Echoes of Fractured Realities: The Convergence Beyond Worlds

Ep 1 : Whispers of the Past

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I walked down the empty road, the cool night air clinging to my skin as I shoved my hands deeper into my pockets. "Born to Die" played in my ears, its haunting melody matching the heavy feeling that seemed to follow me lately. My feet moved in rhythm with the music, the dark sky above reflecting how lost I felt inside. But then, without warning, the song was cut off by a breaking news alert.

"...a dangerous criminal has just escaped. Authorities advise the public to stay indoors..."

The reporter's voice felt distant, like it was coming from another world, until something else snapped me back to reality. I heard it—a noise behind me.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. Slowly, I turned around, my heart racing. At first, I saw only shadows, but then...a figure emerged. My pulse quickened. It was a woman, standing in the distance. There was something familiar about her.

"Kira."

She said my name like she knew me, but her voice sent shivers down my spine. Fear surged through me.

"Kira, please... I just want to talk—"

I didn't let her finish. Panic took over. I ran. I didn't even know where I was going, but I didn't care. All I knew was that I had to get away. The sound of footsteps pounding the ground behind me confirmed my worst fear—she was following.

I ran faster. My heart hammered in my chest as the world around me blurred into darkness. I didn't know how long I'd been running until the trees thickened around me. I had stumbled into the forest, and my legs felt heavy, weak. I tripped over something—a root, maybe—and tumbled forward. My body hit the ground hard, sliding into a bush. But as I pushed myself up, I realized there was nothing beneath me.

A cliff.

I gasped as I teetered on the edge, and for one terrifying second, I was weightless. Falling.

In that moment, as gravity pulled me down, I looked up and saw her—saw the woman standing at the cliff's edge, her eyes wide with terror. Tears filled both of our eyes.

"Kira!" she screamed, reaching out to me, but her hand missed mine by inches.

As I fell, the music in my earbuds suddenly came back. The haunting lyrics echoed in my mind: "Choose your last words... this is the last time."

Then, over the song, I heard her voice break through."No.Kira! No!!"

And then she screamed something that hit me harder than the fall ever could.

"My daughter!!"

The song whispered its final line in time with her cry: "...we were born to die."

Then, everything went black.

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I jolted awake, gasping for air, tangled in my sheets. My heart raced as if I'd just been running for my life. For a moment, I was disoriented, caught between the dream and reality. It took me a second to realize I was in my own bed. Safe.

But that dream... it had felt so real.

It wasn't the first time I'd had it, either. That same nightmare had been haunting me for weeks, repeating like a broken record. And every time, the feeling grew stronger—like it wasn't just a dream. Like it was part of some distant memory I couldn't quite grasp.

I sighed, rubbing my face.

"I'm Kira Stukumi," I whispered to myself, trying to ground myself in the present. "I'm 14 years old and still having nightmares.."

It didn't help much.

Today was Monday—my first day at a new school. My parents, both busy businesspeople, had moved for their jobs, uprooting me along with them. So now, here I was, about to start over. New school. New people. And this strange, unsettling dream hanging over me.

I glanced at the clock. 6:30 AM. School started at 8. "Well, no point lying around," I muttered, throwing off the covers.

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Fifteen minutes later, I found myself standing outside the school gates. I didn't expect to get here so quickly, but I guess nervous energy made me walk faster than usual.

"Oh, you're early," a voice said behind me.

I turned and saw a woman standing by the gate. She looked like a teacher.

"Yeah, um, I'm new here, so I thought I'd come early and look around," I said, smiling awkwardly.

She smiled back, though there was something unreadable in her expression. "Welcome, then. You're on my E.S. list."

"E.S.?" I asked, confused.

"Early Student," she clarified with a chuckle. "Feel free to go in and explore. The gates are open now."

I nodded, feeling a little relieved. "Thanks."

I wandered through the halls, taking in the unfamiliar sights. By the time I found my classroom, it was nearly 7:30. A few students were already there, chatting amongst themselves. I unpacked my things and took a deep breath.

Then, the teacher walked in. I nearly jumped out of my seat when I realized—it was her. The woman from the gate.

Well, at least the day was starting off with a familiar face. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all.

And so, my first day went on, smooth enough. But somewhere in the back of my mind, the dream still lingered, like a shadow I couldn't shake.

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