ECHOES OF THE BURNT GROVES

Chapter 2: The Nightmare

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The night was quiet, with only the gentle hum of the air conditioner filling the room. Sharvari was asleep beside Shubman, her breathing steady and peaceful—until it wasn't. 

The tranquility of the night was shattered by a sudden, piercing scream that echoed through her nighmare.

In her nightmare, Sharvari found herself standing in a dense, dark forest. The air was thick with smoke, and the sky was painted with fiery orange and red hues. 

Through the smoke, she saw a woman screaming in agony, flames on her clothes. The woman's face was twisted in pain, her eyes wide with terror as she screamed for help. 

Nearby, a child's cry cut through the chaos. The child was being dragged away by a shadowy figure, the silhouette of a person cloaked in darkness.

 The child's wails mingled with the woman's screams, creating a haunting scene of despair. The scene was nightmarish, the fire reflecting off the trees and casting eerie shadows that surrounded them.

Sharvari tried to move, to help, but her legs felt like lead. She could only watch in horror as the flames consumed the woman, her screams growing fainter as the fire took over. 

The scene was chaotic, the heat from the fire palpable even in her dream. The air was thick with the smell of burning wood.

Suddenly,  there was a final, loud, piercing scream that echoed through the forest. The sound was so intense that it seemed to shake the very ground beneath Sharvari's feet. 

She felt a jolt of fear and sadness, as if her heart was being ripped from her chest. The dream was overwhelming, a powerful surge of emotion and terror.

Then, suddenly, the nightmare broke. Sharvari's eyes flew open, her scream cutting through the quiet of the night. 

She gasped for breath, her body drenched in sweat. The room was dark, the only light coming from the moon filtering through the curtains. Her heart raced, pounding in her chest like a drum.

As she struggled to calm herself, she saw Shubman's face hovering above her, his expression a mix of concern and confusion. His brow was furrowed, his eyes wide with worry.

"Sharu!" he said, his voice soft but urgent. "Are you okay? What happened?"

She blinked, trying to shake off the remnants of the nightmare. Her breathing was ragged, and she could feel her body trembling.

 "I... I had a nightmare," she stammered, her voice shaking. "It was terrible. There was a woman... burning. And a child... being dragged away."

Shubman's expression softened as he reached out, gently cupping her face with his hands. "It's okay, Love. It was just a dream. You're safe now."

She looked into his eyes, finding comfort in his presence. His touch was warm, a stark contrast to the cold fear that had gripped her.

"It felt so real," she whispered, her voice still trembling. "The screams... the fire... I couldn't stop it."

His thumb stroked her cheek soothingly. "I'm here with you. You're not alone. It was just a nightmare. Calm Down, Love."

She nodded, closing her eyes and taking deep, steadying breaths. The nightmare was slowly fading, but the emotions it had stirred were still raw. 

She could still hear the echoes of the woman's screams in her mind, the haunting cries of the child.

"It felt like... like it was connected to something," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Like it was more than just a dream."