Chapter 2: Prologue [2]

I jolted awake with a gasp, my heart still racing from the intensity of the nightmare that had gripped me moments before.

As I struggled to catch my breath, I glanced around my dimly lit bedroom, relieved to find myself safely ensconced in the familiar surroundings of my own home.

With both hands clutching my face, I sighed, frustrated that the unsettling experience had interrupted my rest. "Huu.. huuu... huuu.. Ok.. just a ..a dream," I muttered to myself, trying to calm my racing heart. 

Sitting up on my bed thinking back on what I saw it was "Interesting..."

I muttered, feeling a tinge of slight annoyance because I could of probably.. no certainly dodged those red strings or ropes thingy. If only dreams didn't well halve your intelligence and debuff your physical stats by 90%. 

also, what the hell was I on about?

'why me?'

'what will happen to me?' 

I couldn't help but cringe as I thought back on my panicked response in the dream.

Sighing once more, I reached out for my phone and checked the time—6:25 AM. "Great, I could've slept for 5 more minutes," I grumbled, rubbing my sleepy eyes as I reluctantly pushed myself out of bed.

As I made my way to the restroom, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, as if unseen eyes were following my every move. But I pushed the thought aside, chalking it up to lingering paranoia from the nightmare.

Inside the restroom, I turned on the lights and was greeted by the reflection of a tired-looking version of myself, with a puffy in the mirror. "Damn, I am not looking good at all," I muttered, running a hand through my disheveled hair.

Besides my appearance would be 10 times better than what appears now after I take a cold shower and dress up.....

Ok fine I was lying, I should be better looking by at least 2 times the current me after showering and dressing up right?

After showering and dressing, I stood before the mirror once again, taking in my appearance with a critical eye. Fair skin, sharp jawline, black hair and eyes—maybe I wasn't a model, but I was presentable enough for a job interview.

With a final nod of satisfaction, I turned away from the mirror and headed out the door, ready to face whatever challenges the day had in store for me.

Just as I was about to reach for the doorknob, I felt a pair of eyes watching me—from where the mirror was hung on the wall. A shiver ran down my spine as I hesitated, my hand hovering in mid-air.

I immediately went to check the mirror and... nothing. "I am pretty sure I saw something," I muttered, my brow furrowing in confusion.

I did not want to think too much about what I saw from my peripheral vision. It made no sense to me. What I saw was myself looking back at me, leaning out of the mirror—if that made sense.

I stayed for a solid minute, scrutinizing every inch of my private restroom for any other oddities. But there was nothing, just the faint hum of the fluorescent lights above.

With a shake of my head, I pushed aside the lingering unease and headed out of the restroom. I grabbed my phone from the bedside table and checked the time—6:48 AM. I might be cutting it close to my interview as an aerospace engineer, but it'll be fine because I wouldn't be the only interviewee, right? Hopefully.

As I pushed out of my room, I saw my parents. My dad was sipping on coffee, his glasses hanging at a weird angle from his face as he buried himself in the morning newspaper. I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight—it reminded me of my own eyesight, which wasn't the best. Mental note: don't forget to grab my glasses before heading out.

Meanwhile, my mom was bustling around the kitchen, already hard at work preparing breakfast. She looked exhausted, her hair mussed from sleep, yet there was a warm smile on her face as she glanced over at me. "Good morning, Aren," she greeted, her voice tinged with affection. 

"Morning mom," I greeted her back

Beside her, my little sister was seated at the breakfast table, a slice of toast hanging from her mouth as she furiously tapped away on her phone. I couldn't help but grin as I watched her, amused by her typical teenage morning routine.

When she noticed me, she shot me a playful glare and mumbled around her toast, "You're late."

I rolled my eyes, feigning offense. "Says the one who's yet to get dressed" I quipped, earning a giggle from my mom and a mock scowl from my sister.

Despite the early hour, there was a sense of warmth and laughter filling the room—a familiar comfort that eased the lingering tension from the morning's unsettling events.

I looked at a family photo hanging on the wall, where there were my parents, teenage me, my elder brother and little sister.

With a smile, I joined my family at the table, grateful for their love and support as I prepared to face the challenges of the day ahead.

*** 

"Huff... hufff... hufff... thi... this... hahaha," I struggled to catch my breath, the laughter escaping my lips strained and hollow. I attempted to force myself to calm down, but the turmoil swirling within me refused to be quelled. I clutched my head, my fingers tangling in my hair as if trying to rip out every strand in a desperate attempt to make sense of the chaos consuming my thoughts.

My eyes darted around the frantically, searching for some semblance of clarity amid the fog of confusion that surrounded me. Nothing made sense— But how? almost everything was fine this morning..