My eyes snap open. The crushing pain in my chest is gone now.
For a second I expect to see Alice again, where she would hopefully give me some kind of hint on what's next.
But instead I'm staring up at rough cabin wood.
And Isabella's face, way too close again.
- Isabella: "Ayden! You're finally awake!"
She's sitting beside me on the same hard wood floor I find myself laying on.
At least a pillow is underneath my head this time.
"Hey. I'm good. Mostly."
I pick up the pillow from under me while looking at her quizzically.
Her face flushes a bright red as she starts speaking quite fast.
- Isabella: "Uh, I put that under you! After touching Kai, you just fell over. And you were too heavy to lift!"
She takes a deep breath, and this time, she speaks calmer.
- Isabella: "I didn't want you to have a headache when you woke up."
I smile at her.
"Thanks Isabella. It did help."
Her eyes widen.
She looks like she's trying very hard not to smile back.
A heavy silence sits between us for a moment. Both of us are aware of how close we are, how quiet the room suddenly feels.
I don't know why, but I feel comfortable around her.
My thoughts are interrupted by a light cough coming from behind me, trying to get our attention.
- Kai: "Um… You guys done, or…?"
We both jolt upright like we were caught doing something illegal.
Isabella's face goes even redder.
I pretend to be fascinated by the pillow.
Kai raises an eyebrow.
He looks amused. Smug, even.
I clear my throat.
"I'm glad you're alright."
- Kai: "Yeah. Likewise. I gotta be honest, I was a little worried there. Didn't know if you'd wake up."
His face shifts into something a little more worried.
- Kai: "You had no idea if you were going to be able to escape, did you…?"
I look away.
"…Enough about me. I have to hurry. Lena's next."
- Isabella: "Wait! Why don't you take a break? You look tired…"
"I can't. The longer they stay in there, the less time we'll have to save them before the boss completely consumes them."
- Kai: "And how do you know that?"
I freeze.
- Kai: "You've been throwing a lot of ideas out there. About these dreams. About how to get out. About the boss. How do you know all this? How the hell did you even get into my dream?! You never told us about a skill like that…"
"I…"
I try to speak, but the words get caught in my throat.
A memory hits me.
The memory of my previous life. One where I chose to speak to someone about all this. The pain, the confusion. Everything inside me screaming.
All while he mocks me.
I'm shaking slightly, trying to conceal my trauma.
I shut my eyes and grit my teeth.
I can't tell you… I'm sorry.
He sighs, shoulders dropping.
- Kai: "It's fine. I'll leave it be for now. You have enough on your plate. Just bring everyone back safe."
I'm relieved. Thankfully, I wasn't harassed for an answer.
After another moment, I take a deep breath and stand up.
Lena is laying across from me in her bed.
I walk over to her, the other two following me from behind.
I hope I don't hit my head when I fall over this time.
This thought plays in my mind a few times, before I realize that Kai is standing uncomfortably close to me.
- Kai: "What? I'm just gonna catch you when you pass out."
I smile at him.
"Thanks."
He nods.
- Kai: "Bring her back."
I don't answer him. My hand is already placed in Lena's.
Soul touch…
Once the skill activates, everything begins to dissolve around me and I lose consciousness.
My eyes open again.
Buzzing fluorescent lights. The smell of chalk. An uncomfortable metal seat.
A classroom?
Sure enough, I find myself sitting in the back of a classroom, full of other students chatting about anything and everything.
I look down and see that I'm wearing a uniform I don't recognize.
A stiff gray blazer hangs too tight around my shoulders, the collar itching against my neck. A pale button-up is tucked into slacks that feel a size too small, creased sharply like they were ironed minutes ago.
Suddenly, I'm grateful for never attending high school, or wearing a uniform this uncomfortable in general.
I guess this is her school… Why have a dream about this place though?
Now, where's Lena? I want to get out of here quickly.
Looking around, it takes me a second to realize she's at the front of the class, surrounded by a group of 6 people.
Lena's uniform is similar, but she wears it effortlessly. Her blazer is unbuttoned, sleeves pushed up just enough to look casual. The skirt reaches just above her knees, paired with black tights and polished shoes.
She's laughing with them near the window, bright and warm.
But in the corner sits a girl alone. Her shoulders are tight and her hands are clenched. On top of this, her eyes look hollow, almost as if she is half dead.
It seems like the others aren't speaking to her.
My gut is warning me about something, but I pay it no mind.
I stand and walk over to Lena.
She notices me immediately, pushing one of the other guys out of her way.
A questioning look forms on her face.
- Lena: "Ayden?! Were you always in my class?"
The others look at me with varying expressions, ranging from jealousy to confusion.
One of them in particular catches my eye. A guy who, at first glance, looks almost identical to Kai.
Upon closer examination though, his hair looks neater. It's styled carefully instead of being a complete mess. His posture is straighter, shoulders squared like he's used to being looked at. But for some reason, I feel like something is off about him. Unlike Kai, there's something hollow behind his eyes. An emptiness where warmth should be.
