Leira's eyes jolted open, quick and sudden, its was so bright, then she jumped to a sitting position, her eyes then began to scan her environment. There was soft sunlight spilling through thin white curtains, she was sitting on a bed with smooth and soft sheets, warm from sleep. For a moment, she didn't move, only her eyes did, the air felt calm, too calm. Her body didn't ache, her back or belly didn't burn, the water, the mist, the echo, everything was gone.
Slowly, she began turning her head to the side, a man was lying beside her, with his back facing her, his breathing was deep and steady as he was fast asleep.
She frowned with uncertainty as a small voice in her head whispered "Kael?"she slowly stepped out of bed, the floor under her feet was warm, she walked to the other side of the bed, hesitating before she leaned forward to see his face.
She gasped, eyes widened… it really was Kael. He looked so peaceful, as if the outside world had never existed. Leira scanned the room some more, the walls were pale, sunlight was pouring through the window, picture frames all around. She turned to the mirror near the closet, and she saw herself for the first time. She was dressed in a silk nightgown, her hair was free over her shoulders, and her reflection was calm but confused.
She slowly touched her face, there were no cuts, no bruises, no signs that she had been fighting battles.
While she was staring at the mirror, Kael slowly began stirring, his voice was soft and rough from sleep.
"Good morning, baby."
Leira froze.
She slowly turned around. "What… what did you just say?"
Kael sat up, he rubbed his eyes, smiling lightly.
"I said good morning babe. Are you okay?"
Her throat got tight. "Umm… where are we?"
He blinked. "What do you mean? We're in our bedroom… in our home…"
"Home?" She repeated, her voice rising without even realizing it. "Kael, what's going on?"
He titled his head as he gradually began getting concerned. "Baby, are you feeling alright?"
"I… I don't understand what's going on here," she whispered. "I… I mean we were on the boat, you were rowing, there was mist and…"
Kael gently reached out and brushed her arm.
"Sweetheart, I think maybe you had a nightmare or something. It's okay, I think you just need to rest, okay? I'll get the kids ready for school."
Leira blinked. "I'm sorry… did you say… kids?"
"Uh… yeah"
"Whose kids?" She asked, her voice trembled.
He laughed lightly. "Last time I checked, they were ours."
"Kael, what are you talking about?"
He gave her a puzzled look, and then stood. "Okay, you know what, we'll talk after I get them ready, the bus is gonna be here soon."
Before she could say another word, he left the room.
Leira stood there for a long moment, she could hear her heartbeat loud in her ears. She slowly walked toward the dresser, he eyes began scanning the walls; pictures of her and Kael at a wedding, laughing under flower petals. Another picture of her in a hospital bed, cradling a baby in her arms. Another one with another newborn and a little boy that looked less than two years old. Her hands trembled.
This isn't real.
But everything looked too perfect, too organized.
After some time, Kael came back. "Kids are off to school," he said, walking toward her and then standing. "Now, tell me what's going on?"
He guided her to the bed so they could sit and talk. She looked at him, as if she was searching his face. "We were on the water," she said. "You were there, and I was… stabbed." She remembered.
Kael frowned. "Leira, we haven't been to the lake house in years. What are you talking about?"
"I'm serious!" She said very sharply. "I was stabbed on the boat… I felt it!"
His voice softened. "Babe, I think you need to rest, you may be getting sick or something. How about you stay in bed while I make you breakfast, sound good?
He stood and walked out before she could protest.
Leira sat there, hands gripping her knees. Rest? How could she rest when everything felt wrong?
Still, when Kael came back with breakfast; eggs, toast, orange juice. She didn't stop him. They talked quietly while she ate. He told her about work, about a new client, about how the kids had been asking for a pet, she listened, her mind was torn between confusion and disbelief.
But the more he talked, the more his voice sounded… right. The warmth, the way he smiled, it felt perfect.
For a moment, she let herself believe it.
Hours passed before they realized it was time to pick up the kids. Kael smiled, asking if she wanted to come along. Initially, she hesitated, but then she nodded.
She stood up and walked into the a shower.
The steam filled the bathroom, causing the mirror to fog. When she looked up at the mirror, she froze.
Someone was there.
Cassian.
His face flickered faintly behind her reflection, just for a second, his eyes were dark, his expression was unreadable, and then… just like that… it was gone.
Leira gasped, spinning around but there was no one behind her, the bathroom was empty.
She stood there, her heart was racing. "What was that…" she whispered. When she looked again, and the mirror showed only her own face. She took a deep breath and tried to wave it off. "It's fine, it's just in my head… I'm fine."
