My feet carried me through dark, deserted streets, pursued by a pack of sinister figures. I ran as fast as my muscles would allow. They were after me. They chased me until I was at the edge of exhaustion. I kept glancing over my shoulder. My hair was already disheveled from the wind whipping around my ears and the sweat pouring from my body. I couldn't keep this up much longer. My breath rattled in my throat, and my mouth was dry from all the air I couldn't draw fast enough into my lungs.

One loose stone—and I stumbled. I flailed my arms, trying to regain my balance. Out of breath from running, I couldn't quite steady myself and just kept stumbling. Still better than falling, knowing that if I would, it'd be the end of me. But, as much as I tried not to fall, I hadn't accounted for the end of the sidewalk. I completely lost control of my legs and crashed onto the hard tarmac.

No! This was it! They would surely catch me!

Refusing to give up, I crawled on all fours. Forward. I had to move forward, no matter what! Salty tears streamed down my cheeks. I didn't want to cry. But they would tear me to pieces—that felt as certain as amen in church. Even now, I kept looking around.

There they were.

I twisted desperately onto my back—face to face with evil incarnate. Crawling backward, I saw the black shadows transform into a towering wall with yellow, slit-like eyes. They glared at me with pure hatred. What had I done wrong?

I couldn't move anymore. My body was frozen to the cold, uncomfortable stone beneath me. All I could do was tremble—feet, arms, chest—everything shook with fear as the dark fog with those hateful eyes loomed larger and larger above me. In the midst of the ominous gloom, some of the shadows began to evaporate. Was it dissolving? No—quite the opposite. A wide mouth emerged, lined with countless small, sharp teeth. Saliva dripped down, an inch away from my feet. Teeth meant to tear me apart.

Please, no!

It all seemed so horrible. So hopeless. Or... was there a silver lining? If it ate me now, my mother would have one less mouth to feed. One worry less. I began giggling—wild, hysterical laughter bubbling out of me.

Maybe dying now wasn't so bad after all.

That was my last thought before the monster, with daggers for teeth, leaned over me with shrill, soul shattering noise, ready to devour me whole.

—

With a racing heart, damp pyjamas, and thoughts still screaming, I jolted awake. I sat up straight, breath uneven. Hands clutched hard into the bedding.

My eyes darted around the room in panic. Still felt like I was trapped in this nightmare.

Nothing. There was nothing there.

The strange sound that had come from the monster—just my alarm clock, blaring in the silence of dawn. I groaned and slammed a hand onto the snooze button, silencing it with more irritation than relief. My chest was still heaving, my skin clammy with sweat.

I glanced out the window. The world outside was still cloaked in dusky light. Morning—or maybe evening. I couldn't tell. The dream had shaken my sense of time.

It was just a dream, I reminded myself, forcing the thought into place like a puzzle piece that didn't quite fit.

Moving slowly, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and trudged to the bathroom. My reflection in the mirror waited for me like a stranger. I hesitated. For a long second, I didn't dare meet my own gaze.

The nightmare... and yesterday's events... they were still too fresh, too raw.

I decided for a quick, cool rundown under the shower. My whole body felt sticky after this hell of a dream. Thinking about it, I would've rather welcomed another idiotic dream about Raven, compared to this. After the shower, I brushed my teeth, performing each task on autopilot. Somehow, I got dressed. My hair was surprisingly tame—one less thing to deal with. Makeup was out of the question. I didn't feel like painting over the exhaustion clinging to my face. Hunger didn't even register.

Everything done, and still time to spare. Supe-Miri had the fantastic idea to set the alarm a little earlier than usual, after almost running late the day before.

I padded quietly to my sister's room and peeked inside. Kim was still sleeping soundly, completely undisturbed by monsters, alarm clocks, or annoying stalker. Her hair was a wild tangle on the pillow, like a nest of tree branches. She looked so peaceful. The sight flipped a switch in me.

The storm inside quieted a little.

I lingered a little longer in Kim's doorway, just watching her breathe. She shifted slightly in her sleep and mumbled something incoherent, one small hand flopping onto the pillow beside her head. Without thinking, I stepped in, gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"Sleep well, tree sprite," I whispered with a faint smile.

She didn't stir. Of course she didn't. The world hadn't touched her yet.

Closing her door quietly behind me, I crossed the hallway. Mom was in the kitchen, half-dressed for work and sipping her coffee like it was the only thing keeping her soul anchored to Earth.

"You're up early," she said, raising an eyebrow as I entered.

"I've set my alarm a little earlier, since I almost missed the bus yesterday." I confessed to her.

Her eyebrows raised in surprise, but her expression relaxed a second later. "Well, I'm glad you have everything under control, honey."
"You know me." I gave her a reassuring smile. Nothing seemed to be under my control since I switched schools, but she didn't have to know that. There was more than enough she had to shoulder.

"I'm heading to the store after work," she said while offering me my prepared lunchbox. "I'll see if I can pick up a new phone for you."

"Mom!" I stretched the word while taking my lunch. "I told you. You don't have to worry. Let me handle it. Promise."

A sad smile played around her lips. "Are you sure?" I could hear it in her voice. Saw it the way she looked at me. She felt sorry and responsible. Sorry for not being able to just get me a new phone easily. Seeing it as her responsibility as a mother to ensure her daughter had all a 17-year old teenage girl needed. It made my heart ache.

"Really, Mom." I grabbed a piece of toast from the table, even though I wasn't hungry. "Maybe I'll stop by Fritshes after school, see if they're hiring. Super-Miri. Remember?"

