NightMoon Academy

Part 1: The Call of the Moon

 Selene Harper had the same dream again. She was running through a dense forest, the moonlight filtering through the trees, casting eerie shadows. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she sprinted over roots and through underbrush, her heart pounding in her chest.

She wasn't alone she could hear the soft footfalls of others running beside her, feel their presence even though she couldn't see them. There was a sense of urgency, of something chasing them, but also a strange comfort in the company of these unseen companions.

Suddenly, the dream shifted. The trees parted to reveal a wide, moonlit clearing. In the center stood a woman with raven-black hair and glowing amber eyes. She raised her hand, and Selene felt a pull, as if the woman were calling her closer, urging her to join her in the light. But before Selene could move, the ground beneath her feet began to crumble, and she was falling into darkness.

Selene jolted awake, her heart still racing. She sat up in bed, her room bathed in the pale light of the early morning. The dream had been so vivid, so real. She could still feel the chill of the night air on her skin, the pull of the woman's gaze. But as always, the details were slipping away, leaving only a lingering sense of unease.

Downstairs, the smell of coffee greeted her as she entered the kitchen. Her father, Jonasan Harper, was already up, sipping his coffee and reading the newspaper. He looked up as Selene walked in, concern flickering in his eyes as he noticed the tired expression on her face.

"Another rough night?" he asked, his voice gentle.

Selene nodded, pouring herself a cup of coffee and joining him at the table. "Same dream again. The one with the forest and the woman with raven hair."

Jonasan frowned, setting down his newspaper. "That's the third time this week, Selene. Are you sure you're okay? Why don't you consider going therapy"

"I'm fine, Dad," Selene said, forcing a smile.

"It's just a dream, right? Probably just stress or something."

But even as she said it, Selene knew it was more than just a dream. It felt too real, too intense. And there was that nagging feeling in the back of her mind, a whisper of something she couldn't quite grasp.

Jonasan reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right? I'm here for you."

"I know, Dad. Thanks," Selene replied, her smile more genuine this time.

But she could see the worry in his eyes, and it made her feel guilty. Her father had always been her rock, especially after her mother died when Selene was just a child. He had raised her on his own, and though they didn't talk much about her mother, Selene knew it was still a painful subject for him.

As she sipped her coffee, Selene's thoughts drifted to the other strange things that had been happening lately. She'd always been a bit of an outcast in their small town her unusual appearance, with her silver-white hair and pale blue eyes, set her apart from the other kids.

But recently, it felt like the distance between her and everyone else was growing. People seemed to avoid her more than usual, giving her strange looks when they passed her on the street. Even her few friends had started acting distant, as if they were afraid of her.

It didn't help that weird things kept happening around her. She'd noticed her senses becoming sharper she could hear things from far away, see in the dark better than anyone else, and her sense of smell had become almost overwhelming at times.

And then there were the strange flashes of emotion she would get from people, as if she could sense what they were feeling.

All of it made Selene feel like she was losing her grip on reality. She hadn't told her father about any of it, not wanting to worry him more than he already was. But deep down, she knew something was wrong.