That's freaky…
I push down the thought.
"No. But I need to talk to you. It's important."
She stares at me, confused and serious. But there's also a hint of… fear?
- Lena: "You're creeping me out a little…"
She forces a laugh, the tension in her shoulders loosening as she waves it off. Her smile returns a little too quickly, like she's practiced putting it on. Whatever fear flickered across her face disappears behind that familiar brightness.
- Lena: "Okay! But can it wait? Maybe at lunch we can talk!"
I nod. But the unease is growing heavier. I can feel something terrible is going to happen.
Class starts and the teacher makes everyone take their seats.
I stay in mine at the back, trying to blend in. The uniform itches, the chair creaks, and the lights above flicker just enough to annoy me.
But the worst part isn't any of that.
It's what I can't look away from.
Three desks over, the same isolated girl sits perfectly still.
Not taking notes.
Not looking up.
Just… shrinking.
Lena's group chats casually near her. They are laughing and joking, but every so often their eyes slide toward the girl.
Then I can hear them.
Whispers.
Gossip.
Whatever they are talking about, it's causing that girl to be isolated even more.
The guy from earlier seems to be the only one not saying anything.
I watch one of Lena's friends slip a folded paper onto the girl's desk when the teacher isn't looking. The girl hesitates before opening it. I don't see what it says, but her shoulders tense, and she folds the note into the smallest square possible before hiding it in her sleeve.
Nobody reacts.
Nobody even turns their head.
Except me.
My hands curl into fists under the desk, but I stay still. I want to say something, but I choose to stay quiet.
I just have to wait until lunch. Then we can leave. None of this will matter by then.
Another hour passes.
Group work. The teacher lets everyone choose partners. Everyone pairs up quickly except her. And me, I guess.
She quietly stands, walking toward a group with hopeful eyes.
They shut her down instantly.
- ???: "…what a loser…"
I hear their words now. It angers me so much I want to break something.
Lena looks over for a moment, before forcing herself back into the assignment.
She looks uncomfortable.
Like she knows something is wrong but doesn't know how to approach it.
The girl approaches another table.
Same reaction.
Same small hope turning into something tighter and darker behind her eyes.
I watch from the back, jaw tight.
And for the first time, I think…
If I had gone to school… this might've been me.
A kid who didn't fit.
A kid who didn't know how to talk, how to blend in.
A kid others would think was weird.
Someone easy to isolate.
I would've been alone too. I know it. I swallow hard and try to breathe evenly.
Part of me wants to step in and partner up with her. To at least give this girl some kind of happiness. But I choose to sit in my place and watch silently.
Finally, lunch comes around. The mass of students are in the hallway.
I'm walking in the far back, able to see most of the class making their commute to the cafeteria. Lena's group walks ahead, chatting loudly.
The isolated girl follows several steps behind, like a shadow trying to keep up.
Someone bumps her shoulder intentionally.
A quick, careless laugh.
A muttered insult.
I stay frozen in place.
I just need to get us out of here. I don't need to get involved.
But watching this?
It grates at me. I start biting my nail unconsciously.
Lena glances back at her, her smile fading.
Her face shifts into something conflicted, something guilty.
I can already tell how this ends.
Isabella's POV:
The cabin is quiet. The only sound is of sleeping people and Kai's foot tapping the ground.
Kai caught Ayden the moment he passed out. He placed him on the bed that Kai was sleeping on previously.
- Kai: "You know, for his size, he's kinda heavy!"
I giggle a little at that.
- Kai: "Soooo… Did he help you too?"
I raise an eyebrow.
"Who?"
- Kai: "Ayden. Did he also bring you back to the real world?"
"Oh! No. Actually… I didn't have a dream."
- Kai: "Oh. So I guess I'm the first he saved."
I look up at him from Ayden's bedside.
"U-Um… What happened in your dream?"
His eyes shift over to me, and a small smile forms on his face.
He tells me everything. From feeding his brothers and Ayden, to reuniting with his mother. He goes silent after explaining how the boss leaped off the balcony and left them there.
Tears are flowing down my face.
"I… That's so sad. I-I'm so sorry."
- Kai: "Yup… Real sad."
"Then what happened?"
It's almost like these words froze him in place, as he stares at the floor. He takes a deep breath and speaks.
- Kai: "I jumped too."
"What?!"
- Kai: "Yup! I was so scared. But Ayden said it was the only way out, and… I don't know. I trusted him."
He laughs lightly.
- Kai: "He's a freaky guy when you think about it. Calmer than he should be. But he's also… kind? Way kinder than someone with that dead expression should be."
He pauses.
- Kai: "But… something worries me."
He takes a deep breath and continues.
- Kai: "Ayden killed himself. In his dream. How could he have done that without knowing he was going to wake up?"
My breath catches.
He did something like that? How? Why? I get it was the only way, but… how can someone do that?
I swallow deeply.
"Did he… say anything about it?"
- Kai: "Nope. Nothing else."
