Chapter 7
683 Words
The rain continued to pour as Zhyrelle stood motionless outside the school gate.
Her trembling fingers tightened around the black feather.
It wasn't wet.
Despite the heavy rain, not a single drop of water clung to its surface.
She frowned.
"How is that possible...?"
A cold shiver crept down her spine.
"Zhyrelle!"
Drevon finally reached her, slightly out of breath.
"There you are! I've been calling your name."
She quickly slipped the feather inside her notebook before he could notice it.
"You okay?" he asked.
She forced a smile.
"Yeah... I just got distracted."
Drevon looked at her carefully, unconvinced.
"You've been acting strange since this morning."
"I'm just tired."
He wanted to ask more, but instead nodded.
"Come on. I'll walk you to the bus stop."
---
The rain finally softened into a drizzle as they left the campus.
Neither of them spoke for several minutes.
The quiet between them felt heavier than usual.
Every few steps, Zhyrelle secretly touched her bag to make sure the feather was still inside.
It was.
And somehow...
It felt colder than before.
When they reached the bus stop, Drevon smiled.
"Text us when you get home."
"I will."
As the bus pulled away, Zhyrelle looked out the window.
The streets blurred beneath the rain.
For a brief second...
She caught sight of a familiar figure standing beneath a dying streetlamp.
A young man dressed entirely in black.
Watching the bus.
Watching her.
Before she could look again...
He disappeared behind the passing traffic.
---
That evening, silence filled the house.
Her parents had gone to visit relatives, leaving her alone.
Normally, she enjoyed the peace.
Tonight...
It felt unsettling.
She placed her school bag on the bed and slowly removed the black feather.
The moment it touched her hand...
A sharp pain shot through her head.
Suddenly-
Darkness.
She was no longer inside her room.
She stood in the middle of an endless field beneath a sky filled with silver stars.
A cold wind brushed against her face.
Footsteps echoed behind her.
She turned slowly.
There he was.
The mysterious young man.
Closer than ever before.
His black coat swayed gently in the wind as his golden eyes met hers.
For the first time...
He spoke.
"You're finally here."
His voice was calm.
Gentle.
Yet filled with sadness.
Zhyrelle's heart pounded.
"Who are you?"
Instead of answering...
He looked at the feather in her hand.
"You shouldn't have touched it."
"What is this?"
"It is a key."
"A key to what?"
Before he could answer...
The peaceful sky suddenly darkened.
The ground shook violently beneath them.
A deep roar echoed across the empty field.
The young man's expression changed.
"No..."
He stepped in front of Zhyrelle, shielding her.
"They found you."
The wind grew stronger.
Dark shadows began crawling across the field like living smoke.
Their glowing crimson eyes slowly opened in the darkness.
One...
Two...
Five...
Then dozens.
Zhyrelle's breathing became uneven.
"What are those?"
"They are the Keepers."
"They've been searching for you."
"For me?"
The young man nodded.
"They know you've crossed the boundary between dreams and reality."
The shadows rushed toward them.
Everything happened in an instant.
The young man grabbed Zhyrelle's wrist.
"Run!"
They sprinted across the endless field as the creatures chased them through the darkness.
Their cries echoed like whispers from another world.
Just before one of the shadows reached her...
The young man pushed Zhyrelle away.
A brilliant silver light exploded between them.
"Wake up!"
His voice echoed like thunder.
---
Zhyrelle gasped as she sat upright on her bed.
Her breathing was uneven.
Her heart pounded wildly against her chest.
Morning sunlight streamed through her window.
"It... was another dream..."
She whispered those words to comfort herself.
Then her eyes drifted toward the desk.
The black feather...
Was no longer inside her notebook.
It rested quietly on top of her pillow.
As if someone had placed it there while she slept.
And beneath it...
A single silver thread glowed faintly.
The words from the dream echoed once more inside her mind.
"This is only the beginning."
- Writer
