The night comes again, and this time, something feels different. The air is thick with anticipation, as if the world is holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. You slip into your bed, the familiar darkness wrapping around you like a comforting shroud. Your thoughts wander, but there's a sense of unease deep within you, something you can't quite place.
You close your eyes, and almost instantly, the pull of the dream world tugs you in. But this time, the transition feels more abrupt than usual, like you're being yanked from reality rather than gently drifting away.
When you open your eyes, you're no longer in your room.
You're in the meadow again, but everything feels... off. The sky above, usually a beautiful wash of pastel colors, is now a murky gray, clouds swirling in a way that makes your stomach twist. The air is heavy, thick with an impending storm. The trees sway in the wind, their leaves trembling, as if they're aware of something you're not.
And there, standing at the edge of the meadow, is Yunah.
She doesn't look like her usual self. Her wild hair is damp, sticking to her face, and her playful sparkle is replaced by something else, something you can't name. There's a worried tension in her posture, her eyes scanning the horizon, as if she's waiting for something. Waiting for someone.
"Yunah?" you call out, your voice trembling with uncertainty.
She turns to you, her face softening when she sees you. "Y/N," she says, her voice strained. "You shouldn't be here. Not tonight."
You step closer, confusion bubbling up inside you. "What do you mean? What's wrong?"
The wind picks up, howling through the meadow, sending shivers down your spine. Yunah reaches out and grabs your arm, her grip tighter than usual. Her fingers are cold against your skin, a stark contrast to the warmth she usually brings.
"I don't know how much time we have," she says, her voice low and urgent. "We need to leave. Now."
Before you can ask anything else, the first raindrop falls, heavy and cold against your face. The storm is coming, and it's coming fast. More drops follow, turning into a torrential downpour. The meadow, once bright and peaceful, is now shrouded in shadows, the storm's energy making everything feel darker, heavier.
"What's happening?" you whisper, your heart pounding. The world around you is changing, shifting in ways that unsettle you.
Yunah's face is pale, her eyes wide with fear as she looks around, every movement tense. "There are dream reapers here."
The words hit you like a slap to the face. Dream reapers? The stories - rumors, really - that you've heard about them always seemed like some sort of nightmare. But hearing them from Yunah, seeing the fear in her eyes... it makes everything feel too real.
"They can't find us here," Yunah continues, her voice shaking slightly as the rain pelts down harder. "But we're in danger. You're in danger."
The wind howls again, louder this time, as a dark figure emerges from the fog. It's tall, cloaked in black, the edges of its form barely visible through the storm. The reaper. The one who hunts dreams, who takes lives. And it's coming for you.
Yunah pulls you backward, away from the figure, but it's clear that there's nowhere to hide. The reaper moves toward you with an eerie, unnatural grace, its presence filling the air with a sense of impending doom.
"Yunah," you whisper, panic seeping into your voice. "What do we do? What do we do?"
"I'm not leaving you," she says fiercely, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. "Stay close to me, Y/N. Whatever happens, don't let go of my hand. I won't let them take you."
The reaper stops just a few feet away, its face obscured beneath the dark hood of its cloak. The silence between you is thick, oppressive, as if the very air is holding its breath. You can feel the weight of its gaze, the coldness emanating from it, even though you can't see its eyes.
"I don't belong here," you say, your voice trembling. "I don't belong in this world."
Yunah shakes her head, her hand tightening around yours. "None of us belong here. But we're here, I'm never going to let them take you."
The reaper reaches out with a hand that is unnaturally pale, its fingers long and thin, curling like claws. It's so close now, the chill from its presence sending a shiver down your spine.
"Run!" Yunah shouts.
You don't hesitate. You turn and sprint, the rain hammering down on your back, the ground slick beneath your feet. The reaper follows, its movements faster now, as if the storm is giving it strength. You can hear its footsteps behind you, slow and deliberate, like it's savoring the chase.
But Yunah, Yunah is with you. Her hand is still locked tightly in yours, her grip unyielding as she pulls you forward.
You run and run, but the world around you is changing. The meadow is disappearing, dissolving into a dark abyss. The trees fade away, replaced by endless stretches of black, and the wind whips at your face, forcing your eyes shut against the onslaught of rain.
"Yunah!" you cry, the terror in your voice unmistakable. "Where are we going?"
She doesn't answer, her face set in determination. All you can do is keep running, keep holding onto her, as the sound of the reaper's pursuit echoes in the distance.
And then, just as you feel like you can't run any longer, the world around you shifts again. The storm clears for a split second, the blackness replaced by a blinding light. You feel weightless, as if the ground beneath you no longer exists.
The reaper is gone.
For a moment, you stand in the light, gasping for air, your heart pounding. Yunah's hand still holds yours tightly, and she turns to you, her eyes wide with relief.
"We made it," she whispers, her voice soft with exhaustion.
But then, as if answering her words, a dark shape appears at the edge of the light. The reaper has followed you. And this time, there's no escape.
"No..." you whisper, fear clutching at your chest.
Yunah looks at you, her face soft with sadness, but also with an unwavering resolve. "This is the only way," she says, her voice breaking.
Before you can respond, the reaper is upon you. The world fades into darkness, and the last thing you hear is Yunah's voice calling your name.
-
You wake up with a gasp, your heart racing, the sunlight streaming through the window, too bright for the nightmare you just lived.
But the fear doesn't fade. It lingers. The feeling of the dream reaper's cold presence, Yunah's voice... it all feels too real. Something is wrong.
And you can't shake the feeling that it's not over.
