Elian drifted into a restless sleep that night, his breath hitching now and then as remnants of his past danced through his mind. The memory was a familiar one, a place he had unwillingly revisited so many times. Tonight, however, the dream twisted into something more haunting.
He found himself back in a dimly lit room, cold and oppressive. The air was thick, making it difficult to breathe as he stood frozen in place. Cedric loomed over him, his eyes gleaming with a cruelty that sent a chill down Elian's spine. Cedric's grip was like iron, pinning him down as Elian struggled, trying to free himself.
"Did you think you could escape me?" Cedric's voice was a low, mocking whisper, his face inches from Elian's. The familiarity of his touch was sickening, every fiber of Elian's being recoiling as he pushed back, desperate to break free.
