Klaus jolted awake, his heart racing.
The echoes of his heavy breaths reverberated in the silence that enveloped the room.
It was as if he had emerged from a vivid dream, yet the details slipped through his grasp.
The night outside was serene, its tranquility contrasting with the turmoil within him.
Gazing at his right palm, Klaus struggled to steady his breathing. The confusion about the dream lingered, a puzzle he couldn't solve.
With an uncertain resolve, he rose from his bed.
As he stood, a surge of anxiety coursed through him again, as though he was an observer in his own body.
Unbeknownst to him, he stepped outside, each footfall increasing his unease.
It felt as though his actions were being directed by an external force, a sensation that stoked his fear.
He walked further, propelled by an invisible tide he couldn't control.
The fear deepened, a knot of uncertainty constricting his chest. He didn't comprehend what was unfolding; he only knew he had to halt this involuntary movement.
Finally, he arrived at a spot—an alleyway, located a significant distance from his home.
His steps halted as he faced a wall adorned with a painting of a right palm, accompanied by the phrase "BELIEVE THE UNBELIEVABLE."
Klaus stared at the artwork, his confusion mounting as he grappled with the enigma of his experience.
And then... he awoke.
The same labored breaths echoed, but this time, Klaus held the reins of his own body.
The occurrence felt dreamlike, yet it carried a weight of authenticity that eluded simple explanation.
He had possessed full awareness, experiencing it not as a fleeting dream, but as a tangible reality before being jolted awake.
It puzzled him immensely, leaving him to grapple with the unsettling sensation of encountering a memory, a remnant from the recesses of his mind.
However, he was certain he'd never set foot in that alley before, making the whole affair even more bewildering.
Sitting on his bed, lost in thought, Klaus entertained the idea of reaching out to Rose.
Though it was quite late, he hesitated initially, unsure if it was the right time to call her.
He sensed a link between their abilities and the peculiar experience he'd just had, making him consider seeking her insights.
Just as he was about to dial her number, a call notification lit up his phone's screen — it was from Rose.
Curiosity piqued, he accepted the call, wondering what could have prompted her to contact him at this hour.
Her voice rushed through the line, laden with urgency and a plea for help, striking Klaus with a mixture of concern and surprise.
"Klaus, please. I need you. Come quickly?"
In response to her urgent plea, Klaus had already made his way to Rose's front door. His knuckles rapped against the wood with a sense of urgency.
As his knocks grew more insistent, he was on the brink of considering more forceful action, when the door's lock clicked, and it swung open.
Standing before him was a woman who he deduced to be Rose's mother. She regarded him with a mixture of curiosity and bemusement, seemingly unfazed by the urgency in his demeanor.
"Hello, can I help you, sweetie?" she greeted him warmly.
Klaus, still somewhat caught off guard, managed to compose himself and reply, "I'm sorry, ma'am. I was wondering if Rose is home."
The woman smiled kindly, putting him at ease. "No need for formalities, sweetie. I'm Brianna. And Rose is upstairs, sleeping."
She continued, her tone friendly, "You seem to be new. I haven't seen you before."
Klaus, his initial anxiety subsiding, nodded. "Sorry, I'm Klaus Walker. Rose called me urgently, so I rushed over."
Emerging from behind, Rose approached them with a relieved smile. "Hey, Klaus, I'm glad you got my text," she greeted him, her expression conveying a mix of gratitude and concern. She ushered him into the house with a welcoming gesture.
Klaus followed her lead, stepping inside the house as Rose's mother spoke up, her tone friendly and teasing. "Ah, you must be the famous Klaus I've heard so much about."
A mixture of surprise and embarrassment crossed Rose's face as she exclaimed, "Mom!" Her mother chuckled, offering a playful apology for her comment.
Caught amid this exchange, Klaus found himself a bit uncertain about the situation. He wasn't sure whether to feel puzzled by why he was urgently summoned or slightly irritated by the way Rose seemed to have called him in a hurry.
Noting that Rose mentioned a text instead of their actual call, he assumed there might be a reason she wanted to keep something from her mother. Preferring not to escalate the situation in front of her mom, Klaus decided to go along and maintain a calm demeanor in the living room.
Guiding him to her room, Rose swiftly locked the door behind them, creating an environment of privacy.
Klaus was on the brink of questioning why she had summoned him so urgently, but before he could utter a word, Rose collapsed onto the floor.
