I really, really thought I was going to die.

When you dream and you fall from a high place, your mind makes sure to wake you up right before the crash. At least that was what I experienced my whole life, and what at had heard from other people. Until that day. But that felt real, so real I forgot it wasn’t happening.

When the doors opened, I saw an endless expanse of pure white, covered in mist and stretching down into what it seemed like a bottomless abyss. I wanted to scream.

I couldn't see Jasper, but I could still feel the warmth of his hand on mine. It was reassuring. I clasped it with all my might, so hard my knuckles started growing paler and paler.

His voice seemed to be coming from far away.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked in a concerned tone. I was panicking and forgot how to speak for a second or two, my brain was desperately trying to make sense of everything with no luck at all. Weren't we in the bus a minute ago?

“It’s so high. I’m going to fall.” My words escaped my mouth like mere whispers.

I couldn't help but feel dizzy and a creeping fear that I might lose my balance. My heart was pounding so loud I could feel it on my head. Suddenly, I started to question if it was even a good idea. I could stay on the bus, it sounder way safer than trying to jump to a certain death from a cliff that didn't exist when I was inside.

So I was there paralyzed with fear, remembering all the rumors I had heard about dying in your dreams. Could it be true?

As stupid as it sounds, my life flashed before my eyes. Memories of my past flooded my mind. I thought about all the things I had yet to do, the plans I had made for my future, and all the regrets I had accumulated over the years. It was overwhelming.

I desperately wanted to believe that this was all just a bad dream. I closed my eyes and tried to pray, but I realized that I had forgotten how to do it. I stumbled over my words, unsure if anyone out there could even hear me.

"Hey, no need to worry. Everything is okay. It's right here." I wanted to believe that perfect stranger that felt so connected to me, but my body was completely frozen.

I suddenly felt something hitting my side. At first, it was just a light tap, but then it became more forceful and started to hurt. The bus door was closing, trying to trap me in its way. Almost as if it was alive and didn't want to let me go. Was it protecting me? Or condemning me?

I tried to move, but I was stuck. I started to panic even more, but my body forgot how to move

Then he saved me.

I felt his arms wrap around my waist and pull me towards him. It was a moment of complete surrender, I decided to trust this black haired boy with my life.

With each passing moment, the fog started to clear up and I could finally see what was up ahead, and below me. The abyss never had existed and it was, just like he said, a tiny little step from the bus to the ground below us.

We stood frozen in that moment, holding each other tightly as the bus pulled away. The weight of the situation had been so heavy, but for that brief moment, we found comfort in each other's embrace.

The world around us seemed to fade away as we held on, our bodies pressed closely together. Time slowed down, allowing us to catch our breath and find some relief. When I think back on that day, I realize that hug meant more than just physical contact. It was a symbol of our unspoken connection.

It felt like hours when we separated, and I realized I had eventually closed my eyes, letting myself be fully immersed in his embrace. It was a moment of pure bliss, feeling his arms wrapped tightly around me.

When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I saw was his gaze. His eyes had changed, their blue had turned into a deep shade, and I just realized they had some white below the iris. It was an enigma, a mystery that I couldn't help but be intrigued by. He looked as unreal as the rest of everything that surrounded us, as if we were in a different universe altogether. There was a name for that, I was sure of it.

“Sanpaku eyes.” I didn’t realize I had spoken out loud until he raised his eyebrows. “Your eyes, besides the white on the sides you also have some below. That’s the name for it. I think.”

As I looked into his eyes, I could see a spark of recognition. He knew what I was talking about. I had read something about a Japanese belief that people with sanpaku eyes are destined for a violent or premature death. I should have shut my mouth, I tried to force myself to stop thinking about that.

So, there we were, standing on the sidewalk in the middle of nowhere. The sky was a stunning royal blue, with an array of twinkling stars that seemed to be shining brighter than usual. It was both exhilarating and unnerving to be surrounded by such emptiness, with nothing but a gas station behind Jasper.

The silence was so deep that even the slightest rustle of the leaves would have made me jump. But, despite the uncanny atmosphere, there was also a sense of peacefulness that came with being surrounded by nothing.

"You mentioned earlier that this was your dream. Why do you look so confused?" I asked, he was looking around, trying to make sense of where we were. Just like me.

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, frowning. "I thought it was, but now that I'm here, I'm not so sure," he admitted hesitantly, his voice barely above a whisper. “I felt the tingle, the one that always tells me when I have to get down.” He sighed. “Maybe it’s yours?”

The puzzled look on his face told me something was not okay. But it was too late to try to get back to the safety of the bus. Plus, it wasn't like it had been the safest anyways.

But, the bus was already very far from us, so there wasn't really a choice to go back. Plus, even if we did turn back, the bus wasn't exactly the safest thing out there

"I've never seen this place before," I said, feeling pretty curious as I looked around. It wasn't like I wasn't worried anymore, but I knew there was nothing else I could do besides walking. So I did.

The trees were lush and green even in the darkness, swaying in the gentle breeze. Would we be able to find some deep hidden secret to help us understand what was going on?

“Wait, where are you going?” he said with a bit of a shaky voice.

“To find out why the doors opened here then.” I was slowly feeling better, even if it was just a little bit. Being with him had that effect on me, and I was just starting to realize that. “Wanna wait for the next bus instead?” I asked with a little grin, while turning around to see his face.

“Fuck that shit, let’s go” he said, his tone a mix of irritation and impatience.