She gave an approving nod, clearly trying not to show how proud she was. "Good idea. Just don't skip homework for it."

"Of course not," I said automatically, biting into the toast.

She wasn't convinced, but she let it go.

"Kim's still out cold," I added. "Didn't even twitch when I walked in."

"She's got the sleep habits of a rock, just like your..." Mom paused, not finishing that sentence. But I knew what she had in mind. After all that happened, she still remembered. All the good memories. It hurt to see. "Wish I could borrow that talent." She chuckled, overplaying the sudden thought that crossed her mind.

I gave her a weak grin, slung my bag over my shoulder, and headed for the door. "See you tonight."

"Have a lovely day at school." We had to see about that.
Today, I told myself, I will be taking it slow.

Outside, the early air was brisk, and the quiet stillness of the neighborhood settled over me like a soft blanket. I made my way to the bus stop, the weight in my chest lightening with every step away from the house.

Cassy's long red hair shimmered like a flare in the gray morning light. She was already at the bus stop, leaning slightly on one leg, her eyes drifting over something in the distance. As I approached, she spotted me and broke into a wide smile, while waving one hand in greeting.

"Morning, Miri," she said, her voice full of its usual warmth.

"Morning," I replied, trying to match her energy.

She tilted her head. "Are you okay today? You look a little...tired."

Damn, she noticed? I tried to overplay it and gave her a small laugh. "Had a nightmare. But I'm fine now. It'll get better over the day."

Her brow furrowed slightly, concern flickering across her face. "Want to talk about it?"

"Thanks for offering. But, it's okay."

She nodded in understanding.

The bus rolled into view a minute later, rumbling up the street with a soft roar. We boarded side by side and slid into the same seat as the day before. The warmth from Cassy's presence was comforting, like a lighthouse after a storm.

As we pulled away from the stop, the dream still lingered faintly in my mind's corners—but already, it felt more like a shadow than a threat.

"So," I said as the bus rumbled down the street, "you working at Fritshes today again?"

Cassy nodded, her bright eyes lighting up. "Yeah, I've got a pretty long shift today, since someone else called in sick. Why?"

I shrugged, trying to keep it casual. "Thought I might stop by after school. See if they're hiring."

"Oh, you should!" she said, almost bouncing in her seat. "I think I have seen one of the smaller shops up front the supermarket hall. Gotta check it first though."

"Thanks," I said with a grateful smile. "That'd be awesome."

We lapsed into a comfortable silence for a moment, watching the sleepy neighborhoods drift past the window. A few kids were trudging toward their own bus stops, heads down, earbuds in, trapped in their own little worlds.

Cassy broke the silence. "Hey, are you really okay though? After that nightmare?"

I hesitated. Was it that obvious? Did I really look that dead? "I mean... it felt real." I admitted. Eventually sharing would help. It felt like I could share anything with Cassy. She had this sweet and non-judgmental aura around her. "Like, terrifyingly real. I woke up sweating and convinced something was still in my room."

She nodded like she knew exactly what I meant. "Dreams can be like that. They grab hold of you and don't let go. Sometimes I think they're trying to tell us something."

"Like what? That I'm a total coward who can't even outrun a cloud monster?"

She laughed gently. "No. Like your brain's still sorting things out. Nightmares are just loud messengers."

I thought about that. Maybe she was right. Maybe the monster was more metaphor than anything else. A stand-in for... fear? Pressure? Loneliness? Especially after that "test" stunt Raven had given me.

The bus rolled on, the hum of the engine and the slight sway of the ride beginning to settle something inside me. Cassy didn't fill the silence with meaningless chatter. She just sat beside me, present.

I liked that about her. She reminded me a little of Leana—but without the wide-eyed naivety. Cassy was grounded. Easy to talk to. Honest in a way that didn't need embellishment. She felt like a gentle, caring soul. Someone I could completely be honest with and trust.

Shortly after we had to separate and I was by myself again.

By the time I stepped off the bus, the lingering tension from my nightmare had faded into something quieter. Manageable. All thanks to Cassy's comforting words.

Lea was waiting for me again when I left the bus, and together we set off for school. We chatted, laughed, and had a great time. While she was a welcoming distraction, I still couldn't completely put the past events aside. Fortunately, Lea didn't seem to notice, unlike Cassy. It really was a good thing. I didn't want to burden anyone with my problems.
We leisurely walked through the school gates and made our way to the school's double doors. As we entered, the faint scent of floor polish and too many teenagers hitting us like a wall. Around us, the usual morning chaos buzzed—lockers slamming, kids talking over one another, someone already skateboarding where they weren't supposed to.
We reached our classroom and waited for Mr. Solomae, our homeroom and math teacher. Inside, the boys were already goofing off, throwing balled-up papers at each other like they had nothing better to do. The usual chaos. I slipped into my seat next to Lea.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed her freeze a little, her expression shifting into that familiar "Oh my God" look.
"There he is again," she said, more to herself than to me, pointing her index finger at the classroom door. I followed her gaze. As if I hadn't known, right, there stood my self-appointed shadow, Stalker Supreme himself—Raven.

He stood there in the doorway glancing inside, clearly looking for someone. Our eyes met. Nope! I looked away indignantly, sinking into my seat. He can go to hell!
"Go on, Miri! He's staring our way!" Lea begged me. "He's clearly here for you! Give him a chance!" She stood up and pulled me by the arm. I tried to resist, but I didn't manage to do so for long, and finally gave in. Okay, I'll just go and see what he wants from me this time. Now that I thought about it, this might be the best opportunity to get even with him. So much for 'taking it slow today'...