Echoes of Anya Chapter 1: The Dream

It was midnight , inside the room of Anika

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

Ugh… another one of those dreams.

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

It’s always the same. A flash of fire… a scream… and then… nothing. Just a void.

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

I wake up with my heart pounding, like I’ve just run a marathon. But I can’t remember anything clearly. Just fragments.

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

A beautiful face… a sharp, cruel voice… a feeling of betrayal…

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

I wish I knew what it meant. These dreams have been happening for months. They’re starting to… unsettle me.

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

Maybe I should just ignore them. Try to focus on my life here.

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

But… what if they’re trying to tell me something?

It was around 12 am so she tried to sleep again

Ani wakes up by 6:30 and gets ready for work

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Gets ready for work) Another day, another attempt to push those dreams to the back of my mind.

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Checks phone) No new messages. Typical

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

Rohan always says I worry too much. He probably thinks I’m being dramatic.

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

But he doesn’t have these dreams. He doesn’t feel this… this pull towards something she can’t explain.

As it was 7:30 already she leaves for work

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Lunch break) (Texts Ro) Hey! How’s your day going?

𝙍𝙤𝙝𝙖𝙣/ 𝙍𝙚𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙝

(Texts Ani) Busy as always! Just finished a big presentation. You?

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Texts Ro) Same old, same old. Those dreams again last night.

𝙍𝙤𝙝𝙖𝙣/ 𝙍𝙚𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙝

(Texts Ani) Ani, we talked about this. Don’t let them get to you. They’re just dreams.

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Texts Ro) I know, I know. But this one felt different. There was… something…

𝙍𝙤𝙝𝙖𝙣/ 𝙍𝙚𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙝

(Texts Ani) Something? Like what?

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Texts Ro) I don’t know. It’s hard to explain. A feeling… like I’ve been here before. Like I know… him.

𝙍𝙤𝙝𝙖𝙣/ 𝙍𝙚𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙝

(Texts Ani) Him? Who?

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

I don’t know his name. I just… see his face. And hear his voice. It’s… chilling.

𝙍𝙤𝙝𝙖𝙣/ 𝙍𝙚𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙝

Okay, Ani. Deep breaths. Maybe you should talk to someone about this. A therapist, maybe?

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

Maybe…

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Looks out the window) (Sees a familiar building across the street)

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Gasps) That building…

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

I’ve seen it in my dreams.

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Feels a sudden wave of dizziness)

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Clutches her head) The face… it’s becoming clearer…

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Whispers) Vikram…

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(The vision fades)

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Shakes her head, trying to clear her thoughts)

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

Vikram… Who is Vikram?

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Feels a strange sense of dread)

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Texts Ro) Ro… I need to see you. Something… something’s happening.

𝙍𝙤𝙝𝙖𝙣/ 𝙍𝙚𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙝

(Texts Ani) What is it? Are you okay?

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Texts Ro) I don’t know. But I think… I think I’m starting to remember.

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Texts Ro) And I’m scared.

𝙍𝙤𝙝𝙖𝙣/ 𝙍𝙚𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙝

(Texts Ani) I’m on my way. Just stay where you are.

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Texts Ro) Okay.

𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙠𝙖/ 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙖

(Looks at the building again) Vikram… The name echoes in her mind, sending shivers down her spine. She knows, with a chilling certainty, that her life is about to change forever.