Iris had never had a nightmare before.
She woke up from her sleep. She woke up in her dream.
Iris stood on damp ground, on the green grass that was still wet. She saw the shadow of a little girl in a red dress playing alone on a rotting tree trunk.
It was her in the past.
The little girl played with the little insects that had dried up, moved her hands and the bugs moved in a stuttering motion.
"Iris!" A woman appeared. She was also wearing a red dress and her hair was pulled up. Her fast steps grabbed little Iris, tugging at her hand. "I told you not to do this again!"
Little Iris looked into her mother's eyes in confusion. She moved her fingers, then laughed.
"No, no honey!" The woman squeezed her son's hand and looked around. "One more time, listen to Mom, don't do this again, okay?"
Iris closed her eyes, seeing the reflection of her past self with her mother. Tears welled up in her eyes without her knowing it.
