Crimson Moon

The dream began the same way it always did.. A crimson moon hung in the sky

.Large.

Silent.

Watching.

Its light spilled across the forest in shades of ruby and gold. I stood among the trees, knowing I had been here before.

Not remembering.

Knowing.

The air felt familiar. The earth beneath my feet felt familiar. Even the wind seemed to whisper my name. Somewhere in the distance, I heard laughter.

Soft.

Playful.

Gone before I could tell where it came from. The deeper we traveled, the stranger the forest became. Silver flowers bloomed beneath the roots of ancient trees. Stars drifted through the branches like fireflies. And everywhere I looked, I felt the same impossible sensation.

Recognition.

As though this place belonged to a memory I had forgotten. The emerald crystal brightened. The dog slowed. Then stopped completely. Ahead of us stood a stone archway covered in ivy. Ancient symbols glowed across its surface.

Moon symbols.

Stars.

Spirals.

And at its center.

An eye.

A spiral eye. My heart skipped. I knew that symbol. I had drawn it my entire life. The dog sat beside the archway.

Tail wagging.

Waiting.

Then she looked toward the darkness beyond the stones. As though someone stood there. Someone I couldn’t yet see. A breeze stirred through the trees. And for the briefest moment…I thought I heard a voice.

Gentle.

Ancient.

Familiar.

“Welcome back.”

The words sent a chill through me. Not because they frightened me. Because they felt true. And somewhere beyond the archway… Beyond the darkness… Beyond the memories I couldn’t reach…Something was waiting for me.

I woke before dawn.

For a moment, I lay still beneath my blankets, staring at the ceiling. The dream clung to me. Not like most dreams. It didn’t fade. It lingered.

The crimson moon..

The stone archway.

The spiral eye.

And the voice.

“Welcome back.”

I closed my eyes. Trying to remember more. Trying to reach whatever waited beyond the archway. But the memory slipped away like mist through my fingers. Leaving only questions behind.

The day passed slowly. I tried to distract myself. Tried to convince myself it had only been a dream. But every time I looked away, my thoughts wandered back to the forest.

Back to the dog.

Back to the voice.

By afternoon, I found myself walking. Not because I had somewhere to go. Just because I couldn’t sit still. The woods behind town had always been one of my favorite places.

Quiet.

Peaceful.

Familiar.

At least…

I thought they were familiar. The trail wound beneath tall pines. Sunlight filtered through the branches above. The air smelled of earth and moss. I walked without thinking.

Following the path.

Following my thoughts.

Following memories that didn’t feel like memories at all. Then something caught my eye. A flash of emerald. I stopped. My breath caught. There, tangled in the thorns of a small bush, fluttered a strip of ribbon. Emerald green.I stared at it.

The same shade.

The same color.

The same ribbon.

My hands trembled as I reached for it. The fabric was worn.

Soft.

Real.

Impossible.

Slowly, I untangled it from the branches. The ribbon danced in the breeze. For a moment, I simply held it. Unable to move. Unable to explain what I was seeing. Then, without really knowing why, I wrapped it around my wrist. The loose ends fluttered beside my hand. Like they belonged there. Then something moved. A sudden rustle in the grass ahead.

I froze.

A small snake slid across the trail. Its scales shimmered bronze and green in the afternoon light. It moved calmly.

Unhurried.

Crossing directly in front of me. Then stopping. For the briefest moment, it lifted its head. Looking toward me.

Not threatening.

Not afraid.

Simply watching.

The same way the crimson moon had watched. The same way the dog had watched. A chill ran through me. And suddenly…

I knew.

Not yet.

The thought appeared without warning.

Not yet.

The snake lowered its head. Then disappeared into the undergrowth.

Gone.

The forest fell silent. I stood alone on the trail. The ribbon shifting against my wrist. Then a distant rumble echoed overhead.

Thunder.

I looked up. Dark clouds rolled across the sky.

Heavy.

Gray.

Gathering.

The wind stirred through the trees. Leaves danced across the path. And just for a moment…I thought I saw something deep in the woods. A faint emerald glow. Far beyond the trail.

Waiting.

Then the lightning flashed.

The glow vanished.

The moment was Gone.

I tightened my fingers around the ribbon. My heart full of questions. The storm was coming. And somehow…I knew something else was coming too. I turned around. And started walking home. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that the forest was watching me leave.

Waiting.

Patient.

As though it knew I would return.

And next time…

It would be ready.