A petite sixteen-year-old with tousled jet black hair, sat motionless on the edge of his bed. The alarm clock blared beside him, its shrill ringing slicing through the early morning silence. Yet, he remained still, his gaze fixed on the flashing red numbers as if they held some unspoken truth. His eyes were distant, unfocused—lost somewhere far beyond the confines of his dimly lit bedroom.
Faint voices murmured in the background, their words blending into a distant hum, barely registering in his dazed mind. Then, a sudden, forceful bang against the wall shattered the haze.
"Turn that damn thing off!" a muffled voice snapped from the other side.
The impact jolted Leo back to reality. He blinked, inhaled sharply, and finally, as if breaking free from an invisible grip, reached out with a sluggish hand to silence the alarm.
A gentle knock echoed from the other side of the door, followed by a soft female voice.
"Leo, breakfast is downstairs. Wash up before coming down, alright."
I blinked slowly, still half dazed. The morning sun was barely brushing the walls of my room. Across the hall, through the slightly open door, I could hear movement—Matthew's room.
Unlike mine, Matt's room was plastered with posters of baseball and basketball players, the smell of energy drinks and gym socks lightly clinging to the air. It suited him. His build wasn't bulky, but his body was lean and define, the kind you'd expect from someone always chasing a ball or doing laps around the block.
Matt stood one inch taller than me, and his golden-brown hair—just like Aunt Ciel's—fell across his forehead as he did his usual morning push-ups. He wasn't a genius by any means, but when it came to sports, he blew everyone out of the water. Including me.
He is one year older than me. He is my cousin, but our bond surely like brothers.
He was at twenty-four when he caught me watching from the doorway.
"Lee," he grunted, pausing in his set, "how long have you been standing there, creepily staring?"
I shrugged. "Was just about to head to the bathroom. Gotta say, your body's actually looking pretty good."
Grinning, he jumped to his feet and struck a ridiculous flexing pose. "I know, right? My efforts are finally paying off. Ladies, beware."
"Or men," I teased with a smirk.
He tossed a towel at me. "Save me some hot water, Lee."
"Will do."
After I washed up and took my necklace, I leaned over the second-floor railing and glanced down. From here, the living room and kitchen were fully visible.
On the couch, Gia—Matt's nine-year-old sister—sat with her iPad, humming some tune only she knew. In the kitchen, Aunt Ciel was setting the table, moving with graceful efficiency. She was Matt and Gia's mom—and my aunt, technically—but she treated me like her own.
Then, I paused.
My eyes locked on the front door, and a strange sensation washed over me—thick and sudden, like walking into a warm, invisible fog. It was as if I'd already lived this exact moment before: the light falling across the doormat, the faint scent of pie in the air, the soft clink of plates in the kitchen.
Déjà vu.
Why now?
I stared at the door, heart ticking just a little faster.
And then—ding-dong.
The doorbell chimed, oddly melodic, like a wind chime catching a breeze.
"I got it!" Gia shouted, already hopping off the couch and rushing toward the entrance.
She swung it open and was immediately greeted by a man towering over her—not that it said much. Gia shrank back slightly, her bubbly excitement quickly morphing into shy silence.
I peeked from the hallway to see who it was.
The man wore a red, neatly tucked polo and navy-blue trousers, holding what looked like a homemade pie. He looks young—maybe late twenties—but dressed like someone's overly polite uncle.
Beside him stood a girl. Golden hair spilled out from under her cap, long enough that even the cap couldn't hide it. She wore faded jeans and a vertical-striped long-sleeve shirt, the top two buttons casually undone. Her features were soft, almost delicate—but there was something fierce in her eyes. Like she'd been through storms and still stood tall.
She looks about our age. His Sister? Niece, maybe?
"Who's there, darling?" Aunt Ciel called out, stepping closer. She peeked over Gia's shoulder.
"Good morrow, Miss…"
"Just call me Ciel," she smiled.
"Right. Miss Ciel. I'm Jonar, and this is my daughter, El. We just moved in across the street."
Moved in? Since when?
"Oh! New neighbors?" Aunt Ciel beamed. "Come on in! You're just in time—we're about to eat. Have you had breakfast?"
"You're too kind. And of course, we didn't come empty-handed." Jonar held out the pie. "Freshly baked."
"Thank you. Come in, don't be shy." She turned toward Gia. "Darling, go call your brother and tell him if he comes down shirtless again, I'll burn every single one of those posters in his room."
"Yes, Mama!"
"And Leo," Aunt Ciel added, "help me set the pie, will you?"
"Yes, Aunty," I said, stepping forward as the door closed behind our mysterious new guests.
The square dining table was already set, and our guests had taken their seats. On the far side sat Aunt Ciel and little Gia, who was still fiddling with her iPad. I took the seat to Gia's right, and next to me was an empty chair—Matthew's. The other side was reserved for our mysterious new neighbors.
