Chapter 5 Fragments of Yesterday

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Morning light filtered through the window, casting soft patterns on the walls as Lila blinked awake, disoriented. Her mind grasped at fading memories, fragments of a dream that slipped away like grains of sand. There'd been a castle, looming shadows, and something- someone telling her to run. Though the details blurred, she remembered the fear, and the comforting warmth of Maria's arms holding her afterward. But that was real... wasn't it?

Sitting up slowly, Lila looked around her familiar room, still uncertain where her dream had ended and the real world had begun. A glance at the clock jolted her fully awake. She was running late!

Hurriedly, she dressed, still feeling the weight of the night's unease pressing down on her. As she dashed down the stairs, the smell of breakfast hung in the air, though the kitchen was empty. Maria must have taken Lucy and Nate to school already. A plate sat waiting for her, the food now cold and untouched, but she didn't have time.

"See you later!" she called out, slipping out the door. The crisp morning air hit her face like a splash of cold water, sharpening her senses. But the questions lingered in her mind. What had she dreamt about? Why did it feel so real?

The walk to school felt longer than usual, and her legs were heavy. Unsettling thoughts swirled through her mind, and a sharp chill ran through her, making her glance over her shoulder, half-expecting to see shadows following her. When she finally reached school, she spotted Lucy by the entrance, her friend's cheerful wave lifting her spirits.

"Hey, Lila! You made it! I was worried you'd miss the first day of math."

"Barely made it," Lila replied with a forced smile. But the sense of fatigue and lingering unease was hard to shake as if she'd left a part of herself behind in that dream.

"You look exhausted," Lucy said, concern softening her voice. "Did you not sleep well?"

Lila bit her lip, unsure how to explain. "Just a strange dream. Probably nothing." She managed a small shrug.

Lucy studied her face, her expression turning thoughtful. "If it's bugging you, you know I'm here, right?"

"Yeah, thanks," Lila murmured, offering a small smile. But as they headed to class, she couldn't help glancing over her shoulder again, the feeling of being watched lingering at the back of her mind.

In math class, the numbers blurred together as she tried to focus. Yet flashes from the night before kept the dark castle hall, the protective figures whose faces she couldn't remember. She had a strange, haunting feeling that they knew her, that they were somehow connected to her, even though she couldn't remember why.

The lunch bell finally rang, and she followed Lucy to their usual table, but her appetite was subdued. The laughter of her friends felt distant, and she struggled to join in.

"Lila, are you okay?" Emma asked, leaning in with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied quickly, though she barely believed it herself. She felt like she was watching her life through a fog, just out of reach.

Lucy leaned closer, her voice barely a whisper. "You do look like you need a hug." Without waiting for a reply, she wrapped her arms around Lila in a warm embrace. For a moment, the comfort pushed back the shadows still clinging to her mind.

"Thanks, Lucy," she whispered, grateful for Lucy's support.

As they talked, questions about the dream continued to swirl in Lila's mind. Who were those people? Why did they feel so familiar? She wanted to forget the fear, to be part of her friends' laughter again, but the exhaustion and unease refused to let go.

By the time the final bell rang, she felt even more drained. The sunlight that had felt warm in the morning now seemed too harsh, making her squint as she walked home. Each step was heavier than the last, the lingering fatigue a reminder that the comfort she felt was only temporary.

When she finally arrived home, the scent of dinner greeted her, reminding her of the hollow feeling in her stomach. She dropped her backpack by the door and took a shaky breath, the weight of the day pressing down on her.

"Lila?" Maria's voice came from the kitchen, warm and steady. Lila replied, her voice faint.

"Hi, Mom," she called back, the word slipping out instinctively. It felt both strange and right.

Maria appeared in the doorway, her smile fading as she took in Lila's tired face. "Rough day?"

"Yeah," Lila replied with a small nod. "I... didn't eat breakfast."

Maria's eyes softened, and she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Lila. "Come on, let's get you a snack while dinner's finishing."

Lila let herself sink into Maria's embrace, feeling a fragile sense of safety return. But as Maria led her to the kitchen, a loud, insistent knock echoed from the front door, sending a chill down her spine.

Maria exchanged a glance with her, then nodded toward the kitchen. "Stay here, Lila," she said, her voice turning serious.

Lila watched as Maria walked toward the door, her heart racing as the knock sounded again. There was something urgent, almost menacing, in the way it echoed through the quiet house. She strained to listen, her curiosity outweighing her fear. Through the crack in the kitchen doorway, she glimpsed Maria opening the door to a tall figure shrouded in shadows.

Their face was hidden, but the urgency in their voice made her stomach clench. She caught fragments of their low, hurried words-"danger," "the past," "no more time." Lila's breath caught as the stranger shifted, their gaze sweeping toward the kitchen, and for a brief moment, she felt as though their piercing eyes met hers.

Stepping back, she pressed herself against the wall, her heart pounding. Every instinct told her to listen, to hear whatever secret was being shared on the other side of that door. But the fear that had lingered all day now flared, making her hands shake.

"What's going on?" she whispered, though no one could hear her.

Just then, Maria's voice broke through the tense silence, calm yet firm. "You know what's at risk. She doesn't know the truth yet. We need more time."

The stranger's voice dropped to a barely audible whisper, but Lila managed to catch one final word before the door closed: "Soon."

For a moment, everything was still. Then, Maria returned to the kitchen, her face carefully composed. But Lila could see the tension in her eyes.

"Who was that?" Lila asked, hoping her voice sounded casual, though her pulse raced.

"Just someone... from work," Maria replied, the smile she forced a little too bright. "Nothing to worry about."

As they sat down to dinner, Lila couldn't shake the feeling that the warm, familiar life she'd clung to was slipping away, teetering on the edge of something darker shadowy truth waiting to reveal itself.