Under a starlit sky, where stars flickered like distant eyes, from the darkness of moonless night, a solitary stage emerged from the endless sea, on it, a lone dancer moved with an ethereal grace, his face hidden beneath a veil of darkness that seemed to absorb the surrounding light, he danced alone where no partner mirrored his moves, the silence around him stretched across the vast unbroken sea.
Surrounding him, ghostly figures resembled the dancer, yet they weren't the same, watching in solace as each star's faint light cast fleeting shadows on the dancer, and with each glimmer, a spectator would dissolve into his shadow. The dancer's movements shifted with each disappearing figure. Each flicker of light changed the rhythm of his dance, his shadow changed, and so did he
As the stars gradually faded, the stage fell into deep darkness. One by one, the watchers vanished until none remained. The last string of light disappeared, and the dancer stood alone, his silhouette barely distinguishable from the surrounding night. As the darkness around him deepened and the veil lifted, he continued his dance in complete solitude where no light could reach him. Light, ethereal footsteps danced till it came to an end
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Gasping breaths filled the room, punctuating the stillness with their ragged rhythm. I struggled to orient myself, recalling the remnants of that peculiar dream: Alex had carried me, and I had transformed into swarms of butterflies, spiders, and finally a cat. I had then drifted into slumber in the arms of a mysterious woman.
Blinking awake, I found myself in a room that was the same as the one from my dream. I lay in a king-sized bed so luxuriously soft that it tempted me to surrender to its sleep once more. As I shifted, I examined the robe I wore—it had reverted to its original state, though the silk seemed to be embedded to it. A heavy sigh escaped my lips. [I'm no cat.]
Rising from the bed, I surveyed the room. It wasn't lavish but possessed a quiet charm, with a small kitchen nestled in one corner— [Why am I acting like I own this place?]
Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I concentrated on the crown, reaching out with my senses to detect any signs of life. My efforts weren't in vain, as I could only perceive the presence of the flowers scattered around the hall and the lake. [So it wasn't a dream.]
[This is damn embarrassing] I recalled myself throwing such tantrum and abruptly escaping from Alex. [How could I face him after such a scene? Why did I act that way in the first place?]
If answers is what I seeked there was only one choice, with heavy steps, I approached the large mirror that dominated one wall. I stood before it, hoping to see something—anything—but found only a void. No reflection stared back at me, not even my own face. Despite knowing what was coming, I still had a lingering hope.
A soft, soothing voice echoed from the mirror. "I missed you." The sound of shattering glass filled the air, as I collapsed to my knees, overwhelmed by a wave of despair. [No, No,] Not here too. [Why, WHY CAN'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE?] My vision darkened, but a sharp sting on my hand jolted me back to reality. A small spider had bitten me.
I looked at the tiny creature and managed a faint smile. "Thanks, Poppy." I patted her gently as she vanished into the air. Leaving me trembling alone with my thoughts and the lingering echo of that voice.
The sudden creak of the door drew my attention, and I looked up to see the same mysterious woman from my dream approaching with light, measured steps. Without a word, she knelt beside me, her touch as gentle as a whisper. She cradled my bleeding hand in her own, and a soft, radiant light enveloped it, healing my wounds in blink of an eye.
As the warmth from her touch seeped into me, a profound calm settled over my mind. Her presence alone seemed to dissolve the chaos in my mind, her gentle touch radiating an inexplicable comfort. When she finished, she raised her head to meet my gaze. Although I couldn't see her eyes, her tender smile in my dream was was the only thing I wished to see. The sense of unreality lingered, yet I knew this was no dream.
In a moment of both reassurance and disbelief, I lifted my bloodied hand and lightly pinched her cheek. The softness beneath my fingers confirmed that it was no dream. "I'm not dreaming," I murmured, almost to myself.
Her voice, though tinged with playful annoyance, broke the silence. "Weren't you supposed to pinch yourself to make sure you're not dreaming?" Her cheeks puffed slightly as she spoke, adding a touch of whimsy to her demeanor.
"I'm sorry," I apologized quickly, trying to calm myself. As I watched, silver butterflies emerged from her blood-stained face, fluttering into the air and filling the room with a delicate grace.
"I'll be back in a moment," I said, my voice steady despite the weird feeling in my chest.
"Sure thing, I'll be here waiting for you," she replied, with her gentle voice
With a deep breath, I focused on the crown and transformed into a swarm of butterflies. Each wingbeat mirrored the frenzied vortex of my heart, their erratic fluttering reflecting the confusion that swirled within me. As I flew rapidly through the open air I reached the place where all of this started
Reverting to my human form, I dived into the water, sinking swiftly through the depths. As I descended, the place seemed a lot different around me. This time, the bottom of the lake was bathed in a gentle, radiant light.
In the embrace of that light, my heart is beating. In the embrace of that light, I found peace of heart. The sight of the sunlight was overwhelmingly beautiful that I wanted to gaze upon it for eternity.
I despise the sun