The next morning started just like any other. I thought I would have another weird dream, but my sleep had been surprisingly dreamless.
"You are his son."
A sudden whisper slithered into my left ear.
"Who is it!?"
I jumped right out of my bed in fright.
"..."
Just like yesterday, there was nothing there. The room was empty.
"Am I going crazy?"
I forced my tense muscles to relax. I closed my eyes and took several deep, steadying breaths.
"Do you know who you are?"
This time, the voice echoed in my mind. When I opened my eyes, I caught my reflection in the mirror.
My breathing paused. My usual black pupils were gone. In their place contained a deep, sinister red. There was something evil about that gaze—something that didn't belong to me.
The words I had just heard... they hadn't come from my own mouth.
"W-w-what the—!?"
Panicked, I scrambled out of my room.
"Revvie!?"
I collided hard with someone in the hallway. It was Gem. She stumbled back from the impact and landed on the floor with a thud.
"Ow!"
"I-I'm sorry!" I quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her up.
"Oh."
Gem blinked, her cheeks flushing slightly. She averted her gaze, looking down at her feet.
"Are you hurt?" I asked worriedly.
"Not really..."
Strangely, Gem shifted her weight and fidgeted, as if she were suddenly shy.
"Really? That's great."
Sighing with relief, I walked past her and collapsed onto a chair at the dining table.
"Anyways, what's wrong with you, Revvie? You seemed like you were running from a ghost."
Gem brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Her blue eyes twinkled like a gem, her mood seeming to lift instantly.
"I think I'm going crazy, Gem."
Strangely, I didn't feel any fear revealing this to her, even though she was staring at me with concern.
"So what happened?"
"I'm hearing things. And seeing things."
"What?" she voiced with surprise. "Tell me more."
The first few words slipped out of my mouth, and then they continued to flow until nothing about the weird voice I heard earlier and the red-eyed stranger I saw in the mirror yesterday were left untold.
"Hmmm..."
Gem tapped her lower lip with her finger, deep in thought.
"I know. Why don't you take a rest today?"
"Really? Who's going to take care of Moomoo?"
I couldn't help but recall the last time Gem tried feeding our cow named Moomoo; she had accidentally stepped in her massive cow pie and hadn't gone near the barn since.
"I will try," Gem answered with a resolute expression, though I noticed a nervous twitch in her eyelashes.
"Since you said so..."
I shrugged and leaned back in the chair.
"Where are Auntie and Uncle?" I leisurely asked, changing the topic.
"They went out early."
"Where?"
"To the town center. Apparently, there's a huge commotion."
"Huh?"
"It doesn't matter. The adults can deal with it, right?"
"Sure..."
Gem acted the same way she usually did. She hated when the adults acted high and mighty, keeping secrets from us "kids." We were teenagers, yet they still treated us like children.
Despite Gem's normalcy, a strange feeling bubbled up inside me. It felt like a memory I possessed but couldn't quite reach.
While waiting for the food, my mind wandered back to the words from earlier.
You are his son.
In any other context, I would have been happy to hear those words. What if Uncle was simply pretending, and he was actually my father?
However, those words sent a chill down my spine, especially after seeing that sinister reflection.
Do you know who you are?
It should have been a simple question. But now, I lacked the confidence to say I was simply "Revelon." The dream, the whisper, the vision—they all pointed to a truth I didn't understand.
"Whose son am I?"
I didn't realize I had blurted it out loud, nor did I notice Gem watching me from the stove.
"Is my father special or something?" It was a wild guess.
No one knew who my parents were. Auntie and Uncle told me they found me by the side of the road and decided to adopt me since I looked to be about the same age as Gem. I had always believed my parents were dead.
"Are they alive?"
The words sent a shudder through me. The thought of meeting my real parents awoke a complex storm of emotions. I was satisfied with my life here with Gem's family. I was welcomed and needed here.
"But... what if my parents don't want me anymore?"
I winced at the thought.
"H-hey!"
Suddenly, soft arms wrapped around my shoulders from behind. Gem leaned forward, resting her chin near my neck. I could smell her—a sweet, soft scent that was distinctly her. It made my heart race in a way I wasn't used to.
"My father and mother love you as much as they love me, you know?" Gem whispered, her tone low and soothing.
"I'm sorry..." I apologized instinctively.
"It's fine. You are accepted here. You don't have to go looking for something that may not even exist."
Her words calmed me like a hammer striking a loose nail back into place. All of the doubts vanished.
I held her hand resting on my shoulder and nodded. "Yeah."
Immediately, Gem pulled away, perhaps realizing the closeness, and returned to the kitchen.
"Breakfast is ready!"
"Thank you!"
We pretended the intimate moment hadn't just happened as we went about eating.
I didn't hesitate as I devoured the steak and eggs.
As farmers, it was common to receive produce from our neighbors. One of them had recently butchered cattle and, overwhelmed with meat they couldn't preserve, shared the rest with us.
Such was a farmer's life. It was simple, generous, and one of the reasons I enjoyed living here.