She finished her shower, got dressed, and then they drove together to pick up the kids.
The drive felt so strange, the streets were quiet, the trees danced as soft summer breeze calmly blew through them, Kael was humming softly to a song that was playing on the radio, everything just felt… peaceful.
At the school gate, two children came running out, it was a boy and a girl. "Mommy!" they shouted.
Leira froze.
The boy wrapped his arms around her legs, the girl put both her hands up, signalling that she wanted Leira to pick her up, and Leira did. They laughed so much and so loud. She slowly bent down, almost against her will, and hugged the little boy as well. It felt so real.
She blinked hard, swallowing the tightness in her throat.
They went for ice cream afterward, shop smelled like vanilla and chocolate. Kael sat at a table with the kids, laughing as they made a mess with their cones. Leira smiled faintly and went up to order. The man behind the counter turned around… and for a split second, it was Cassian again. Same dark eyes, same faint smirk.
She blinked hard and he was gone.
Her hands shook as she took the ice creams. When she sat back down, Kael was telling the kids about a funny story from work, Leira smiled when they looked at her, but inside, she felt something was wrong, but she chose to bury it, deep down. She didn't want to let go of this… this very moment, she didn't want it to end.
Later than night, after dinner, they were sitting around the table. Kael was talking again, his voice so soft and playful, this was such a different version of him, no weight on his shoulders, no sign of past pain in his eyes, he was truly happy. Leira stared at him for a while, but then her mind began to wander.
Then she saw it. There was someone standing behind Kael.
Tall…Still.
Cassian.
She gasped and stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor, let out a loud noise. Kael and the kids looked up at her, they were startled.
"Mom?" her son said. "What is it?"
Leira's heart pounded, she blinked and Cassian was gone once again. She forced a small smile. "Nothing," she whispered. "I'm fine." She turned quickly and walked into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. She could barely catch her breath, she began pacing back and forth, whispering to herself. "This isn't right. We were in a boat… there was mist… and then… something stabbed me…"
She stopped. Her hand slowly moved to the left side of her stomach, she walked to the bathroom and faced the mirror, her reflection looked more pale than before, she lifted her shirt, and stared at the skin where she'd been stabbed. The wound wasn't there but black veins spread from that spot, they were faint but they were visible, and they crawled up her side and toward her chest. Her fingers trembled as she traced the pulsing, dark lines.
She stared at her reflection, and then horror spreading through her chest as the realization hit her.
Her voice came out in a whisper. "I'm dying."
The light in the bathroom flickered…
THE ENDLESS CROSSING - Part III
The realization hit her, she said slowly "This is a dream", her voice was calm. The bathroom around her started moving back and forth a little, the walls were shaking. "I'm dying… I'm…I'm actually dying."
Her hands started shaking and then she touched the dark veins going up her chest, they looked terrifying, bulging, much worse than before, she heard her heart beating but not from her chest, from somewhere far, far away.
"I need to get out of here," she said. "I need to go."
"I need to get out," she said. "I need to get out of here." The door burst open and Kael stepped in, his face was full of worry, he didn't even remember to knock. "Leira? Are you okay? What's…"
"I have to go," she said quickly, she pushed past him. "I have to get out of here."
"Leira, wait… hey… hold on." He followed her into the bedroom, he was confused, almost panicking. "Can you talk to me please? What's going on?"
But Leira wasn't listening anymore, she couldn't ignore it that feeling she had been suppressing any longer, the world felt wrong, the air felt wrong, even her own reflection had moments where it wasn't right. Every bone inside her screamed for her to move, so she did.
She left the bedroom and stumbled into the hallway, looking around like she expected something to jump out at her, or maybe she was looking for a door, or a window, anything really that at least felt real. The house felt too quiet, too neat, too perfect.
"Leira," Kael said again, following her. "You're scaring me."
"I'm dying," she said. She wasn't shouting, but the fear unmissable, it was louder than ever. "I'm dying out there, Kael. I need to wake up. I need to go."
"What are you talking about?" he asked, stepping in front of her gently. "You're here, babe… you're safe. Just breathe."
"I can't breathe!" she snapped, pushing him out of her way. "I need to wake up!"
They passed the dining area and the kids were still sitting there, waiting for their parents to come back to the table, their plates were half finished. Their eyes were wide as they watched her with surprise and confusion. Kael noticed them and he softened his voice. "Guys… go to bed, okay? Mommy's just tired."
The kids stared at her for a brief second, getting scared, and then they slid of their chairs and walked away, their tiny footsteps disappears down the hallway.
