[PoV: Zanis Rusle]
We got up from the bed and headed to the small kitchen located in the corner of the room. Cerry started taking out ingredients from the drawer, while I tried to focus on what we were doing. But my mind kept drifting back to that nightmare, to the mysterious man, and his cryptic words.
"In the future, your life will face countless obstacles. You will endure endless torture and madness."
I shivered, trying to push the thought away. But one thing was certain: whatever was coming, I had to be ready. And I had to protect Cerry, no matter what.
"Bro, come help me chop the vegetables!" Cerry called, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I smiled, trying to focus on the present. "Yeah, I'm coming."
I grabbed a knife from the kitchen drawer and started chopping the vegetables Cerry had prepared on the cutting board. The rhythmic sound of the knife slicing through the vegetables helped calm my mind, which was still haunted by the nightmare. I tried to focus on the movement of my hands, the fresh scent of the newly chopped vegetables, and the sound of Cerry humming softly as she mixed ingredients in a bowl.
"Bro, should we add paprika or not?" Cerry suddenly asked, breaking the silence.
"Add some. It'll give it a bit of a spicy kick."
Cerry smiled and added the paprika to the bowl. "Bro, actually... what did you see in that dream? You said someone spoke to you. What did he look like?" Cerry asked.
I paused chopping the vegetables for a moment, trying to recall the mysterious man. "He... he looked human, but there was something off about him. He was wearing formal clothes, like from an older era, and he had these piercing blue eyes."
Cerry frowned. "That sounds creepy. But bro, it was just a dream, right? Maybe you're just stressed from working at the café."
I sighed. "Maybe. But that dream felt so real, Cerry."
"Bro, whatever happens, I'm here for you. We're always together, right? I won't let anything happen to you."
I smiled faintly, feeling a bit relieved by her words. "Thanks, Cerry. You always know how to make me feel better." It seemed like my little sister was growing up so fast.
We returned to our cooking. The aroma of the food began to fill the small room, and little by little, the anxiety I felt started to fade.
After the meal was ready, we sat on the floor in the middle of the room. Cerry placed the bowl on the floor, serving the food enthusiastically, and we began eating together. The atmosphere lightened, and Cerry started talking about her school, her friends, and her plans for the year-end holiday.
After a decent breakfast—thanks to Cerry's cooking, which wasn't too bad despite being a bit salty.
"Bro, are you feeling better now?" Cerry suddenly asked, cutting off her own story.
I smiled. "Yeah, Cerry. I'm feeling better now, thanks to your advice." I gently patted her head, her hair feeling soft under my touch.
Cerry nodded, her face slightly red with embarrassment. "Then you have to promise not to think too much about that dream anymore, okay? I don't like seeing you like this earlier. It worries me."
"I promise, Cerry. I'll try not to think about it too much."
But deep down, like a shadow that wouldn't leave, the warning from the mysterious man echoed in my head. I knew it wasn't that easy. What did he really mean by "countless obstacles" and "endless torture and madness"?
"Bro, you're daydreaming again," Cerry said, breaking the silence. "Come on, let's clean up the kitchen first."
I nodded and got up from the floor, helping Cerry clean up the remnants of our meal. We started cleaning the floor and washing the dishes, working together in silence. The only sounds were the running water and the scrubbing of the sponge on the dishes. Although I tried to focus on this simple task, my mind kept drifting back to the nightmare. Every time I closed my eyes, I could see the mysterious man, his piercing blue eyes making me uncomfortable as I recalled them.
"Bro, you're still thinking about it, aren't you?" Cerry suddenly asked, as if she could read my mind.
I sighed. "I'm trying not to, but it's hard. That dream keeps haunting me."
Cerry dried her hands and approached me. "Bro, maybe you need more rest. You've been working night shifts at the café for a week now. How about we go to the park this afternoon? Some fresh air might help."
I smiled faintly, feeling relieved by her suggestion. "That's a good idea. I need something to distract my mind."
Since I had the day off today, and Cerry was also free, maybe it wouldn't hurt to find some entertainment and enjoy the peace.
After cleaning the kitchen, we got ready to go to the park. Cerry put on a black hoodie and tied her long black hair into a ponytail. I grabbed a white flannel shirt with black checkered patterns.
I then made sure the door was locked securely before we left. Thinking everything was safe, we walked out the door and locked it behind us.
We continued walking down the hallway and accidentally ran into our apartment neighbor.
"Wow, Zanis and Cerry. Good morning!" greeted a fair-skinned man with short black hair and green irises with black pupils.
"Ah, Mr. Zlen. Good morning to you too."
He was our next-door neighbor, named Zlen Kovski. A 29-year-old office worker.
I thought he was working today.
"Mr. Zlen, aren't you working today?" I asked.
Zlen responded with a small smile. "Ah, I took the day off today. I thought a little rest would help me relax." He rubbed the back of his neck. "By the way, could you not call me 'Mr.'? It feels weird hearing it directly from someone else. Just call me by my name."
"Haha, alright, Zlen. I hope you enjoy your day off."
We continued walking down the hallway until we reached the apartment exit. I opened the cold metal door and let Cerry go out first, followed by me.
As we walked to the park, the fresh air and warm sunlight began to make me feel better. We passed through the small streets around our complex, passing neighbors busy with their own activities. The calm and normal atmosphere made me feel like I was back in reality, far from the shadows of that nightmare.
"Bro, look! There's a cute cat over there!" Cerry suddenly exclaimed, pointing at a striped cat sitting near a trash can.
I chuckled at her enthusiasm. "You always love cats, don't you, Cerry?"
"Of course! They're cute and adorable," she replied, carefully approaching the cat. The cat lifted its head, eyeing Cerry with suspicion before allowing her to pet it.
I stood behind Cerry, enjoying this small moment. But suddenly, a strange feeling washed over me. I felt like we were being watched. I glanced behind me, scanning the narrow alley corners, but didn't see anyone suspicious.
"What's wrong, Bro?" Cerry asked, noticing my behavior.
"Nothing, I thought it was just the wind," I replied, still scanning the surroundings.
Cerry looked at me, confused. "Alright."
I tried to convince myself it was just my imagination. We continued our walk to the park, but the feeling didn't completely go away.
When we arrived at the park, we found an empty bench under a large tree. We sat there, enjoying the peaceful afternoon. Cerry started talking about her plans for the year-end holiday, her friends, and her desire to visit the beach.
...