The dreams started after the alley.
There's a boy in them. He's tall, with glowing blue-silver eyes that pierce through the darkness. His gaze is intense, like he's studying me, trying to understand me. Sometimes, he's fighting against shadows, fierce and determined. Other times, he's just standing there, looking at me with that same unreadable gaze. Every time he tries to reach me, to speak to me, the dream ends, and I wake up, my heart pounding in my chest.
They feel so real, Mom. When I wake up, I can still feel his eyes on me. It's like his presence lingers in the room, like he's still there, waiting.
Grandpa's been acting differently, too. He's driving me everywhere now, even though I'm perfectly capable of walking. When I ask why, he just says, "It's safer this way." Safer from what? He won't tell me, and it's driving me crazy. I can't shake the feeling that something is coming, something that Grandpa knows about but isn't telling me. And I'm afraid. Afraid that I'm not ready for what's coming.