Alea, a 17-year-old smart yet introverted teenager, has always felt that something is different about her life, as if the world she inhabits is not entirely real. One night, while experiencing a strange dream, Alea suddenly finds herself half-awake...
Alea often pondered the boundary between dreams and reality, between what she knew and what she felt. The more she tried to ignore the strange flashes that appeared in her mind, the stronger the feeling crept into her thoughts, as if something were urging her to look closer, to realize that the world she knew was not the only one that existed.
Since the incident at school, where she glimpsed a world that seemed like hers but with slightly different details, Alea's curiosity had turned into obsession. Every night, as the real world faded and was replaced by the soothing darkness, Alea found herself drifting between reality and dreams. She began to feel that her world was just one of many possibilities, a single thread in the endless tapestry connecting various realities.
The boundary between reality and dreams grew increasingly blurred, and Alea realized she was on the brink of a major discovery. In a half-conscious state, where her subconscious took over, she began to see something, a hidden door, a path to another world waiting to be explored. A world with answers to the questions that had long haunted her, a world offering both possibilities and dangers. This was where Alea's true adventure began, as she stepped beyond a boundary she could not fully understand.
As the night wore on, Alea knew she had to return to that place, to a world that felt so foreign yet so familiar. And this time, she would not go as a passive observer; she would seek answers and unravel the mystery that enveloped her life. Alea was ready to cross the boundary.
******
Alea sat on the edge of her bed, her eyes staring blankly out the window. Her mind was filled with strange dreams that had been recurring over the past few nights. All these glimpses of different worlds were starting to make her feel confused and scared. What she was experiencing didn't feel like an ordinary dream; there was something more real, more profound.
Tonight, she felt more exhausted than before. Though her body yearned for rest, her mind refused to calm. Alea knew something was different about tonight. As she slowly drifted off to sleep, that strange feeling came again, a powerful pull as if she was being drawn by an invisible force towards something she couldn't see. Her body felt light, almost as if she was floating.
******
Slowly, she opened her eyes and realized she was no longer in her room. In front of her was a room similar to hers, but with a few small differences that made her feel uneasy. The walls were painted a soft blue, and there were a few items she didn't have in her world, a large mirror with ancient carvings, a table with small lit candles, and a large window overlooking a completely different cityscape.
Alea was startled and stepped back a few paces, trying to understand what was happening. "This... this isn't my room," she said softly, almost inaudibly. She felt her heart racing faster, panic starting to set in. "Where am I? How did I get here?"
Before she could process everything, she heard a voice behind her. "You've finally come back."
Alea turned around quickly, her breath catching in her throat. Standing before her was a girl who looked almost identical to herself, except there was something different in her gaze. The girl appeared calmer, more confident, and her aura felt stronger.
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