Right on cue, Matthew strolled in, towel slung over his shoulder, damp hair a mess.
"Whoa, who's the guest?"
"They're the new neighbors across the street," Ciel replied. "That's Jonar, and his daughter El."
Matthew raised a brow. "Since when did they move in?" He shrugged before giving a nod. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Jonar."
Jonar smiled warmly. El, however, didn't even look up. Her eyes were fixed on her plate like it held some ancient secret.
"Come now," Aunt Ciel said, placing a tray of eggs on the table. "Let's eat. I don't want you boys late for school again."
Midway through the meal, Aunt Ciel struck up polite conversation. "So, Jonar, how long are you staying here?"
How long?.
Jonar hesitated. "Well, until things cool off."
My curiosity got the better of me. "You mean you're just here temporarily?"
"Yes… uh…" He glanced at me.
"Leo," I offered.
"Right. Leo. We moved in temporarily. There's been… an issue with El's mother. We're just here until things settle."
"Your wife?" I asked.
He coughed into his fist, sheepishly. "Yes. My dear wife."
Matthew, while shoveling rice into his mouth like a vacuum, chimed in, "Gotta say, Mr. Jonar, you look kinda young to be married. Or to have a daughter, even."
Jonar nearly choked on his coffee. His eyes flicked to El, who remained expressionless.
Aunt Ciel stepped in. "Now, now. Let's not pry."
And then—more prying.
"I'm curious, though," she added. "How's your wife? Is she doing well?"
I raised an eyebrow. Who's not prying now?
Jonar kept his composure. "It's been rough, but she's alive and well. Right, El?"
El mumbled something under her breath.
"What was that, dear?" Jonar asked gently.
"Did she say something?" Matthew leaned in.
El stood up suddenly, her chair screeching against the tiles. Without a word, she turned and walked out of the room.
Silence. Even Gia looked up from her tablet, eyes wide.
Jonar sighed, set his napkin down slowly. "I'll get her. I'm terribly sorry, Mrs. Ciel. She's… upset."
"No worries," Aunt Ciel replied softly. "Take your time."
He nodded, then walked out, calm and quiet.
"Well, that was a show," Matthew muttered, still chewing.
Aunt Ciel shot him a look. "People go through things, Matt. Cut her some slack."
She turned to them. "Boys, would you do me a favor? Keep an eye on her..."
Matthew just shrugged, but Leo nodded.
-Later That Day-
Nothing much happened after that. School came and went. I sat through lectures like a ghost while Matthew spent most of his time on the field with the other athletes.
Still, something kept nagging at me.
That weird feeling again.
Like I'd lived this day before.
Deja vu. I know it's normal—but this one felt different. Deeper. Familiar in a way I couldn't explain.
We saw El again two days later. Aunt Ciel asked us to show her around the city—not the school, since she wasn't enrolled, but the places kids our age usually hung out.
At first glance, El looked like someone from a wealthy district—clean, quiet, well-mannered. But as we walked past the park, the library, and the arcade, her expression changed. Curiosity turned to awe.
She gazed at the tall buildings like they were living giants. Like this was all new.
"Is this your first time seeing a movie theater?" I teased.
"Perhaps she's a country—uh—grew up in a rural area," Matthew blurted.
We stood at the city circle, where a statue of the town's founder loomed in the center.
"This here's the Circle," Matt declared proudly. "They call it that because… well, it's a circle. And that's the founder up there. Fun fact, he was a bit of a sexist—"
"Okay, that's enough," I cut in.
Later, we sat at a bench nearby, eating ice cream. She looked more at ease now.
Then came a surprise.
"Uhm… thank you," she said softly.
I blinked. "You spoke."
"I almost thought you were mute," Matthew added, half-joking. "You haven't said a word"
She chuckled. "Of course I can speak. I was just… embarrassed by what happened yesterday."
"You mean the whole 'dramatic exit' thing?" Matt said bluntly.
El curled up a little, hiding her face.
"Don't worry," he continued. "My mom and I fight too, sometimes."
"You mean Mrs. Ciel? She seems gentle."
We both laughed.
"She is," I said. "But you haven't seen her angry."
"She's the reason we're showing you around today," Matt added. "So, don't blame us. We're just following orders."
"Well, I'm glad she did," El said with a smile. "Thank you. It was fun."
We walked her home after that. We talked more—about school, hobbies, and where we came from.
She opened up.
Turns out she did live in the countryside. She mentioned that books are expensive for them, and how the tallest thing around was a tree, not a building. Though there are tall buildings, they are ancient and old.
Her mother… was strict. Too strict, by the sound of it.
Maybe even cruel.
But I didn't press.
Over the next few days, we hung out more—after class, at the park, the arcade, even a movie.
