Echoes of the General's mask

Reluctantly, he lifted his head, peering at the bright, innocent eyes of the young boy before him. For a fleeting moment, hope flickered in his chest, anticipation bubbling up against his better judgment. But in an instant, that hope shattered. The giddy laughter that had filled the air moments before twisted into a blood-curdling scream, piercing through the air like a dagger. The boy's small hand trembled violently, his joyous expression crumbling into one of pure terror. As he calmed down, his words dissolved into nonsensical mutters and his eyes dulled into a glassy stare.The scream echoed in his mind as the General jolted awake, his breath ragged, his hand instinctively wiping the cold sweat from his brow. The remnants of the dream clung to him, vivid and haunting, as if the scene had imprinted itself onto his very soul. He opened his eyes to the quiet morning light filtering through the window. The position of the sun outside revealed that it was a little before noon. This would be a good time for the rest of the party to set out towards their destination to avoid being stuck in the forest at night.