The room was dim, with the only light coming from the lamp beside the bed.
On it sat a boy, curled up into himself, his legs close to his chest, his fingers gripping the blanket. The air felt heavy, suffocating even.
Because the boy knew it was time for the bad monster to come home.
He looked around 6 years old, with black hair sticking to his damp forehead, his eyes shut tight as if everything would be fine if he did that.
The door creaked open, revealing a silhouette of a woman.
Listening to the creak, the boy shivered.
"It's fine, dear. I'm here."
Her voice—soft, familiar—made his trembling stop. The boy turned toward her and ran into her arms.
Her face was blurred, like a dream fading too quickly, but he clung to her anyway.
The woman smiled, but it was a smile filled with guilt. She should have done more for her boy, for her child, but she couldn't.
She was barely allowed to step outside the house, and even then, she couldn't do anything– not with him threatening her to hurt her son.
DING!
Both of them flinched at the sound of the doorbell.
The woman forced a calm breath, gently patting the boy's head.
"Everything will be fine. Just… don't make any noise. He might hurt you if he hears you."
The woman's words made the boy nod silently.
Moments later, a harsh, drunken voice thundered from the other room.
"Why did it take so long to open the damn door!!"
Then came the noise– the dull thud of fists, the loud slaps, and her choked gasps.
The boy covered his ears, tears streaming down his cheeks.
After what felt like forever, the door creaked again. The woman stumbled in, her steps uneven. Her face was swollen and bruised.
"Mom!!"
Looking at her state, the boy broke down and ran towards her.
But before he could reach her, the world darkened.
*****
"Haaah!!!"
Inside his room, Lucian jolted awake with a gasp and started panting. His heart pounded in his chest.
"Ha-ha-ha!"
He was drenched in sweat.
"W-What happened?"
The dream slipped away like smoke. All he remembered was a blurred silhouette—a woman.
He pressed his hands to his face, trying to steady his breathing.
Who was she? He wanted to know.
[You are starting to remember, but it seems your subconscious doesn't want to.]
Akasha's voice echoed in his head.
'My subconscious?
What does this have to do with that?
And don't I remember Lia's death? What more horrifying can happen?
Did it happen to the woman? Who the fuck is she?!'
He screamed inside his mind. His chest tightened as frustration rose.
First, Lia's death. Now this.
"Sigh.. do you know who she is? Can you tell me?"
[I think it is better to know it yourself. I am not your babysitter. And how will you grow if I tell you everything? Find your own answers by yourself.]
Her words irritated him, though he knew she wasn't wrong.
Just as he was thinking if there was no other way–
[I will give you a hint] Akasha finally relented.
A soft chime sounded.
[New Quest Generated]
Objective:
– Find who the woman is in your dreams.
– Meet her.
Hint:
– Name: Seraphina Cross
Reward: None
Failure: None
—
"Seraphina... Seraphina…." He repeated her name multiple times as if that would help him remember, but it didn't.
The surname, though—it felt familiar.
Cross.
He'd seen it somewhere, maybe in a newspaper.
Now, he just had to find out if the woman was related to it or not.
He was still thinking when the door opened with Lia stepping in.
"I'm home." She greeted him with a smile and hugged him.
She had a habit of being clingy to him– even more so since he was getting better, not that he minded it.
But looking at her just coming home, something came to his mind.
'How much time has it been since I slept?'
He didn't know if she could hear his thoughts or not, so he wanted to test it.
[Around 2 hours.]
'So can you hear my thoughts?'
Because if she could, then couldn't she hear every time he thought about anything?
[I can only hear your thoughts if you direct them towards me.]
Akasha's words reassured him.
"Why are you sweating again?" Lia narrowed her eyes, wondering if he was trying to stand again when she had told him to rest.
"It's just hot in here, don't worry about it."
Lucian dismissed her suspicion and changed the topic.
Lia was suspicious but eventually relented.
They talked for a while, with Lia humming as she walked toward the kitchen.
Lucian watched her go, his chest tightening again.
That warmth, that ordinary moment—
It reminded him of something.
Of someone.
Someone he didn't seem to remember.