THE 18TH HOUR

The Silence Before the Storm

Arla woke up, her body drenched in sweat, her mind racing with questions. She was still trapped in a web of confusion and distrust, unsure of what was real and what was just a dream. The figure in the mask, who her mother claimed to be her father, had left her with more questions than answers. Who were the ancient ones? What was her destiny? And why did her mom seem to be hiding something from her?

She looked around her room, half-expecting to see the figure lurking in the shadows, but there was no one. Her phone lay on her bedside table, a reminder of the life she thought she knew. Her birthday, college, her friends - everything seemed so mundane now, so insignificant in the face of the secrets that had been revealed to her.

Arla's thoughts turned to her mom, who had seemed so oblivious to the strange occurrences. Was she really in the dark, or was she just pretending? Arla's mind raced with the possibilities. Maybe her mom was involved in this whole thing, maybe she was the one who had been hiding the truth from her all along.

With a sense of trepidation, Arla got out of bed and made her way to the kitchen, where her mom was busy making breakfast. "Mom," Arla said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Can we talk?"

Her mom turned around, a look of concern on her face. "Of course, sweetie. What's going on?"

Arla hesitated, unsure of how to broach the subject. "It's just...I had this dream, and...and I saw this figure, and he said some things that didn't make sense. And then I woke up, and...and I don't know what's real and what's not."

Her mom's expression changed, a flicker of something akin to fear crossing her face. "Arla, what are you talking about?"

Arla took a deep breath, the words tumbling out of her. "The ancient ones, mom. Who are they? And the figure in the mask - is he really my dad? And what does he mean by my destiny?"

Her mom's face went white, and she sank into a chair, as if the weight of the world had suddenly been placed on her shoulders. "Arla, I...I don't know what you're talking about."

Arla felt a surge of frustration. "Don't lie to me, mom. I know you know something. You have to tell me the truth."

Her mom looked up at her, tears in her eyes. "Arla, I swear, I don't know what you're talking about. But...but I think we need to talk to someone who can help us. Someone who can explain what's going on."

Arla's mind raced as she tried to process what her mom was saying. Who was this someone? And what did they have to do with the ancient ones and her destiny?

As they sat there, locked in a silence that seemed to stretch on forever, Arla realized that she had more questions than answers. But one thing was certain - she was determined to uncover the truth, no matter what it took.

And with that, the story of Arla's 18th Awakening came to a mysterious end, leaving behind a trail of questions and secrets that would haunt her forever. But one thing was certain - Arla's life would never be the same again., what was going to become of her, what would she use these strange powers to do. The mystery of the ancient ones had only just begun, and Arla was at the center of it all.

The end?