Maia woke up to the sound of her alarm, the familiar chime pulling her from the depths of restless sleep. She rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of her vivid nightmare. The images of Zac, Flora, and Damien still lingered in her mind, mingling with the fear from her training session and the strange feeling that something was amiss with her friends.
Determined to find a bit of normalcy, she decided to focus on work at The Stockyard. She dressed quickly, pulling on her work uniform, and headed downstairs for a quick breakfast. The bar was already bustling with the early morning crowd when she arrived.
Unlike usual, Flora and Damien were not there to greet her. She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text to their group chat:
> Maia: Hey, where are you guys? Missing your faces at The Stockyard.
A few moments later, Flora responded:
> Flora: Sorry, Maia. Office leave ended. Had to get back to work.
Damien chimed in soon after:
> Damien: Yeah, back to the grind. We'll catch up soon, promise.
Maia sighed, feeling a pang of disappointment. Normally, their office leave wouldn't have prevented them from stopping by, even if just for a quick chat. Something felt off, but she decided to let it go for now. She had enough on her plate already without adding more suspicions.
As the morning wore on, she busied herself with serving customers, cleaning tables, and keeping her mind occupied. But the absence of her friends gnawed at her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they were keeping something from her.
At noon, Maia closed up the bar and headed home. She wanted some time to herself, to sort through the jumbled thoughts and feelings swirling in her mind. Just as she settled onto the couch with a cup of tea, her phone buzzed with a message from Zac.
> Zac: Hey babe, how's your day going?
Maia stared at the screen for a moment before typing a reply.
> Maia: It's okay, just a bit hectic. How about yours?
His response was almost immediate.
> Zac: Busy as usual. Just wanted to check in. Remember, you can tell me anything. I love you.
Maia felt a warmth spread through her at his words, but there was also a flicker of unease. Things were moving so fast with Zac, and while part of her was thrilled, another part of her was wary.
> Maia: Thanks, Zac. I'm fine, really.
> Zac: Okay, just making sure. Talk later?
> Maia: Sure. Talk later.
Maia looked at the time. It was 12 pm. Finally, she could leave this place. She had hoped work would clear her head, but it just reminded her of her problems. She quickly packed up her things and closed.
She looked at her phone. This time, she was going to call the driver her dad got for her. It was his job to drive her around after all.
The driver took about five minutes to arrive, which was worth the wait because it was raining heavily outside. The drive home gave her a lot to think about. She was just so tired of shouldering all these problems. Why did she have to care about wolves, or hunters? The mystical world which she inhabited was beautiful, but she was always reminded of it in the worst ways.
Then there was the normal world, that didn't have any idea of what was going on in those woods. Not that they would be able to do much anyway. But Maia would have killed to live with that ignorance. That not-knowing of the unknown.
Soon enough she was home, and after a quick lunch, she decided to have some time to herself for the evening. This involved binging her favourite series, and playing some video games.
Maia looked around. There was no one. She wished Floda and Damien would come around, but things were getting too awkward with them. She made a mental note to shove their bullshit in their faces the next time she saw them. Eventually, she picked up her phone and decided to scroll through Insta.
Soon enough, she set her phone down and took a deep breath. Maybe a walk would help clear her head. As the sun dipped toward the horizon, casting long shadows across the street, she decided to head out.
The cool evening air was refreshing, and Maia walked aimlessly, letting her feet guide her. She was lost in thought when she heard a familiar voice.
"Maia?"
She turned to see Kai standing on the sidewalk, dressed in regular clothes and blending in with the human world. For a moment, she felt a rush of emotion—anger, confusion, maybe even a little relief—but she quickly masked it.
"Kai," she said curtly. "What are you doing here?"
"I was just taking a walk. It's been a while since we talked," he said, his voice cautious. "How have you been?"
Maia crossed her arms, keeping her distance. "I've been fine. Busy with work and... other things."
Kai stepped closer, his eyes searching hers. "Maia, I heard about the skirmish between the wolves and the hunters. I wanted to explain—"
"I don't want to hear it," Maia interrupted, her voice hardening. "Diana and Michael were badly injured. Your kind did that."
Kai's expression darkened. "The hunters attacked first, Maia. Drew almost died. This isn't one-sided."
Maia shook her head, refusing to listen. "I don't care about your justifications. I just need some space from all this conflict. From you."
Kai's face fell, and he looked like he wanted to argue, but he held back. "If that's what you need," he said quietly. "But remember, Maia, this isn't just about us. There's more at stake here."
Without another word, Maia turned and walked away, leaving Kai standing alone on the sidewalk. She didn't look back, determined to put some distance between herself and the chaos that seemed to follow her every step.
As she reached home, she felt a heavy weight settle on her shoulders. The day had been anything but normal, and the uneasy feeling in her gut hadn't gone away. She decided to turn in early, hoping that a good night's sleep might bring some clarity.
But as she lay in bed, sleep was elusive. Her mind was a whirl of thoughts and fears, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming. She drifted into a fitful slumber, her dreams dark and unsettling.
In the dead of night, Maia found herself in a lucid dream. She was in her room, watching herself sleep. The scene was eerily quiet, and she felt a sense of foreboding as she looked around. Suddenly, a cloaked figure slipped in through the window, moving with silent, predatory grace.
Maia watched in horror as the figure approached her sleeping form. Long, razor-sharp claws extended from its arm, glinting in the moonlight. The figure struck, slashing at her throat with brutal precision. Blood sprayed across the room, and her sleeping self gurgled and choked, eyes wide with terror.
She woke with a start, her heart pounding and her throat dry. The clock read 3 a.m., and she was drenched in sweat. The nightmare had felt so real, so vivid, that she couldn't shake the terror it had left behind.
Panicking, Maia jumped out of bed and ran to her closet. She huddled inside, trying to make sense of what she'd just experienced. It wasn't just a nightmare—it felt like a vision, a warning of something terrible that was about to happen.
As she sat there in the dark, trembling with fear, Maia knew one thing for certain: she couldn't ignore these visions any longer. Something was coming, and she had to be ready for it.