His initial annoyance quickly transformed into genuine surprise and worry. He rushed to her side, a concerned expression overtaking his features, as he observed her weakened state, which contrasted starkly with her earlier demeanor.
A wave of concern washed over him, and he knelt beside her.
"Are you okay?" he inquired, his voice reflecting his genuine worry as Rose slowly opened her eyes and gazed at him.
CONVERSATION
Rose: Yeah, sorry, I'm fine.
Klaus: What happened to you?
Rose: *panting slightly* I don't know. I'm just feeling a bit lightheaded from my sleep.
Klaus: Are you sure you're fine?
Rose: Don't worry about me.
She smiled at him, noticing his concerned expression.
Rose: Seems you got here pretty quickly, huh?
Klaus: Considering the way you called me, I felt like I had to.
Rose: Well, I'm glad you care this much about me.
Klaus: Please, don't use this as a chance to flirt.
Rose: *smiling* No, I mean it. Thank you.
As she said it, Klaus felt a bit taken aback by his actions.
Before this moment, he had never felt such genuine concern for anything in his life, at least not as far back as he could remember.
So, why had he reacted so swiftly upon hearing her distress?
He couldn't fully grasp the reason, but a sense of relief washed over him when he realized that she wasn't in a critical condition. In response, he found himself smiling back at Rose, perhaps for the first time, and he quietly uttered the words, "No problem."
Rose was taken aback by his reciprocated smile, a sight she had never witnessed before. The surprise of it sent a warmth through her, mingled with the realization of just how strikingly handsome he was.
Her cheeks flushed crimson, her heartbeats resonating audibly in her ears. She found herself captivated, her gaze locking onto his. Her lips involuntarily parted as if she had fallen into a trance, the urge to draw closer to him growing with each passing moment.
However, her reverie was shattered when Klaus suddenly stood up, his concerned expression leading her to believe he thought she was unwell. He disappeared briefly into the bathroom, reappearing with a warm towel which he placed gently on her forehead.
As the sensation of the towel's warmth brought her back to reality, Rose realized how lost in her thoughts she had been. Playing along with his assumption, she softly muttered her gratitude, "T-Thanks," holding the towel to her forehead.
After a brief moment, Klaus finally found the opportunity to voice his question.
CONVERSATION
Klaus: So, why did this happen?
Rose: I'm not sure, but I think it has something to do with the dream I had before waking up.
Klaus: Was it about the giant men?
Rose paused a bit.
Rose: Not exactly. It was more like I had full consciousness of myself. Like it...
Klaus: Wasn't a dream... right?
They exchanged glances, both seemingly sharing a general understanding of why the same phenomenon had occurred to them.
Klaus: Was it, by chance, like you were conscious, but had no control over your own body?
Rose: Exactly. So, you too?
Klaus: Yeah. But I don't think I feel as bad as you do right now.
Rose: I guess I just got unlucky, haha.
Klaus: I guess.
A brief moment passed before Klaus continued.
Klaus: So what was it about?
Rose: If I recall correctly, I woke up and left the house, arriving at what appeared to be a nearby park. I stopped in front of a tree, then extended my right hand, positioning my palm towards the tree. After that, I woke up with a pounding headache and a sense of fatigue.
Klaus: Wow. It's a bit similar to mine, but not exactly.
Rose: You think it has something to do with the Gods?
Klaus: I'm still not convinced about that theory, but I do think there's a connection between the dreams.
Observing her condition, Klaus then continued.
Klaus: But for now, I think you should rest. Try to get some sleep... though I'm not sure it'll help. But at the very least, don't overdo yourself.
Rose: I said I'm fine.
Klaus: I know you did, but I also know what it means. Even when you were with your mom, you tried to present a facade of being alright. And I'm quite familiar with that kind of act. But you don't have to do that with me, so just get some rest and we'll talk about it tomorrow, okay?
Some seconds flew by before Rose responded.
Rose: Sure, okay.
After assisting her to her bed and ensuring she was comfortably tucked in, he made his way back home.
Shortly after his departure, Rose's mother entered her room and found Rose asleep on her bed. She had sensed that something was amiss with her earlier, prompting her to check on her.
Approaching her daughter, she gently placed her hand on Rose's forehead, her expression reflecting a mix of emotions. "He's quite the catch, isn't he? And seems like a real keeper too. I hope you'll treat him right this time," she murmured to herself before withdrawing her hand and heading toward the door.
