TWIN: (19/02/24)

The dream began in my bedroom. It was nighttime, and we were lying down, everything wrapped in silence and shadows. Out of nowhere, I got up—there was no particular reason, just a sudden impulse. As I glanced down at the floor, I was struck by a chilling image: a baby, alone, lying there. Something about it was so intense, so unsettling, that it jolted me awake… though only for a brief moment.

I drifted back to sleep, and when the dream resumed, the setting had changed. Now it was daytime, but the sky was heavy with gray clouds, and rain drizzled steadily outside. I was back home. Everything looked damp and quiet, wrapped in that kind of melancholy only rainy days seem to bring.

I walked into the kitchen, where my mom was getting ready to go to work. She was in the middle of changing her clothes, moving quickly and calmly, like it was just another ordinary day. But then she said something that made me pause:

— “The pregnancy is progressing fast.”

I stared at her, caught off guard.

— “Is Dad going to drive you?” I asked.

— “No, she replied” as if it were the most normal thing in the world, “I’m taking the motorcycle.”

— “But, Mom… it’s raining”, I insisted, feeling a strange sense of unease.

She didn’t respond. She simply left, disappearing into the rain, and with her exit, the world around me seemed to dissolve.

Suddenly, I was no longer in that house. The scenery shifted abruptly, and I found myself inside my old home, the one I hadn’t seen in years. The lighting was dim, and everything felt heavier, somehow off. In that space, there were two men and a young woman. At first, they seemed calm, just standing there. But then I noticed the girl’s face—it began to change, slowly distorting into something grotesque and unnatural. Her features twisted until her expression became something unrecognizable, something deeply disturbing.

Before I could react, the two men grabbed me by the arms, holding me tightly. Panic surged through me. I started to scream, shouting for help, struggling with all my strength. I was terrified.

And then—she appeared. A woman I didn’t recognize stepped into the scene. She moved with quiet authority, and with a swift, almost effortless gesture, she freed me from the men’s grip. Without a word, she took my hand and led me away.

We walked together, hand in hand, down a narrow path that cut through an open field. The rain had stopped, and the landscape felt alive and vibrant. All around us, hundreds—maybe thousands—of monarch butterflies danced through the air, fluttering around us as if guiding our steps. Their orange wings shimmered in the soft light, and for a moment, I felt safe.

Eventually, we arrived at a farm. It was old but full of life. As we approached, several people came out to greet the woman warmly, embracing her with affection. But when they saw me, their gazes changed. They looked at me with suspicion, their eyes silently asking, “Who is this girl?”

We went inside, and to my surprise, I saw Lucas. He was there, as if he had always belonged in that place. Later, he and I went for a walk around the farm. As we wandered, we came across a small library—hidden and a bit dusty, but full of treasures. Lucas picked out a few books for himself, and I, thrilled, found some manga that told stories of Templar knights. I clutched them to my chest like precious finds.

We eventually returned to the farm, and by then, a sort of celebration had begun. It was night again. Lanterns flickered in the dark, and people moved about with tired joy. There was music, food, and laughter—but everything felt faintly hollow, like the festival had been pieced together from scraps, from memories of better times. It was festive, yes, but with an undertone of sadness, as though everyone knew this was all they had left.

Then, through the crowd, I saw my father. He looked straight at me, calm and steady, and said only one thing:

— Let’s go home.

Without questioning, I got into the car with him…And that’s when I woke up.