Splash. A familiar sound, pulsing across an endless sea.

  My steps echoed through the empty world, resounding in my ears like the tears of a mortal.

  In the distance, two shadows stood side by side, staring into the black nothingness of the sky.

  “There’s two this time?”

  Doing a double take, I confirmed: There were indeed two of them. Though, when I turned around, I felt a chill run through my spine.

  One of them was staring at me.

  “Huh…”

  The fact it was staring, almost glaring, at me was incredibly concerning. Though, I figured if I were to escape this dream, I would have to do the same as I did before.

  Having made this conclusion, I ignored their gaze and approached the one facing away from me. Stretching out my arm to touch their shoulder, I found myself hesitating.

  I remembered the pain from before, the chaos and confusion of the visions.

  .

  In an instant, the other turned its head to make direct eye contact with me.

  My heart skipped a beat, startled by this sudden movement. Suddenly a felt a icy touch wrap around my wrist.

  It was too late. The one I had reached for had turned around and grabbed me. It’s gaze seemed to pull me in.

  “Yoiya! Yoiya!!!”

  A cry echoed, reverberating through the world.

  Energy waves burst from nowhere, piercing through the plane of existence.

  However, the shadows’ gaze did not falter. They remained locked onto me even as the ripples in the water echoed through them, warping their bodies.

  The cries continued, and with each call of my name: another wave of energy.

  But as each one passed through me and distorted the two who seemed to hold me in place with their eyes, what I initially perceived as energy waves actually mana distortions.

  Mia’s piercing shouts of worry filled with her compassion as a guardian cleared me of the fear those eyes struck me with.

  I gave the two dark figures a smile as their figures dissipated and sank into the dark waters below.

  I then ran towards the voice, with the moon’s glow behind me; not noticing white droplets falling from its shining shape as the dream quickly faded from view.

  …

  I woke with the sound of her voice still echoing in my ears. The dream’s chill clung to me, but Mia’s warmth was already pulling me back into the rhythm of daily life. The shadows had vanished, yet their gaze lingered in my thoughts.

  I rose from my bed, walking to the smell of cooked rice and eggs.

  “Yoiya! You’re awake. We’re having omurice for breakfast today. Would you like some bacon or sausage to go with it?”

  “Huh? Uh.. sure?”

  ~Hang on. Didn’t we just have breakfast..?

  “Don’t forget, you start school tomorrow, so you need to get up a little bit earlier tomorrow.”

  “Uhm… okay…?”

  I looked around, seeming dazed. Still feeling those cold gazes from the dream.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  ~What were they? Echoes of the void, perhaps? But the visions I got from the first one suggest something different… more personal… What could it mean?

  When I looked up, I found Mia staring closely at my face, a look of concern clear across hers. She wraps her arms around me, embracing me tightly as she whispers something like a chant into my ears.

  “Everything will be okay… Everything will be okay. Don’t worry, lil bro. I’m here for you, always.”

  She pulled herself away, placing her hands firmly on my shoulders. “How about a nice meal? It’s your favorite after all.”

  Quietly, she leads me to the table, my eyes still darting around the room.

  The window seems to be boarded up and covered with a thick fabric. Any mirrors that were in the apartment had all disappeared and the glass embedded in the kitchen cabinets and appliances seemed to be covered up.

  In fact, some furniture and appliances seemed to have been completely replaced with ones without glass.

  The drastic change seemed odd to me, yet Mia retained her smile.

  ~Is this her way of protecting me?

  Lost in thought, I stared off into the distance towards the window.

  Mia reached across the table to tug at the sleeve of my hoodie.

  “Your food will get cold if you don’t eat it soon, lil bro.”

  I gave her a silent nod and picked up my spoon. A shiver was sent down my spine as the light shone on its clean surface, showing a distorted, smiling reflection. My mind flashed back to the dream, remember the gazes of the shadows more clearly. A jarring glare that pierced the soul.

  Mia quickly noticed, nabbing the spoon out my hand. She held it up to the light, checking it with a mixed expression of suspicion and worry.

  Letting out a troubled groan, she dipped the spoon into my plate of omurice and raised it to my mouth.

  With a smile, she gave a gentle order. “Say ‘ahhh’.”

  The warmth of her smile blew my fears away for that instant, and I obeyed her request.

  “Ahhh…”

  She plopped the egg rice mix into my mouth. Her smile still beaming, she asked. “Was it good?”

  Still silent, I nodded once more.

  Then, using the same spoon she just fed me with, she took a bite from her own plate. Placing her hand on her cheek, her smile grew even brighter as she enjoyed the taste.

  “It is good!” She exclaimed.

  Mia continued to swap between feeding me and eating until our plates were cleaned.

  She stood to her feet and went to the sink, beginning to rinse the plates off. She glances over to me, beginning to call me over to assist her.

  “Could you—” she stopped, eyes flicking to the spoon still trembling in my hand. Her smile faltered, then returned, softer. “Never mind. I’ll handle the dishes. You should check your bag for tomorrow.”

  “Huh? Oh… alright.”

  I lifted myself out of my seat, and went to my room.

  There, a bag sat by my door. I kneeled down to check it, though I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to be checking for. Its contents mainly consisted of notebooks of blank pages and thin paper textbooks.

  Letting out a sigh, I rose back up and decided to begin wandering the apartment.

  Reentering the main area, I could hear the sound of water running over by the sink. I glanced over to Mia, walking towards her.

  The roaring squeak of a kettle, the humming of the fridge, combined with the sound of running water. These sounds filled the void-like silence that haunted me beyond the hidden glass.

  I walked behind Mia, who was focused on washing the dishes, exploring the kitchen. The light reflected off the kettle and polished surfaces of the counter and fridge, showing reflections that quickly ended the tranquility of noise.

  Mia glanced over, seeing me frozen. She quickly dried her hands and guided me away from the kitchen, sitting me down on the couch.

  “You’ll be okay tomorrow.” Mia said, giving me a tight hug. “Just don’t forget your pencils. Or your courage.” She gave me a grin, but her eyes never left mine.

  I looked into her eyes, feeling the blizzard within me calm and I managed a smile back.

  Seeing me smile brightened Mia’s own. But it quickly faded as her eyes darted to the clock.

  “Crap. I’m going to be late for work!” She straightened, pale with urgency. “Come on, lil bro. We gotta go!”

  She snatched her backpack and my hand in one motion, pulling me toward the door.

  “Wait— I’m still in my loungewear—!” I stumbled after her, the hum of the fridge and the squeak of the kettle fading behind us. The ordinary sounds that had grounded me were gone, replaced by the rush of her footsteps.

  For a moment, it felt almost normal — a sister hurrying to work, a brother dragged along. Yet beneath it all, the storm still whispered, patient, waiting for me to look too long into the glass.