Chapter 10: Sleep

The bright sun flooded the city, warming the streets. Leticia stood in the middle of the bustling metropolis, where hundreds of lights illuminated huge multicolored paintings that shimmered on the glass facades of the stone skyscrapers. Around her, life was bustling - people dressed in strange but surprisingly comfortable-looking clothes walked at a brisk pace, holding small rectangular artifacts in their hands. There was no fear in their eyes - only haste, only confidence that the world before them was organized and clear.

Metal horseless carriages whizzed along the streets, their hulls gleaming in the sun, leaving long streaks of light. And in the distance, between the buildings, rose a strange metal structure, thin but sturdy, as if connecting heaven and earth.

"What is this place?" - Leticia thought, her heart pounding.

She didn't have to think long to realize that this was not her world. This was Ai's world.
She looked around and suddenly noticed a familiar silhouette in the crowd. A girl with golden hair and blue eyes was walking down the street, leading people Leticia had never seen before. They laughed and spoke in a strange but understandable language. The world around her was bright and alive, but a strange feeling of unease grew in Leticia's chest.

Laetitia wanted to follow them, but suddenly she heard a strong buzzing in her ears. The ringing in her ears increased and her eyes became blurry, so she tried to cover her ears with her hands.

***

The next moment, the light of the metropolis was replaced by the soft morning light of the schoolroom. Letizia stood in the large room. The high windows let in the sunlight, creating a cozy, almost peaceful atmosphere. The students, dressed in identical uniforms, sat at their desks, leaning over their books. But all of Leticia's attention was drawn to one figure - Aya. She was sitting by the window, her eyes fixed on the clear sky outside. Her posture was wistful, as if she was dreaming of being somewhere far away.

Letizia started to look around the room and saw three girls dressed the same. And you could see that her eyes were fixed on Aya.

— She thinks she's special just because she's half foreign," one of them said ironically.

— Look how she's got her hair down, she probably wants everyone to notice her," the other giggled.
Aya clenched her fingers, her nails digging into the palms of her hands. She couldn't react. She couldn't show any weakness. But every sentence they said was like a knife under her ribs. Her chest tightened, her breathing became heavy, but she continued to sit still like a statue, hoping that if she was quiet enough, she wouldn't be noticed.

But the girls didn't stop.

— She probably thinks that because her eyes are blue and her hair is gold, everyone will fall in love with her! - said the third and tugged at a strand of Ayu's hair.

Anger burned in Leticia's chest. She remembered herself at the Academy and those who had bullied her and made fun of her. Her eyes filled with blood and her hands clenched into fists. She felt the fiercest and most forgotten feelings of hate and rage that she had always tried to contain.

Leticia walked towards them only when she heard the familiar buzzing in her ears again.

***

Now Leticia was standing in a large plaza. There were many people walking in different directions. Leticia could feel the movement, the fear. The streets surrounded them again, but now Aya stood still. The hot air thickened in her chest, the hustle and bustle of the city merged into a single chaos. People on the sidewalks turned around in surprise, not understanding what was happening.

Fear.

Helplessness.

Something was coming, something inevitable. She turned.

Two bright flashes of light erupted and stared straight at her.

A sharp signal.

A shock.

Pain.

Only emptiness.

***

— No!" she blurted out as she abruptly opened her eyes.

Leticia was lying on the bed, cold sweat running down her body, her breathing ragged and her heart pounding in her chest. She looked around frantically, trying to figure out where she was. The room seemed cramped, and the warm touch of the sheets irritated her skin... The sound still echoed in her ears - the thud of metal against flesh, tearing at the air.

But it wasn't just a dream. It was a memory. The day Aya lost her life.

"You... saw that?" - Aya's voice sounded weak, as if her mind was shaking.

— Yes," Leticia whispered, her hands shaking. - That was your world, your life.

"I saw yours," Aya's voice was soft, almost inaudible. - "I saw your father... your family... And... I saw you die."

Both froze, realizing that they now shared not only a body, but memories and pain.

Leticia pressed her palm to her chest, trying to calm herself. She could feel the residual fear still trembling inside her, not her own, but so real.

"It's not just dreams... It's an exchange of memories," Lecticia realized.

Their connection had been limited to their bodies, but now they could see each other's past. Did that mean they would soon begin to feel each other's emotions? Influence each other's thoughts? The thought made Leticia's fingers clench.

"We've both seen things we shouldn't have," Aya finally said.

Leticia nodded slowly.

— Now we are not only bound in body... but also..." - Leticia didn't dare to continue.
This bond was deeper than she could have imagined. But what if this was only the beginning?

She took a deep breath, reached over to her bedside table and pulled out her observation notebook. Unfolding it, Leticia began to write down everything she had seen in the dream.

When she was done, she put the pen down and stood up. Her legs were a little stiff from the dream. Her chest still felt heavy.

She went into the kitchen, where she could hear the soft sounds of cooking. Her mother stood at the table, thoughtfully stirring something in a pot.

— You're up early," she said, but her eyes rested on Laetitia. - Sweetheart, what's wrong? Are you sick again?

— No, Mom, I just had a nightmare," Leticia tried to reassure her mother.

But their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door.