As I opened my eyes, I felt the cold sting of a dagger piercing my stomach.
As blood poured from the right side of my stomach, staining the ground beneath me, I felt the breeze brush my face, a strange, almost comforting touch. In the distance, the sound of birds singing seemed to mock my despair.
I tried to focus, to understand what was happening, but everything felt wrong, out of place. Then, through the haze of pain and confusion, I caught a glimpse of the one responsible.
To my surprise, it was a familiar face... It was me.
The pain faded into nothing, and my vision began to blur, darkness creeping in at the edges, swallowing everything around me.
[Was this how it felt to die?]
Suddenly, I woke up in a soft bed, the sunlight shining through the window. I blinked, taking in my surroundings for a moment before realizing I was in an unfamiliar place.
The bedroom was small but functional, with a minimalist bed, its gray sheet neatly tucked in. A sleek, black metal frame supported the mattress, and a nightstand beside it held only a lamp and an empty glass.
A small desk, cluttered with a laptop and a few notebooks, sat against the wall.
The walls were a clean white, and the window, framed with simple blinds. A soft rug lay on the floor, the only hint of color in the otherwise neutral room.
The air felt fresh, but the stillness of the space made it seem a little empty, like no one had really made it their own.
The bed, the furniture, the walls—none of it was familiar. This...wasn't my house, was it?
Soon after I stood up, I heard a loud shout.
Breakfast is ready!"
The voice of an old woman echoed from outside the bedroom. It startled me a little, and I froze.
What would they think if they saw a stranger in their apartment? But I couldn't just stay hidden there. I took a deep breath, deciding to open the door and hope my explanation would make sense.
To my surprise, the old lady smiled at me warmly and said in a raspy voice
"What took you so long, you rascal?"
[Huh]
I couldn't make sense of it. Standing there, I stared at the old lady, still trying to process the situation.
[Was she not startled to see a stranger in her house?]
"Excuse me…"
"What's with the formalities?" the old lady said, frowning slightly but with a kind glint in her eyes.
"Your mother will be coming home late today."
"Why are you just standing there? Go on, eat," she said, frowning as if it were just another part of her routine
[What the hell is happening right now?] I thought, still frozen in confusion, unsure if I was dreaming or losing my mind.
As I sat down to eat, still in a daze, I figured that I must be dreaming
Staring at the plate with a blank stare, a feeling of uneasiness crept up from behind. I quickly ate and grabbed a backpack as if by habit. It didn't feel unfamiliar as if I was accustomed to it.
I looked at the school uniform I was wearing. it seemed familiar, I noticed it had the same design as the one I use.
[maybe this wasn't a dream—how can a dream have so much detail? is this one of those lucid dreams?]
I headed towards the bus. After about five minutes, I arrived at the bus station. The apartment I had just been in wasn't far from my house. As usual, the bus was crowded, and there was no room to sit down
Soon after, I arrived at my school and headed in, still wondering when this dream would end
I changed into my school shoes and headed towards–room 102
"Hey, you! Why did u open my locker"
I couldn't believe what I was seeing—it was me, just like the dream I had. Wait, aren't I in a dream right now? What's happening?
My vision quickly started to blur, and a feeling of nausea crept over me.