Dream Warriors

Chapter Ten: Shadows of the Past

Kara lay in bed, the house's energy wrapping around her like a comforting blanket. As she drifted off, the familiar sensation of being pulled into the dream world enveloped her once more.

She found herself standing in a dimly lit living room that felt both foreign and familiar. The air was thick with a sense of nostalgia, and as her eyes adjusted to the shadows, she realized she was in her childhood home.

"Mom?" Kara called, her voice echoing through the stillness. The room was decorated with faded photographs of her as a baby, her mother holding her in each one. But the warmth in those pictures felt distant now, overshadowed by the emptiness that had filled her life since her mother had left.

As she stepped further inside, she could hear soft music playing—a lullaby her mother used to sing. It wrapped around her like a warm embrace, igniting a longing in her heart.

"Mom, where are you?" Kara whispered, her breath catching in her throat.

She turned to find a door slightly ajar at the end of the hallway. The music seemed to be coming from there, drawing her closer. Kara hesitated, her heart pounding with trepidation, but the need for answers propelled her forward.

Pushing the door open, Kara entered a cozy room filled with toys scattered across the floor, as if someone had just been playing. In the corner stood a small table covered with papers and sketches. Her mother was there, bent over a drawing, her brow furrowed in concentration.

"Mom?" Kara breathed, stepping into the room.

Her mother looked up, and for a moment, their eyes met. The warmth in her mother's gaze washed over Kara like sunlight breaking through clouds. "Kara!" she exclaimed, rushing toward her. "I've missed you so much."

"Why did you leave?" Kara's voice trembled, the question bursting forth like a floodgate opening. "I need to understand!"

Her mother's expression shifted, a mix of love and sorrow flickering across her face. "I didn't want to leave you, sweetheart. There were things... things I couldn't change. I thought it was for the best."

Kara felt frustration bubbling within her. "But it wasn't! I've been alone! I didn't understand why you weren't there!"

"I know," her mother said softly, kneeling down to meet Kara at eye level. "But I was always thinking of you, always hoping you would find happiness. There were people who wanted to keep us apart."

"Who?" Kara pressed, desperation creeping into her voice.

Her mother's face tightened, and she glanced nervously toward the window. "They're dangerous, Kara. I tried to protect you by staying away. You wouldn't understand."

"Try me," Kara insisted, feeling a fierce determination rising within her.

Suddenly, the music grew louder, a haunting melody that seemed to vibrate through the walls. Shadows began to creep into the corners of the room, and Kara felt an overwhelming sense of dread wash over her.

"Mom! What's happening?" Kara shouted, panic setting in.

Her mother's eyes widened in fear. "You must go, Kara! You can't stay here! They'll find you!"

Before Kara could respond, the shadows lunged forward, engulfing the room in darkness. She felt herself being pulled away from her mother, her cries echoing into the void.

"No! Mom! Don't leave me!"

Kara jolted awake in her bed, her heart racing and her body covered in sweat. The familiar glow of the house surrounded her, but it felt colder now, as if the magic had dimmed. She lay there, trying to catch her breath, the echoes of the dream still reverberating in her mind.

"Always thinking of you..." Her mother's voice lingered in her thoughts, intertwining with the shadows that had consumed her. What had she meant by "they"?

Kara swung her legs over the side of the bed, the floor cool against her skin. She needed to talk to the others, to share what she had seen. This dream had felt different—more urgent, more real.