Chapter 4:Strange Dreams
1010 Words
Ava didn't sleep well that night.
She tossed beneath her comforter, drifting in and out of dreams that felt more like memories than imagination. She saw towering pine trees stretching endlessly beneath a silver moon, their branches swaying even though there was no wind. Somewhere in the darkness, something ran ahead of her.
Fast.
Powerful.
Free.
She couldn't see it, but she knew she was supposed to follow.
The sound of paws striking the forest floor echoed through the trees.
Then came the howl.
It wasn't frightening.
It was lonely.
The sound tugged at something buried deep inside her chest, filling her with an aching sadness she couldn't explain.
Suddenly, another howl answered from far away.
Then another.
The woods seemed alive with unseen creatures calling to one another beneath the stars.
Ava began to run.
The strange part was that she didn't feel like she was running on two feet.
The ground rushed beneath her faster than any person could move. She leaped over fallen logs without effort and weaved between trees with impossible ease.
She felt... strong.
Alive.
Then a pair of glowing amber eyes appeared directly in front of her.
They stared into hers.
Watching.
Waiting.
A voice whispered through the darkness.
"It's almost time."
Ava jerked awake.
She sat straight up in bed, breathing hard.
The digital clock on her nightstand read 3:17 a.m.
Her heart pounded so loudly she could hear it in her ears.
"It was just a dream," she whispered.
But even as she said it, she wasn't convinced.
The next morning, sunlight poured through her bedroom curtains.
She wandered into the kitchen wearing fuzzy socks and an oversized T-shirt, still thinking about the dream.
Coffee first.
Existential questions later.
She poured herself a mug and stepped onto the front porch.
The neighborhood was waking up.
A jogger passed by.
Mrs. Cross watered her flowers across the street.
And next door...
A moving truck was pulling away.
Apparently Ethan had finally finished unloading.
As if sensing her presence, his front door opened.
He stepped outside carrying a travel mug.
He spotted Ava almost immediately.
"Morning."
She smiled over the rim of her coffee cup.
"Morning. Looks like you survived moving day."
"Barely."
She laughed.
"The shelving unit?"
"It hasn't collapsed yet."
"I'd call that a success."
For a brief moment, they simply stood on their respective porches enjoying the quiet morning.
Then Ethan frowned slightly.
"You okay?"
Ava blinked.
"What makes you ask that?"
"You look tired."
She considered lying but decided against it.
"Strange dreams."
His expression changed almost imperceptibly.
"What kind of dreams?"
She shrugged.
"Just forests. Running. Wolves."
For the first time since she'd met him, Ethan looked genuinely unsettled.
He recovered quickly.
"Probably because that little boy asked about wolf books yesterday."
"Maybe."
She wanted to believe that explanation.
Instead, she found herself studying Ethan.
Dark hair.
Storm-gray eyes.
Calm expression.
Yet somehow he always looked like he was listening for something no one else could hear.
Before either of them could continue, a loud bark erupted from farther down the street.
Mrs. Henderson's golden retriever had slipped through her gate and was sprinting straight toward them.
The dog charged up the sidewalk...
Only to stop several feet from Ethan.
Its ears flattened.
Its tail tucked.
It let out a nervous whine before backing away.
Everyone stared.
Mrs. Henderson hurried over, embarrassed.
"I'm so sorry! Charlie loves everyone."
The golden retriever refused to move closer.
Instead, he circled behind Ava and sat beside her legs as though hiding.
Ava reached down and scratched behind his ears.
The dog's tail immediately began wagging.
"Well," Mrs. Henderson said awkwardly, "that's unusual."
Ethan crouched slowly and extended one hand.
Charlie growled.
A low, uncertain rumble.
Ethan withdrew his hand.
"It's all right."
Mrs. Henderson apologized again before leading Charlie away.
The moment they disappeared around the corner, Ava looked at Ethan.
"Do dogs normally dislike you?"
He gave a faint smile.
"Not usually."
"Charlie acts like everyone is his best friend."
"I guess I didn't make the list."
She chuckled, but the incident lingered in her mind.
The dog hadn't just been cautious.
It had been afraid.
Later that afternoon, Moonlit Pages bustled with customers escaping the summer heat.
June assigned Ava to reorganize the fantasy section after a shipment of new releases arrived.
As she slid books into place, something caught her eye.
One title had fallen behind the shelf.
She reached for it.
Her fingers brushed against the wood.
And suddenly—
A sharp image flashed across her mind.
Moonlight.
Blood on stone.
A silver pendant.
A woman's voice whispering through tears.
"Protect her."
Ava yanked her hand back.
The vision vanished instantly.
She stumbled into the shelf behind her.
"Whoa!" June called from across the aisle. "Everything okay?"
Ava forced a smile.
"Just lost my balance."
But her pulse raced.
When she looked down, she realized her hand was trembling.
She rubbed the silver moon necklace hanging around her neck.
The metal felt warm.
Warmer than it should have.
She glanced toward the bookstore window.
Across the street, parked in front of a coffee shop, Ethan stood talking on his phone.
Almost as if he sensed her gaze, he looked up.
Their eyes met through the glass.
For a heartbeat, neither of them moved.
Then Ethan's expression sharpened.
His attention shifted past Ava.
Toward the back corner of the bookstore.
Ava turned.
A man wearing a baseball cap stood between two shelves pretending to browse.
The moment he realized Ethan was watching, he turned and hurried out the side exit without buying anything.
By the time Ava reached the door, he was gone.
Only the bell's fading chime remained.
She looked across the street.
Ethan had already ended his phone call.
His jaw was tight.
He gave her a subtle nod, as if asking whether she was all right.
Ava nodded back, though she wasn't sure she believed it herself.
For the second time in two days, someone had been watching her.
And this time, Ethan had noticed too.
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