a person- you.."

She looked at Khai with complex emotions running through her eyes.

"Those dreams didn't come everyday, sometimes, I'd get them once a month.

It was only after 3 years that the dreams I dreamt were retained in my memory. However, they were very blurry, all I could make out was that I was with a special person, which most likely is you again.

But,,"

Anna paused.

"A year ago, those lighthearted dreams started to feel real, like I was actually living in them. I also started to clearly see the dreams, but they got shorter and shorter, I couldn't remember what happened in them but I could feel the emotions I felt when I wake up.

That about sums it up."

"What were you dreaming about me in the beginning?" Khai asked, not wasting any time.

"Uh, er, mostly moments.."

"Moments?"

"Mhm, as I've said, I don't remember much but you're like an angel in my dreams, appearing to sooth my worries."

"That's-" Khai felt his mind wandering off. He needed to get to the point.

"What's with the sketches?" He asked.

"I was amused about my dreams, I just drew them out of interest. Those were the dreams that really stood out; they seemed impactful to me in some way." She answered.

"You said that you dreamt of these things before they happened, right?" Khai tremblingly asked.

"Yes, which made me wonder if all of those will come true."

'What's going on, can she see the future?' Khai was getting more confused as he got more answers.

Still, his curiosity didn't allow him to end things there, "Have you had any dreams about anything else? Perhaps something similar? Have you had a premonition before that came true?"

"No, nothing I can remember." Anna confidently declined.

'So there are no other people she's dreaming of and no proof that this all will come true?'

Not that he knew anything about the sketches, anyway.

Now, the only remaining question now was,

"How do I know that you're not conning me?"

"That-" Anna paused, thinking of ways to prove herself.

For all Khai knows, he could be getting tricked somehow.

"I have no proof.." Anna shook her head regrettably.

'The art was done digitally, there's no way to authenticate her claims. Well, those 2 did appear in my dreams as well.. there's no way she'd know that I dreamt of them.. are we somehow connected?'

'Either way, whatever I choose to do now will affect my future greatly.'

"Why did you choose to disclose this to me?" Khai asked.

Anna took her time before answering, looking at her bottled water and at Khai, breathing heavily from time to time.

Khai didn't rush her and waited.

"The moment you appeared in my brother's arm yesterday, I felt goosebumps all over. I didn't want to believe my own eyes. You looked exactly like the person who visits me in my dreams.

Of course, it wasn't like I wasn't doubtful, but I felt like I found home when you appeared.

I'm only sure of one fact; you're the center or everything that's been going on. It's selfish of me to ask you to involve yourself in this matter, but I'll appreciate your cooperation."

Khai sat down beside her, exhausted. "What do you intend to do?"

This time, Anna didn't hesitate. "I want to know why I'm dreaming of you."

'I do feel strange next to her as well.'

'Like a lost puzzle finding its place.'

"Home, is it?" Khai mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing."

A deafening silence fell upon the room.

Khai was impervious to it as he was thinking, but every second that passed were like years to Anna.

Without thinking, a word suddenly came out of her mouth. "Please.."

'Ah!' Fearing that she'd annoy Khai, she hurriedly closed her mouth.

"Okay.." Khai sighed as he faced the defenseless girl.

"Okay?" Anna looked at him with anticipation.

"Okay, I'll help you." Khai clarified.

What Anna said was true, he'd get involved no matter what.

Besides, it seemed their dreams were somehow connected, he might gain a better understanding of how his nightmares work if he helps her.

"Really?" Anna jumped up in excitement. "You really mean it?"

"Mhm," Khai nodded, "Let's help each other."

"Thank you! Thank you!" The girl couldn't contain herself and went in for a hug.

Khai, who was inexperienced with physical affection with people outside his family, tried to avoid her but failed.

He could only awkwardly put his arms around her and pat her back.

"Thank you so much.." She sniffled within his embrace like a child that lost its home.

'She must have been through a lot. I wonder if she slept at all last night..' Khai looked at her sympathetically.

'And to think that I acted that way to her..'

He couldn't help but to cringe when he thought of what just happened.

It seemed he lacks experience in dealing with emotions and people.

'Small steps..' He reminded himself quietly.

"Thank you for trusting me as well." He patted her head in an attempt to console her.

"Waaahhh!" But to his surprise, her cries intensified. Even her body started shaking as she let all her guard down.

"You're really scared, huh.." Khai felt sorry for her.

'Alright, I'll let you cry on me as long as you want..'

He silently let her dump all of her emotions, pitching in words of comfort from time to time.