Fragile Heart

Prologue

14 years in the past.

I woke up with a startle, my heart pounding against my chest as if it wanted to break free.

The room was shrouded in darkness, and an eerie silence hung heavy in the air.

But it wasn't the darkness that frightened me, it was the vivid memory of the nightmare that had torn me from my sleep.

In my dream, I was surrounded by shadows that seemed to reach out for me with grasping fingers, whispering chilling words that filled my mind with terror.

I found myself unable to move, trapped in a nightmare I couldn't escape. The sense of impending doom grew stronger with each passing moment, and I felt a scream building up inside me, begging for release.

And then, as if compelled by some unseen force, I let out a piercing cry for help—calling out for my older brother, Charles, my voice laced with fear and desperation.

"Charles! Charles, please help me!" I screamed into the darkness, my small voice trembling with terror.

I needed him. I needed his reassuring presence, his comforting words that always had a way of chasing away the monsters—both real and imagined.

In my panic, I didn't stop to wonder if I was awake or still lost in the cruel clutches of the nightmare.

Seconds stretched into eternity as I waited, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest.

The silence that followed my cries seemed to mock me, drawing out the fear that coiled like a serpent in my gut. And then, just as I thought all hope was lost, I heard it—the sound of hurried footsteps racing towards my room.

The door flung open, flooding the room with light from the hallway, and Charles stood there, his eyes wide with concern and worry etched on his face.

"Stella, what's wrong? Are you okay?" he asked, his voice filled with urgency as he rushed to my side, gathering me in his arms.

I clung to him like a lifeline, the fear subsiding as I felt the warmth of his embrace and heard the steady rhythm of his heart.

"It was so scary, Charles," I whispered, my voice quivering with fear. "I thought the shadows were going to take me away, and I couldn't move or scream. I needed you so much."

Charles held me close, his gentle words a soothing balm to my troubled mind. "It's okay, Stella. You're safe now. I'm here, and I'll always protect you. It was just a bad dream, nothing more." His words wrapped around me like a blanket, chasing away the lingering chill of the nightmare.

As I nestled against Charles, feeling the rise and fall of his chest with each steady breath, I knew that I was safe.