Leira kept pacing, looking around, opening drawers, checking corners, she didn't even know what she was searching for but something inside her kept telling her to do something.
Kael reached for her hand, but she pulled away like she was scared of him now, she wasn't sure what he was, maybe a shadow or a trick from the Dark Keepers, but whatever it was, it wasn't safe.
"Leira," he said softly, "please… tell me what's going on with you."
She didn't answer him, something else had caught her eye, something shiny in the kitchen. She walked slowly toward it, like it was calling to her, she reached the counter, grabbed and held it up… it was a knife.
Kael's body got tensed. "Leira, put that down."
She shook her head.
"No… I… I heard somewhere that if you kill yourself in a dream, you wake up in real life," she said, breathing hard, barely blinking, tears falling down her cheek. "I have to try… I have to do something."
"No Leira," he said firmly, stepping forward. "No… baby that's not true, put the knife down."
"It has to work," she whispered, her eyes filled with tears. "I have to get out… I was poisoned, Kael… I can feel it, I'm dying out there and I'm stuck here, I need to wake up, I need…"
She lifted the knife.
"Leira!" Kael shouted. "Stop!"
Then gave in.
"Alright, wait."
She froze.
He stepped closer, his face was now calm, soft, almost too gentle, his eyes looked sad in a way that this Kael didn't normally look, as if he knew that she had caught him, like she was slipping away.
"Why don't you want this?" he asked quietly. "Why are you fighting so hard to leave?"
Lyra swallowed hard. "Because this isn't real."
"But it feels real," he said. "Doesn't it?"
She shook her head but her grip on the knife weakened a little.
He stepped closer.
"This is our home," he said. "Our family. Me., you, the kids. Isn't this what you want?"
The kids' footsteps sounded again. They were awake, walking back out through the hallway.
Both of them didn't blink like they were compelled, as if they took a break from the act, and they both stared at her. The boy spoke first.
"Mom," he whispered. "We want you to stay."
Then the girl, voice trembling.
"Please… stay with us."
Leira felt something inside her break sharply, her chest, her throat, all of it tightened.
Kael reached for her again. "Leira… listen to them."
Her eyes were filled with tears, her hands shook, the knife began to waver. And for one single moment, she hesitated. The life in front of her looked warm, peaceful, almost perfect. This was a world where she wasn't broken or hunted or running for her life, a world where she had everything she ever thought she couldn't have.
A family.
A home.
A life.
Her voice cracked. "I'm sorry."
Kael's face fell. The kids' faces fell.
"Leira…"
But she didn't give herself room to think.
She raised the knife…
…and slammed it into herself.
The pain practically exploded through her body, the world looked like it split in two, the dream shattered like glass. The kids screamed, everything seemed to fold inward.
And then… cold air slammed into her lungs. She gasped, choking on the air like she hadn't breathed in hours.
"Leira!" Kael's real voice, it was raw and shaking, the real Kael. "Leira, stay with me…hey… look at me! Stay awake!"
She blinked up at him, the sky was still dark, the boat was still rocking on its own, water around them still engulfed in mist. Her chest burned like there was fire in it, her back felt like someone had poured ice under her skin, she tried to lift her hand but her fingers still barely moved.
Kael held her upright, supporting her head. "You were gone," he said, voice breaking in a way she had never heard. "I thought I lost you, Leira… please don't do that again… don't…"
"I… I got out," she whispered.
"Yes, you're here," he said quickly. "But… you've been poisoned, and t's spreading fast."
And then the mist in front of them shifted, a soft hum rose from the water. A shard floated up through the fog, it was glowing, so much that they could spot it even in the mist. Kael turned the boat, rowing toward it with quick, desperate strokes.
He reached it. Held her up, took her hand and placed it beside the shard in the water, and the shard floated to her and gently pressed itself into her wrist. The light shot up her arm, into her chest, into her eyes, she arched back for a moment, gasping as the shard's memory filled her, her eyes glowed bright… but just for a second, then the light faded… she was too weak.
She seemed to collapse again but she was awake, shaking, barely conscious. Kael held her and rubbed her forehead.
"It helped," he said. His voice was rough and breathless. "But not enough, the poison's still inside you."
Leira swallowed. Her throat felt sore and heavy. "Am I… am I dying?"
He didn't answer right away… and that was answer enough. Kael looked out toward the fog, toward the next echo forming in the distance, his jaw tightened. "We have to move," he said. "The next echo… that may be the only thing that can save you."
The mist shifted again, darker this time, but slowly making way for the next echo's location to be seen. They began drifting toward it.
And Leira, barely awake, felt the cold in her chest spreading faster than before.