Shadow of Us

Chapter 5 - Thomas

The darkness was endless, pressing in from every side, like I was trapped in some pitch-black void. I reached out, trying to feel my way through, but there was nothing—just the creeping sensation of walls closing in, suffocating me. The shadows were alive, whispering strange sounds, haunting me with a constant, eerie pulse that had no source. I couldn't see a thing, couldn't find an exit, just endless dark. My chest felt tight, panic rising until—

I shot up, gasping, the scream still echoing in my throat. Heart pounding, I blinked, disoriented, when suddenly the door burst open. Julia was standing there, gun in hand, eyes sharp as she scanned the room. Her stance was firm, and even though it was the middle of the night, she looked completely alert. For a second, I was speechless, still caught between the dream and the reality of her standing in my doorway.

Her gaze shifted to me, and she let out a small sigh, lowering the gun. She walked over, shaking her head slightly, her voice quiet but steady. "Bad dream?"

I nodded, feeling ridiculous, my chest still heaving as I tried to calm down. She looked at me, her eyes assessing, like she was still searching for something in the room, something she could take down if needed.

She sat down on the edge of the bed, glancing at me. "Wanna talk about it?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, feeling the weight of her question. "It's... been happening for a while now. About a month, I guess. Same dream, same feeling. I'm in this dark room, can't see anything, and... there's this noise, like a whisper, but I can't make out the words." I swallowed hard, unsure why I was telling her this, but unable to stop. "There's no light, no way out. I'm just... stuck there. And then I wake up."¨

Julia didn't respond immediately, but she didn't look away either. Her silence was steady, not awkward. It felt like she was absorbing every word.

"Sounds rough," she finally said, her voice softer than usual. "And it's always the same dream? Same darkness?"

"Yeah." I sighed, rubbing my eyes, still feeling that lingering fear. "It's like I'm trying to get somewhere, but I never do. It just keeps me trapped there."

She was silent again, her gaze focused, and for a second, it felt like she understood, even if I couldn't explain it myself. Finally, she spoke, her tone edged with practicality. "Maybe it's just stress. You've been through a lot recently."

I wanted to shrug it off, to push away the vulnerability I felt under her gaze. But I couldn't. "Maybe," I muttered, half-hoping she'd drop it.

She looked at me, her gaze firm but kind. "You know, sometimes dreams aren't just dreams, Thomas. They're pieces of us trying to speak up, to say what we keep ignoring in daylight. Maybe it's time you listen to whatever it's trying to tell you."

Her words lingered in the air, and I nodded, more to myself than to her.

Her words settled over me, unraveling something tight in my chest that I hadn't even noticed. I held her gaze for a moment, trying to gauge if she actually meant what she said. Julia never threw out sympathy unless she meant it, and maybe that was why her words hit so hard. But it wasn't just what she said—it was her, being here, that was somehow making the weight of this nightmare feel lighter.

"I don't know," I finally admitted, my voice quieter than I'd intended. "It's strange, this darkness—it's like I'm trapped, but I don't know why or how. There's nothing to hold onto, no path forward, just... a feeling like I'm lost."

Julia didn't move, letting my words sink in as she watched me, her expression unreadable. Then, after a moment, she said, "Maybe it's because you are."

I blinked at her, a flicker of surprise crossing my face. "What do you mean?"