Twin Fate: Sun and Moon

Chapter 8 - The Dream

Arvid stood across the court, his figure shadowed beneath the dim evening light. Something was different about him tonight—something darker, more dangerous. His eyes, usually a soft amber, glinted with an unnerving intensity, shifting to an almost molten gold. It should have been mesmerizing—beautiful, even—but instead, it sent a cold shiver racing down my spine.

I tried to step back, to distance myself from that piercing gaze, but my body refused to move. It was as if my feet were cemented to the concrete beneath me, rooted in place by a fear I couldn't fully understand. Panic surged through me, and I attempted to break free from whatever invisible force held me there. But my legs were unyielding, frozen in place no matter how desperately I tried to move.

And then I heard it—a low sound, not quite human—a growl, or maybe a hiss. My heart stuttered as I jerked my head around, eyes straining to make sense of the shadows. That's when I saw them. Two eyes, glowing crimson against the night, watching me from the darkness. My breath caught in my throat. I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came. My voice was trapped, just like my body, my chest tight with terror.

Sweat beaded on my forehead as the scene dissolved around me, the court and those haunting eyes slipping away. My body jolted awake, my heart hammering in my chest, and I found myself in my bed, drenched in sweat. I blinked into the darkness, trying to steady my breathing, my pulse still erratic.

Just a dream, I reminded myself. It was only a dream.

I let out a nervous laugh, though it was more out of relief than amusement. Of course, it was just a dream—some ridiculous combination of late-night snacks and an overactive imagination. I ran a hand through my damp hair, shaking my head at how absurd it all seemed now that I was awake. But even as I tried to dismiss it, the memory of those red eyes stayed with me. Who—or what—had been watching me from the shadows? And what was that terrible hiss?

I glanced at the clock: 4 a.m. Great. The worst possible hour to be wide awake, and yet I knew there was no chance of falling back asleep now. With a resigned sigh, I dragged myself out of bed, my body still tense with the aftershocks of the nightmare. The bathroom tiles were cold against my feet as I went through my morning routine in a daze, trying to shake the remnants of the dream.

Once dressed, I made my way downstairs, but the usual morning hunger didn't come. Maybe it was the lingering weight of last night's dinner, or maybe it was the dream that had unsettled me so deeply. Either way, food didn't appeal to me. Instead, I picked up a book, hoping the familiar comfort of reading might calm my mind. But even as I turned the pages, the dream nagged at me, creeping back into my thoughts no matter how much I tried to push it away.

By the time the clock struck 7 a.m., and I heard Alex stirring upstairs, I'd barely absorbed a single word.

You've been awake for long?" Alex's voice was groggy with sleep as he stepped into the living room, his hair a mess and a yawn escaping his lips.

"Yeah," I answered with a half-hearted chuckle, trying to sound casual. "Got woken up by some stupid dream." But even as I spoke, I could tell by the way he looked at me—his eyebrows knitting together—that I hadn't entirely masked the discomfort in my voice.

"Something in particular?" he asked, narrowing his eyes as he slid into the kitchen. He busied himself making an omelet, the scent of eggs and butter slowly filling the room.

"It was just some sort of nightmare," I said, brushing it off with a shrug. "Nothing serious. The usual."

He didn't seem entirely convinced, but thankfully he didn't press further. Instead, he turned his attention back to the stove, flipping the omelet with an easy flick of his wrist. After a few quiet moments, he spoke again. "So," he said, his tone lightening, "we've got the whole day ahead. How about going over quantum physics again? Maybe we'll actually figure something out this time."