Between two realities

✨four✨

Lyra stood still, her gaze fixed on the river in front of her.

She took small steps forward, the sound of her racing heart amplified by the vast silence surrounding her. The water was calm, moving gently with the waves.

A strange longing engulfed her as she moved closer to the river. Her steps quickened, almost as though she was being possessed.

The moment the water slipped between her toes, a calmness enveloped her.

As though she had nothing to worry about.

As though this was where she belonged.

She paused at the sound of footsteps coming from a distance.

Lyra turned, her gaze meeting the piercing grey eyes of a boy.

He looked around her age, but his features and silver-grey hair were something she had only ever seen in fairytales.

Lyra didn’t break eye contact.

She stepped out of the water and slowly walked toward him. With each step, her mind screamed at her to run… to escape.

He wasn’t ordinary.

That much she knew.

Yet somehow, she couldn’t bring herself to turn away.

The pull she felt toward him was different from the one she felt toward the river.

Bittersweet.

Not calm and familiar like the water.

Something deeper.

She stopped at arm’s length away from him.

“Who are you?” she asked, staring into his eyes despite the dangerous aura surrounding him.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” he said, ignoring her question.

His grey eyes seemed to look straight into her soul, as though reading every hidden part of her.

“Leave.”

It sounded more like an order than a warning.

One Lyra strangely wanted to defy.

“Who are you? Where is this place?” she asked again, refusing to look away.

“Leave,” he repeated quietly. “It will do you more good than harm.”

°°°~~~~~~

“Miss Vale.”

The sound of Mr Anderson’s voice jolted Lyra awake.

She looked around frantically.

No strange forest.

No silver-haired boy.

Instead, she was met with the mocking looks of her classmates.

“I see my class cannot contain your Buddha-like presence,” Mr Anderson said dryly. “Leave.”

His tone left no room for argument.

Lyra stood up amidst the snickers around her and walked out of the classroom, stopping by the door.

The hallway was quiet.

Too quiet.

Perfect for her thoughts to spiral.

It had been a month since the dreams started.

And with each dream, Lyra became more certain that they weren’t just dreams.

But she had never seen anyone there before.

So who was he?

Lyra didn’t know how long she stood outside before the bell rang. Mr Anderson walked past her without a second glance.

“Lyra!”

Amy’s voice called from down the hallway as she hurried toward her.

“Why are you standing here like—”

Lyra grabbed Amy’s hand suddenly, cutting her off.

“I need to tell you something,” Lyra said urgently, her heartbeat racing.

Amy blinked before nodding.

Lyra pulled her behind the old science building, finally stopping once they were alone.

Her chest felt tight.

As though her heart was about to burst out of it.

“Calm down, Lyra. What’s wrong?” Amy asked gently, placing her hands on Lyra’s shoulders.

“Take a deep breath first.”

Lyra tried to steady herself. A rough wind began to blow around them even though the sun still hung brightly in the sky.

“I’ve been having dreams,” Lyra finally said carefully. “Strange ones. And I feel like they’re not just dreams.”

Amy frowned slightly.

“What do you mean?”

Lyra took a deep breath before explaining everything.

The strange forest.

The mark that had appeared on her wrist and slowly changed into a crescent shape.

Her muddy feet that morning.

The ripple in reality she had seen at home.

And finally…

The silver-haired boy who had told her to leave.

Amy held her gaze for a long moment, as though deep in thought.

Then suddenly, she reached out and placed a hand on Lyra’s forehead.

“Are you sure you’re not sick?” Amy asked carefully.

Lyra stepped back immediately, making Amy’s hand fall.

“You don’t believe me,” Lyra said quietly, lowering her head. “You think I’m crazy.”

She couldn’t even blame her.

Sometimes she thought the same thing herself.

“Lyra…”

“Look,” Lyra interrupted quickly. “The crescent mark. It wasn’t there before.”

She stretched out her wrist.

The golden crescent mark shimmered faintly under the sunlight.

Amy’s pupils dilated slightly.

“This…” she whispered, suddenly at a loss for words as she grabbed Lyra’s wrist gently to examine it.

Her expression changed.

And for the first time, Lyra noticed fear in Amy’s eyes.

“Do you believe me now?” Lyra asked softly, pulling her hand back.

“Maybe you’re imagining things,” Amy tried to say, but the slight tremble in her voice betrayed her words.

“I’m not,” Lyra said exasperatedly, clutching a handful of her hair.

“Hey… calm down,” Amy said softly before pulling Lyra into a hug.

“It’s going to be okay.”

Lyra rested her head against Amy’s shoulder as they embraced.

It was going to be okay.

At least… she hoped so.