Silence fills the room. Every word that comes next shakes me more and more.
- Kai: "Thinking about it… I was beyond scared. Afraid I wouldn't actually wake up. But Ayden did something like that. What kind of things does someone need to see… to be able to go through with it? Completely alone, with no certainty it's even the right choice?"
He looks over at Ayden's sleeping figure.
- Kai: "I didn't press him about it. But Ayden scares me a little…"
I also turn to look at him. My eyes feel puffy, but it doesn't bother me.
The only thing I'm filled with is uncertainty.
I barely know Ayden, but for some reason, it feels like I'm meant to care about him. That he is someone who is very important to me.
Why do I feel so worried about him?
His face looks peaceful while he sleeps, like a little kid having a dream.
I clasp my hands in his.
Ayden. Please be safe.
Lena's POV:
Lunch break feels like it'll never end.
Everyone makes their way through the hallway, voices bouncing off metal lockers. My group walks ahead of me, laughing, pushing each other around, but their noise feels… distant.
My mind won't leave Irene alone.
That girl from class. Always sitting alone. Always shrinking into herself.
Why does she feel familiar? I mean, I obviously know her, but why does my chest hurt when I look at her?
I don't remember why.
And that isn't even the only thing.
Why is Ayden here? I don't remember him being one of my classmates…
None of this makes sense.
A voice speaks, light and concerned.
- ???: "Lena? You good?"
I smile.
"Yeah! I'm fine. Just tired."
I lied.
It feels like my chest is going to explode from this feeling.
A pressure builds behind my eyes, a whisper of something I used to know but can't reach.
Every time I try to grasp it, it slips through my fingers like sand.
As we turn a corner toward the cafeteria, I glance around.
Where's Irene?
She's always trailing behind. Quiet. Invisible.
Now she's not here.
A cold feeling crawls down my spine.
Maybe she just went ahead? Or maybe she's at the bathroom? That has to be it…
Something in me is screaming though.
I don't know how I know I'm wrong, but I do.
My chest tightens.
That pressure grows sharper, heavier, almost suffocating.
Why do I feel like I'm supposed to be worried about her?
I stop walking.
The noise of the hallway falls away for a moment, like I've stepped underwater.
I turn around suddenly, my feet already moving before my brain catches up.
I'll just check. Just for a second. I'm probably being silly. She's fine. She has to be.
The walk feels longer than it should. Every step echoes too loudly in my ears, like the school is holding its breath with me.
I stop outside the bathroom.
My hand hovers over the door. I don't know why I'm scared to push it open. It's just a bathroom. Normal. Safe.
I force a smile I don't feel.
Okay, Lena. Deep breath. You're overthinking again.
I step inside.
The lights hum softly. Empty stalls. Sinks dripping somewhere in the back.
"Irene?" My voice comes out smaller than I expect. "Hey… are you in here?"
Nothing answers me.
My chest tightens. The air feels thicker, harder to pull in.
Why did I expect her to be here? Why did I hope she wouldn't be?
I back out of the bathroom slowly.
There's only one other place.
My legs move faster and faster, breaking into a near-run as I take the stairwell two steps at a time.
The higher I climb, the harder it is to breathe.
My legs burn as I take the last steps two at a time, my heart hammering so loudly it drowns out everything else. I don't know what I'm expecting to see, but I know, deep down, that I don't want to be right.
The door to the roof is open.
No.
I slow as I reach it, dread pooling heavy in my stomach. My hand trembles as I push the door wider.
Cold air rushes past me.
The sky is a dull, suffocating gray, clouds hanging low like they're pressing down on the world. The rooftop stretches out, bare concrete and a few weathered benches bolted in place. The wind tugs at my clothes, sharp and unkind.
And then I see her.
Irene stands near the edge, her back to me, hair lifting slightly in the wind. She looks so small from here. So still.
For half a second, my brain refuses to understand what I'm seeing.
"I-Irene?" My voice cracks immediately. I take a step forward without thinking. "Hey, wait-please—"
She turns her head just a little.
I don't know if she hears me. I don't know if she even knows I'm there.
"No—" The word tears out of me as I lunge forward.
I'm too late.
I squeeze my eyes shut.
The sound that follows echoes up from below, hollow and final, like the world itself breaking.
Everything goes quiet.
Then noise crashes back in all at once. Shouts, footsteps, panic spreading like wildfire beneath me. My ears ring, sharp and disorienting.
This… this can't be real.
It can't.
My legs give out. I hit the ground hard, the impact barely registering as the sky seems to tilt and darken above me. The pressure in my chest finally explodes, tearing through me.
I failed.
I failed.
I failed.
My hands shake uncontrollably. I try to breathe, but my lungs won't listen. Each gasp feels too shallow, too small.
And then it all comes back.
Every moment. Every look. Every time I noticed her. And every time I didn't do enough.
The memories crash into me all at once, sharp and merciless.
I remember everything now.
And it's all too late.
Footsteps sound behind me.
Slow. Careful.
I turn my head weakly.
"Ayden…?"