Days of future and past: 1
Flashes of images.
Shouts of pain and terror.
Destroyed buildings, overturned vehicles, and debris scattered across the road.
A familiar face, twisted into a grimace; a mask of pure terror and malice.
He woke up, sitting up straight in his bed. His white t-shirt was soaked with sweat, and his heart pounded hard against his chest. He stared at nothing, trying to grasp the remnants of his dream. Yet, as the seconds ticked by, he couldn’t recollect anything.
Confusion and fear gripped him.
He remembered a time when he had a similar experience, and it didn’t end well for him or the world.
He remained seated on the bed, frozen in thought, until the view before his eyes registered in his mind, breaking him out of his daze. He looked around the room and felt a strange pang of familiarity. It wasn’t that he had stayed there before, like yesterday or last week or a few years ago. It was a familiarity that came from the furthest corners of his mind.
It felt strange.
It felt wrong.
He kept looking around, not believing his own eyes, then sprang out of bed and ran into the corridor.
Outside the room, the same strange sense of familiarity washed over him. He knew every inch of the place: every ornament, every picture, every neatly arranged item. But he also knew he shouldn’t be this familiar with the place; a sense of dread filled him.
The fear with which he woke returned as he rushed towards the stairway and then down the stairs.
He knew where he was going but not why.
He moved through the house, ignoring everything around him.
Everything was neat and orderly. The bright rays flowing in through the open windows gave the house a chirpy and sunny feel. But he didn’t care. His eyes were focused on the path ahead.
So far, he had been alone. Not a sound or shadow indicated anyone else was there. But now, standing in the kitchen, he found an occupant. The sight of the long blonde-haired woman in the flowery dress made him freeze.
Her back was turned to him as she continued cooking. He couldn’t see who she was, but he could feel his heart beating faster as he stood silently. Then she turned around, and his jaw almost dropped. A single word escaped his mouth before he even had the chance to stop it:
“Mom!”