As she exited the room, Rose opened her eyes and gazed at the ceiling, lost in thought about the recent events. She grasped the significance of her actions towards Klaus and came to understand that her initial resistance stemmed from it being an unprecedented experience in her life.
As she continued to look upward, she recognized that the source of her distress wasn't solely the impact of the dream, but her genuine emotions for Klaus. With the passage of seconds, tears welled up in her eyes, gradually and then in a rush. She spent more time crying and reflecting until eventually, exhaustion overcame her, and she succumbed to slumber.
A week had elapsed, and it had been several days since Klaus had last seen Rose. He had presumed that her illness was still keeping her away, and out of concern, he refrained from contacting her until she had fully recovered. However, as the seventh day arrived, he felt a growing urge to check on her well-being.
Deciding to visit her home after school, he approached her front door. Upon knocking, Rose's mother answered, and Klaus inquired about Rose's condition. To his surprise, he received unexpected news.
"Sorry, dear, but she's not at home. She's gone to visit her dad for a while," her mother explained.
With this new information, he understood why Rose hadn't been available. Accepting the situation, he thanked her mother and made his way back home.
After completing his usual after-school tasks alongside Shade, he returned to his room. Shade had other matters to attend to, so he left the house. With no specific plans, Klaus decided to take a nap before the rest of the family returned home.
During his nap, the recurring dream revisited him once more. This time, the path he walked was illuminated, guiding him toward the alley. As he woke up, it was already well past midnight.
Klaus perched on the edge of his bed, deep in thought as he pondered the recurring dream. It was the second time he had experienced this peculiar dream, yet it felt distinct from the other. There was a sense of tangibility about it as if the path he had traversed within the dream held a connection to reality.
With newfound determination, Klaus rose from his bed. He retraced the pathway he had followed in his dream, navigating through the bustling streets with a focused expression. Passersby couldn't help but notice his intense demeanor, prompting curious glances in his direction.
Finally arriving at the alleyway he had seen in the dream, Klaus entered cautiously. His eyes scanned the surroundings, seeking any sign or clue that could shed light on the significance of this place. And then, his gaze locked onto something eerily familiar – a poster depicting a right hand, the very image that had appeared in his dream.
As he read the words written above the hand, a mixture of intrigue and confusion colored his expression.
"Believe the unbelievable, huh," he muttered to himself.
The passersby who observed him from outside the alley exchanged puzzled glances, wondering about the young man's purpose in this seemingly ordinary location.
As he lifted his right hand, his gaze remained fixed on the painted palm. A strange compulsion seemed to pull at him, urging him to place his hand atop the depiction.
With a mixture of anticipation and confusion, he gradually extended his hand toward the painted surface. Each movement was deliberate, cautious, as if he was expecting some form of response from this seemingly ordinary artwork.
Finally, his palm came into contact with the painted hand. For a moment, nothing happened. Klaus's brow furrowed in bewilderment, his thoughts echoing the sentiment of confusion.
What had prompted him to do this? And what was he expecting to happen? The rational part of him questioned the purpose behind this action. Yet, he couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something more to this than met the eye.
Just as the bystanders, who had curiously observed him from a distance, started to disperse, dismissing him as eccentric, Klaus felt an unexpected sensation coursing through his palm. A tingling, almost electric, feeling seemed to radiate from the point of contact.
And at that moment, something began to happen.
In an instant, his very form seemed to disintegrate, the world around him blurring into a chaotic haze. Panic surged within him, a desperate urge to scream locked within a body that no longer obeyed his commands. It was a sensation he had never known, an experience so foreign and terrifying that he couldn't even comprehend the nature of his fear.
The seconds ticked by, each one stretching like an eternity, as his senses seemed to dissolve and his being fragmented. And then, just as abruptly as it began, the tumult ceased.
His awareness seemed to return in a hazy jumble of sensations. Slowly, his surroundings came into focus, and he found himself standing on solid ground once more. He clutched at his head, his thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief.
His body had vanished, consumed by some inexplicable force. But now he stood, whole and intact, his consciousness returning from a journey he couldn't fathom.
Rising unsteadily, he began to move forward, his steps tentative and uncertain. His mind replayed the surreal spectacle he had just experienced, grappling with the utter lack of rational explanation. It was an enigma beyond his understanding, a phenomenon that defied the laws of his known reality.
As his gaze swept over his new surroundings, realization dawned upon him. This place was foreign, unlike anything he had ever seen. A whisper of words escaped his lips, the barely audible voice of his disbelief.
"This... isn't... Earth."