Clara woke up the next morning feeling more exhausted than rested. The encounter with the man in the shadows lingered in her mind, and the strange dream from the night before only deepened her unease.
As she came downstairs for breakfast, her older brother, Daniel, was already at the table. He sat with his usual quiet presence, scrolling through his phone while munching on toast.
"Morning, sleepyhead," he said without looking up.
"Morning," Clara mumbled, grabbing a bowl for cereal.
Daniel was two years older than Clara and, in many ways, the opposite of her. Where she was quiet and reserved, he was outgoing and effortlessly popular. But despite their differences, Daniel was one of the few people in Clara's life who didn't treat her like she was strange.
"You look like you didn't sleep," Daniel said, glancing up from his phone.
Clara hesitated. "Just... bad dreams."
"Yeah? What about?" he asked, his tone casual but curious.
Clara shook her head. "Nothing important."
Daniel frowned but didn't press further. "Well, if you need to talk, you know where to find me."
Clara gave him a small smile. "Thanks."
---
Later that evening, Clara was in her room, flipping through the mysterious book she'd found in the library. She was trying to make sense of the symbols and stories, but her mind kept wandering to the man who had confronted her.
A knock at her door startled her.
"Come in," she said.
Daniel poked his head inside. "Hey. Can I come in?"
"Sure," Clara said, closing the book quickly and shoving it under her pillow.
Daniel stepped inside, his expression serious. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.
"Mom's on your case again," he said.
Clara sighed. "What else is new?"
Daniel shrugged. "I don't get why she's so hard on you. You're, like, the nicest person I know."
Clara's chest tightened at his words. She didn't feel like the nicest person. She felt like a fraud, hiding secrets from everyone she cared about.
"She just... expects a lot, I guess," Clara said, trying to downplay it.
Daniel studied her for a moment. "You know, I think she's wrong about you. You're not weird. You're just... different. And that's not a bad thing."
Clara looked at him, surprised. "You think I'm different?"
"In a good way," Daniel said quickly. "You're, like, super thoughtful and always trying to help people. I mean, you even put up with Mom without losing your mind, so that says a lot."
Clara chuckled despite herself. "Thanks, I guess."
Daniel grinned. "No problem. Anyway, I just wanted to say... I'm here for you. If you ever need backup or someone to talk to, I've got your back."
Clara's throat tightened, and she nodded. "Thanks, Daniel."
He ruffled her hair playfully. "Alright, don't get all emotional on me. I'll see you at dinner."
As he left, Clara felt a strange warmth in her chest. For all the things she didn't understand about her life, one thing was clear: she wasn't completely alone.
---
That night, Clara stayed up late again, pouring over the book. She was beginning to piece together bits of information, but it still wasn't enough to make sense of her powers or the warning in her dream.
She was just about to give up when she heard a faint sound outside her window.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Slowly, she got up and peeked through the curtain. At first, she saw nothing. But then, in the pale glow of the streetlamp, she spotted a figure standing on the sidewalk.
It was the man from before.
Clara's breath caught in her throat. He was staring up at her window, his face partially obscured by the shadows.
She stepped back quickly, her mind racing. How had he found her? And what did he want?
Without thinking, Clara grabbed the book and clutched it tightly. The symbols on its cover seemed to pulse faintly, as if responding to her fear.
"Clara..."
The voice was inside her head this time, soft but insistent.
"Who are you?" she whispered aloud, her voice trembling.
The figure didn't move, but the voice answered: "You are not ready yet. But soon, you will have to choose."
"Choose what?" Clara asked, but there was no response.
When she looked out the window again, the man was gone.
---
The next morning, Clara was on edge. She couldn't stop thinking about the man or the strange voice.
At breakfast, Evelyn's sharp tone cut through her thoughts.
"Clara, you're daydreaming again. Pay attention when I'm talking to you."
"Sorry," Clara muttered, poking at her food.
Daniel shot her a sympathetic look but didn't say anything.
"You need to stop acting so strange," Evelyn continued. "People are starting to notice, and it's embarrassing."
Clara bit her lip, fighting back the urge to argue. She didn't understand why her mother seemed to resent her so much, but she was too tired to fight.
Alan, as usual, tried to diffuse the tension. "Evelyn, give the girl a break. She's been doing great in school and helping out around the house."
Evelyn sighed but didn't argue further. Clara gave her father a grateful glance.
As she walked to school with Daniel, he nudged her shoulder.
"Don't let her get to you," he said.
Clara nodded but didn't reply. She couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was happening—something that would change everything.
And deep down, she knew she couldn't face it alone.