Fragments Before Dawn

A sudden gasp tore from Luna’s lips.

She shot up, gasping for air, her heart pounding so hard it echoed in her ears. The room was dark, the only light coming from the faint glow of her bedside clock.

5:03 AM.

She sat there, frozen, struggling to steady her breathing. Her body felt heavy, weighed down by the lingering traces of the dream. Sweat clung to her skin, her nightshirt damp and uncomfortable. The sheets beneath her were twisted, as if she had been tossing and turning all night.

Reality slowly seeped back into her senses. The outstretched hand.. the pale, almost glowing fingers reaching for her, was burned into her memory like an afterimage imprinted on her eyelids. She could still feel it, the strange static in the air, the pull in her chest, the unshakable feeling that whoever, or whatever it was, it wasn’t just a dream.

"Just a dream," she murmured, but the words felt empty, meaningless.

Her gaze flickered toward the clock on her nightstand.

5:03 AM.

She sighed, staring at the clock. Too early to start the day, yet too late to go back to sleep. Not that she wanted to.. not after that.

With a groan, she swung her legs over the side of the bed, her feet meeting the cold wooden floor. She sat there for a moment, elbows on her knees, rubbing her face as if she could wipe away the lingering unease. Her skin was still clammy, and the remnants of the dream clung to her like a second shadow.

"I need coffee," she muttered, her voice hoarse from sleep.. or maybe from something else. Pushing herself up, she shuffled toward the door, her body sluggish with exhaustion. The apartment was silent, save for the faint hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen.

In the kitchen, she flicked on the light, wincing as the sudden brightness stung her eyes. She reached for the coffee maker with muscle memory alone, filling it with water, scooping in the grounds, pressing the button. The familiar routine was comforting, something solid to hold onto.

As she waited for the coffee to brew, she leaned against the counter, arms crossed, staring blankly at the cabinets. Her fingers tapped against her arm, restless.

She didn’t want to admit it, but something felt off.

The dream was different this time. It wasn’t just a jumble of fragmented images. It was vivid. Tangible. And that voice, whoever it was.. felt real.

The coffee maker beeped, a sharp sound cutting through the silence, pulling her back to reality. Luna blinked, shaking off the fog in her mind as she reached for a mug.

She poured the dark liquid, watching as steam curled into the air, dissipating into nothing. Wrapping her hands around the warm ceramic, she let out a slow breath, as if exhaling the weight of the dream along with it.

She took another sip of coffee, savoring the warmth that spread through her chest. The dream still lingered in her mind, but she didn’t let it bother her. It was always like this.. strange, fleeting, and impossible to make sense of.

Her fingers tapped idly against the ceramic mug as she glanced at the dark hallway leading back to her room. The house was quiet, the world outside just beginning to stir. A faint glow peeked through the edges of the curtains, hinting at the approaching sunrise.

She exhaled slowly, running a finger along the rim of her mug. If she wrote it down, would it help? Would it make any difference? These dreams had haunted her for as long as she could remember, slipping through her mind like water through her fingers.

Shaking her head, she pushed off the counter and made her way back to her room. The house was still cloaked in darkness, the only light coming from the faint glow of the streetlamps outside. Everything was quiet, still, as if the world hadn’t yet woken up.

She nudged her bedroom door open and stepped inside, setting her coffee down on the desk. The dim light from her bedside clock barely illuminated the space, casting long, soft shadows across the walls. She exhaled slowly, stretching her arms above her head, feeling the stiffness in her muscles from another restless night.

Turning toward her closet, she pulled the doors open and stared at the neatly arranged clothes in front of her. It was too early to think too hard about what to wear. Something comfortable. Something simple. She ran a hand over the fabric of a few sweaters before finally grabbing one and tossing it onto the bed along with a pair of jeans.

The room was cool, the early morning air lingering from the open window. She quickly changed, pulling the sweater over her head and adjusting the sleeves. The silence felt heavier in the dark, pressing in around her as she sat on the edge of her bed. Luna grabbed her phone from the nightstand, checking the time.