She smiled more often now, but if you looked close enough, the sadness was still there.
Always at the edge of her eyes.
"That claw machine drained my whole wallet," Matt groaned, staring at his empty coin pouch.
"It's amazing," El said, her eyes still wide from the movie. "I thought that giant fish was going to jump out of the screen."
"You mean the shark?" I asked.
"Sharks aren't even that aggressive," I added.
"Yeah, until they smell your blood," Matt smirked.
"That's a myth."
"Boo. Stop ruining the fun," he grinned.
We all laughed.
Back at her front gate, she turned to us. "It was fun. Thank you."
"No prob," Matt said. "See you tomorrow?"
She paused, glanced back, and smiled softly. "Yeah… tomorrow."
She walked inside.
I didn't see her face as she left.
But something inside me hoped…
That there would be a tomorrow.
After that the moment I stepped onto the porch, I paused.
The light. The scent of warm earth. A faint wind chimes from somewhere unseen.
Again.
That strange pulse. That pulls inside my gut.
Something was going to happen.
That night, the ominous feeling only grew stronger. I lay in bed for hours, eyes shut tight, willing sleep to take me—but it never came. Something was off. I could feel it crawling beneath my skin, whispering in the corners of my mind.
With a frustrated sigh, I got up, hoping a glass of milk might work its sleepy magic. I padded quietly to the kitchen, letting the cool air settle my nerves. As I turned to head back to my room, something outside caught my eye.
Across the street, on the second floor of Jonar and El's house, a figure was climbing out the window.
My breath hitched.
El.
She moved swiftly, almost gracefully, landing on the ground without a sound.
What the heck is she doing? That's dangerous.
She didn't hesitate—just walked straight down the road, alone, disappearing into the shadows.
Every instinct told me to follow her. But venturing out late at night wasn't the smartest idea—especially not with just the two of us.
I hurried to Matthew's room.
"Matt… Matt," I whispered.
He stirred. "What?"
"I just saw El climbing out her window. She's heading out—alone. Something feels wrong. Come on, Aunt Ciel told us to keep an eye on her, remember?"
He blinked the sleep from his eyes, muttered something under his breath, and pulled on a shirt.
Without another word, we slipped out into the night.
We caught up to her just as she neared the edge of the subdivision—the part where the houses stopped and the trees began. Thick woods loomed ahead, silent and dark.
"What is she thinking?" Matt muttered.
We kept a safe distance, watching.
El stood still at the treeline, her back to us. In her hand, she clutched something—a necklace with a small, glimmering gem at its center. Her fingers curled around it tightly.
Then…
It happened.
Reality fractured.
Like glass cracking in slow motion, the air in front of her split open. A jagged line appeared, glowing with a strange light. Mist—cold and silvery—spilled from the break, curling through the night air.
We stared, frozen. A rift. A tear in the world itself.
El reached for it.
"No—wait!" I shouted, but it was too late.
A hand shot out—Matthew's. He grabbed her arm before she could fully step through.
"El, what are you doing?!" he yelled, panic in his voice.
She turned to him, wide-eyed, stunned. Her free hand, still holding the necklace, had already passed through the rift.
And then—
The rift pulsed.
The air bent.
A force like a vacuum pulled her forward.
Matthew held tight—but the pull was stronger.
"El!" he cried out as the rift sucked her in, dragging him with her.
I acted on instinct, lunging forward and grabbing Matt's arm.
A flash of light.
A rush of wind.
And then—
Nothing.
Everything went blank.
Darkness. That was all there was—complete and suffocating. Yet faint voices murmured through the void.
"This is the only way…"
"I wish…"
"...It's not a road for the faint of heart."
"What the heck is that?"
The voices, once distant, grew clearer with each passing second, as did a strange light drawing closer.
"Remember!"
Then, suddenly, I felt someone shaking me.
"Hey—wake up!"
It was Matt. He was already awake, shaking me hard enough to rattle my spine.
I groaned, blinking as a blinding light flooded my vision. The blur slowly gave way to brightness.
The sun?
Wasn't it nighttime?
"What happened? Did we pass out till morning?" I asked, still dazed and barely upright.
"I think so… but it's not just that," Matt said, looking around, his expression shifting from confused to deeply unsettled. "I don't think we just passed out. I don't even recognize where we are."
I sat up. At first, I thought we were in the familiar woods near the edge of the subdivision. But as my eyes adjusted and my senses sharpened, I realized something was off. Way off.
We weren't in the woods we knew.
We were in a forest.
A vast, lush, enchanted-looking forest. The grass was impossibly green. The trees—tall, ancient, almost glowing with life—looked like no species I'd ever seen.
"Where are we?" I whispered, more to myself than to Matt.
He shrugged, still scanning the area. "Last thing I remember… we were following El—"
And then it hit me.
"El!"
"El!" we both shouted