Shadows unseen

8-Thanks :)

The rumble of the car engine filled the air. Y/n sat in the back seat, watching the world blur by through the window. Her parents were in the front, their voices warm and familiar, though she couldn't quite make out what they were saying. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the road ahead. Everything felt... normal. Almost too normal.

But there was something off. A tightness in her chest, a creeping sense of unease. Y/n shifted uncomfortably in her seat, glancing at her parents. They were smiling, chatting as if nothing was wrong. She wanted to ask them what was happening and why she felt so tense, but the words wouldn't come.

Then, without warning, the car lurched. Tires screeched against the asphalt as the car swerved violently. Y/n's heart leaped into her throat. Her father gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white as he tried to regain control. The world outside the window spun, blurring into streaks of light and shadow.

"Mom? Dad?" Y/n's voice trembled, but neither of them responded.

The car spun out of control. Y/n's breath caught in her throat as her mother screamed—a high, piercing sound that cut through the chaos. Her father shouted something, but the words were lost in the deafening screech of metal and glass. Y/n could only watch, frozen in place, as the car veered off the road.

Then came the impact.

A sickening crunch of metal colliding with something solid. Y/n was thrown forward, the seatbelt biting into her chest as the car came to a violent halt. Her vision blurred. Everything was upside down. Blood dripped from her forehead, the coppery taste filling her mouth.

She blinked, her heart pounding, trying to make sense of the twisted wreckage around her. The front of the car was crumpled like a tin can, the dashboard crushed against her parents. Her mother's head lolled to the side, her face obscured by dark, matted hair. Her father wasn't moving.

"Mom? Dad?" Y/n's voice was a whisper now, filled with desperation. She reached out, her fingers trembling, but they wouldn't move.

A deep, cold fear gripped her chest. Why weren't they moving?

Y/n's vision began to swim, her body numb, as the sound of sirens echoed faintly in the distance. She tried to scream, tried to call for help, but her voice wouldn't come. The world around her was fading, growing darker by the second.

No, no, no... Y/n's mind raced, panic flooding her senses.

And then—nothing.....

Y/n bolted upright in bed, gasping for breath, her heart hammering against her ribs. Sweat clung to her skin, and her sheets were tangled around her. The nightmare still clung to her, vivid and terrifying, making her feel as if she were still trapped in that car.

She pressed her palms against her eyes, trying to steady her breathing, but the tears came anyway. They slipped down her cheeks, silent and hot, her body trembling with the raw, overwhelming fear that the dream had brought to the surface.

Her sobs must have been louder than she realized because, moments later, there was a soft knock at her door.

"Okkotsu?" Megumi's voice came from the other side, quiet and filled with concern. "Are you okay?"

Y/n hesitated, quickly wiping at her face with the back of her hand. She didn't want him or anyone to see her like this, broken and vulnerable. She tried to compose herself, but her voice trembled as she called out, "Yeah, I'm fine."

But Megumi knew better. The door creaked open, and he stepped inside closing the door behind him. His eyes immediately locked onto her tear-streaked face, his usual stoic demeanor giving way to something softer.