A Nightmare.

Maria woke up with a start, sweat beads dotting her forehead.

The nightmare lingered, refusing to fade into the morning light. Breathing heavily, she listened to her own heartbeat pounding in her ears.

In reality, yesterday, she had indeed dropped Julie off at her aunt's house. Despite knowing this, the dream had left her shaken.

She lay in bed, breathing heavily, trying to make sense of the unsettling images that felt more like memories than mere dreams.

The clock displayed 6:00 am, signaling the start of a new day.

Despite the sunlight filtering through the window, Maria couldn't shake off the eerie feeling from her dream.

The images of Julie, her friend, disappearing haunted her thoughts. She felt upset as if Julie had disappeared for real.

As Maria headed to school, the weight of the dream clung to her like a shadow.

She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off and lost in her thoughts.

The world around her seemed normal – the sun was shining, people were chatting and laughing, and music played in the background.

However, Maria couldn't convince herself that everything was as it should be.

Entering the school hallway, Maria moved towards her class, attempting to shake off the lingering anxiety.

Yet, her steps involuntarily halted, a momentary pause before she continued.

As she reached her classroom, her stress and sadness melted away when she saw Julie sitting at her desk.

Overjoyed, Maria ran towards her, hugging her from behind, "Oh, Julie! Where were you?" she asked tearfully.

Julie, puzzled, responded, "Maria, what happened? We met yesterday."

"Nothing, I just had a bad dream," Maria explained, unwilling to share the details of her unsettling night.

Although Maria was crying, the happiness of finding her friend overwhelmed her.

However, as they spent time together, Maria couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Julie seemed unusually quiet and distant.

Concerned, Maria questioned the authenticity of her dream. In response, Julie coldly asked, "Was it really a dream?"

This left Maria feeling uneasy, prompting her to inquire further, but Julie reassured her with a smile, saying she was just kidding.

Relieved to have her friend back, Maria decided not to mention the strange dream.

Instead focusing on enjoying the time with her friend.

They continued to enjoy their time together, sharing stories and creating memories.

As the day went on, Maria and Julie played and chatted about various things.

The school bell rang, signaling the end of the last lecture, Maria wished for more time with Julie.

Maria couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that time with Julie was slipping away.

The fear of Julie disappearing again, a fear embedded in her mind from a disturbing dream, made Maria reluctant to leave her friend's side.

Though she knew it was just a dream, the emotions felt so real that she couldn't ignore them.

She told Julie she needed to go to the washroom.

As she walked down the empty hallway, a strange sense of loneliness crept over her.

It was as if the walls themselves were closing in, and Maria couldn't shake off the feeling of unease.

As she entered, the once familiar space now felt oddly quiet and isolated, she felt a little scared because it was quiet and lonely.

Maria approached the basin to wash her hands, her mind still lingering on the strange dream and the fear of losing Julie.

While washing her hands, Maria glanced up at the mirror and froze.

Standing beside her reflection was Aunt Clara, Julie's aunt.

Maria's heart raced as she turned to look, half expecting Aunt Clara to be there in reality too.

And to her shock, there she was, standing just a few feet away.

Aunt Clara's presence sent shivers down Maria's spine.

The voice that echoed in the air was hauntingly familiar.

"So, Maria, you think it's all over," Aunt Clara said, her words hanging in the air like a thick fog.

Maria's mind raced with questions. What did Aunt Clara mean? Was there something more to her dream than she realized? Was Julie in danger?

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