5:27 AM. Still early, but there was no point in trying to go back to sleep now. The dream had already unsettled her enough, and forcing herself back into slumber would only bring more of the same.

With a quiet sigh, she tucked her phone into her bag and slung it over her shoulder before stepping out of her room. The house was eerily silent, the air still carrying the coolness of the night. The wooden floor creaked softly beneath her bare feet as she made her way down the hallway.

Stopping by the bathroom, she flicked on the dim overhead light and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her dark eyes looked tired, framed by faint shadows that hinted at another restless night. Stray strands of hair had escaped from her ponytail, falling loosely around her face. She reached up, gathering her hair into a messy bun before turning on the faucet.

She cupped her hands under the cold water, letting it pool in her palms before splashing it onto her face. The shock of it jolted her fully awake, chasing away the last traces of sleep. But it didn’t wash away the memory of the dream. No matter how much she tried to shake it off, it still lingered.

Luna exhaled slowly, gripping the edge of the sink for a moment before straightening up. She dried her face with a towel, ran a hand down her sweater, and turned off the light.

Back in the kitchen, she grabbed an apple from the counter and leaned against the sink, taking small bites. The city outside was still cloaked in darkness, but hints of deep blue were creeping along the horizon, a slow sign that morning was on its way. A car passed by in the distance, its headlights briefly flashing against her window before vanishing down the road.

Her gaze drifted to the clock on the wall.

5:42 AM. If she left now, she’d be early. Maybe too early.

But staying home wasn’t an option.

She tossed the half-eaten apple into the trash, grabbed her keys from the hook by the door, and pulled on her jacket. The fabric was soft and familiar, worn from years of use, but warm enough to fight off the morning chill.

Taking one last glance around the quiet house, she inhaled deeply before stepping outside.

The scent of coffee and fresh pastries filled the air as Luna stepped into the café, the small bell above the door chiming softly. A gentle warmth wrapped around her, a stark contrast to the crisp morning air outside. The café was already buzzing with quiet conversations and the occasional clink of ceramic cups against saucers. It was peaceful, familiar, the kind of place that made it easy to forget the weight of a sleepless night.

She spotted Aria sitting at their usual corner table, idly stirring her drink while scrolling through her phone. When she looked up and caught sight of Luna, her brows lifted slightly.

"You look like hell," she said, not unkindly.

Luna sighed as she slid into the seat across from her. "Good morning to you too."

Aria pushed a steaming cup of coffee toward her. "You’re going to need this."

Luna took it without hesitation, wrapping both hands around the warm ceramic. She breathed in the rich aroma before taking a cautious sip, letting the heat settle into her bones. The exhaustion clinging to her hadn’t faded, but at least the coffee was a start.

"Another rough night?" Aria asked, watching her over the rim of her own cup.

Luna hummed in response, resting her elbow on the table and propping her chin in her palm. "Same old, same old. Just me and my endless loop of weird dreams."

Aria tilted her head slightly. "The same ones?"

Luna hesitated, staring into her coffee as if the swirling liquid might give her an answer. "Sort of. But this time, there was… someone there. A shadowy figure. And they spoke. Told me to come back."

Aria frowned, setting her phone aside. "Back? Back where?"

"No clue." Luna took another sip, shaking her head. "Not that it matters. It’s just a dream. My sleep-deprived brain making things up for fun."

Aria rested her chin on her hand, studying her. "You know, dreams don’t just come out of nowhere. Maybe there’s something your mind is trying to tell you."

Luna gave a small, tired smile. "Or maybe I just need better sleep."

"You’ve been saying that for years."

Luna sighed, swirling the coffee in her cup. "I know. It’s just... exhausting, you know? Waking up feeling like I ran a marathon in my sleep."

Aria nodded. "I get it. But if these dreams are getting stronger, maybe you should try something new."

Luna raised an eyebrow. "Like what? Meditation? Dream journaling?" She exhaled softly, rubbing her temple. "I’m not sure writing them down would make them any less weird."

Aria shrugged. "Might be worth a shot. At the very least, you could try to piece together if there’s a pattern."

Luna took another slow sip of her coffee, letting the warmth seep through her. "Maybe."

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the hum of the café filling the spaces between them. The clatter of cups, the quiet murmur of conversations, the soft hum of a song playing through the speakers.. it was steady, grounding.

After a while, Aria spoke again. "You ever think about talking to someone about it?"

Luna gave her a tired look. "Like a therapist? Been there, done that. They just called it stress and prescribed better sleep hygiene."

"And have you actually tried their suggestions?"

Luna rolled her eyes. "I tried. But I still wake up at ungodly hours feeling like I forgot something important."

Aria sighed but didn’t argue. "Alright, alright. Just... keep an open mind."

Luna didn’t respond right away, just stared into her cup as if searching for an answer at the bottom. Eventually, she sighed and leaned back. "I’ll think about it."

Luna exhaled slowly, letting the warmth of the coffee seep into her fingers. The exhaustion weighed on her, a dull heaviness pressing against her skull, but in the steady hum of the café, it was easier to push aside.

Aria swirled her spoon through her drink, watching the dark liquid spin lazily. “So, you’re really just brushing it off?”

Luna leaned back in her chair, stretching her legs out beneath the table. “What else am I supposed to do?”

“Maybe start paying attention to them? Write them down. Keep track of when they happen, what changes, what stays the same.” Aria leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on the table. “If you start looking for patterns, you might figure something out.”

Luna scoffed, setting her cup down with a quiet clink. “I barely have time to keep up with assignments. You really think I can add dream analysis to my to-do list?”

Aria didn’t seem amused. “You make time to talk about them.”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“It just is.”

Aria let out a slow breath, tilting her head slightly as she studied Luna. “You know, just because you ignore something doesn’t mean it goes away.”

Luna looked away, watching the faint movement of people outside the café window. The city was waking up.. cars rolling down the street, pedestrians crossing at half-rushed paces, the occasional cyclist weaving through traffic. The sky was still a pale gray, the last traces of night fading into morning.

She knew Aria wasn’t wrong. The dreams weren’t stopping. If anything, they were becoming more vivid. But what was she supposed to do? Believe they meant something? That they were more than just a product of her exhausted mind?

“I don’t know,” she admitted finally. “Maybe it’s just stress.”

Aria lifted a brow. “Stress doesn’t usually come with cryptic shadowy figures and strange voices.”

Luna took another sip of coffee, savoring the brief warmth it brought. “Maybe mine does.”

Aria sighed, but there was no frustration in it.. just the quiet patience of someone who had known her long enough to see through her dismissals.

“You’re really not curious at all?” she asked after a moment.

Luna hesitated, her fingers tightening slightly around the cup. “I mean… maybe a little.”

Aria smirked. “That’s a start.”

Luna rolled her eyes but didn’t argue.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The soft murmur of the café filled the space between them.. the distant sound of the espresso machine steaming milk, the occasional rustle of pages turning, footsteps moving in and out.

“You’re going to class after this?” Aria asked, finally breaking the silence.

Luna stretched her arms over her head, stifling a yawn. “Yeah. Not that I’ll absorb anything in this state.”

“That’s what the coffee is for.”

Luna lifted her cup. “To staying awake.”

Aria tapped hers against it lightly. “To figuring things out. Eventually.”

They sat there for a while longer, neither in a rush to leave. The morning unfolded slowly, steady and unhurried, the weight of sleeplessness pressing against Luna’s limbs but not quite dragging her down. Maybe she was exhausted. Maybe the dreams were getting stronger. But for now, it was just another morning, another conversation, another small piece of normalcy that made everything feel a little easier.

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