Chapter Two : fragments of a forgotten Dream

The Dining table was set with warm plates, the smell of home-cooked food filling the room. Elara sat beside her grandmother, while Peter slumped into his chair, still bouncing his soccer ball under the table.

Her mom walked in with a bowl of steaming curry and started serving everyone.

She glanced at Elara as she placed a spoonful on her plate.

"Elara, are you okay these days?" her mother asked gently.

"You seem very quiet lately."

Elara hesitated, poking at her food.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just... a little tired."

Her mom didn't push, but the worry in her eyes stayed.

Peter chimed in with a mouthful of rice. "She's always looking out the window like she's waiting for a UFO."

Elara shot him a look. "At least I use my brain, unlike someone who thinks the Earth is flat."

Peter gasped. "I never said that!"

Their grandmother chuckled softly, breaking the moment with warmth.

"She's growing up. Quiet minds carry deep thoughts."

But even as they laughed and argued, Elara's mind wandered-back to the whisper... back to the tree.

Something was calling her.

The house had grown quiet.

After dinner, Elara returned to her room. She opened the window again, letting the cool night air spill in. The tree stood silently under the moonlight, its shadow long and unmoving.

She leaned her elbows on the windowsill, eyes fixed on its dark, gnarled trunk.

"Why do I keep thinking about you?" she whispered.

But the tree, like always, gave no answer.

Later, tucked beneath her blanket, Elara turned from side to side, restless. The clock beside her blinked: 12:03 AM.

And then-

A sound.

A low hum.

Faint. Familiar. Like something calling her from far away.

Her eyes flew open.

She sat up slowly, heart racing.

The sound was coming from outside.

She moved to the window again... and gasped.

The tree was glowing.

Not brightly-but with a soft, silver light pulsing

from within its bark, as though its veins were alive with stardust.

Drawn by something she couldn't explain, Elara slipped on her sweater and quietly crept down the stairs and out the back door.

The cold grass kissed her bare feet as she stepped into the yard.

The closer she got, the louder the whisper became.

It wasn't a language. It was emotion. Echoes. Echoes of time itself.

She placed her hand on the trunk.

"Who are you?" she whispered aloud.

The bark under her hand felt warm.

Then the voice came again-clearer this time.

"You already know me."

Elara's breath caught.

The world around her seemed to bend-warping, tilting, as if time had begun to ripple.

She took a step back, dizzy.

Elara took a cautious step closer to the glowing crack in the tree's bark.

Suddenly, a rush of wind swirled around her, faster and faster, lifting strands of her hair and wrapping her in a whirlwind of shimmering crystals that sparkled like tiny stars in the night air.

The golden light spilled out from the tree and bathed her whole body in its warm glow.

She closed her eyes, heart pounding, as the light seemed to pull her inward-

soft, bright, and endless.

When she opened them again, she wasn't standing in her backyard anymore.

Instead, she found herself surrounded by a lush garden.

Vibrant flowers bloomed in every color, and ancient trees stretched tall toward a soft, pinkish sky.

The air smelled sweet and fresh, filled with the sound of birdsong and the distant trickle of water.

She took a deep breath.

Somewhere deep inside, a whisper echoed again.

Welcome back, Elara.

Elara looked down at herself, stunned.

She was no longer wearing her sweater and pajamas.

Instead, she was dressed in a vintage school uniform-a soft beige blouse with a ribbon-tied collar, a long pleated skirt, and laced leather shoes. The fabric felt strange yet oddly familiar, like something she had worn a thousand times before.

She touched the ribbon at her neck.

"What is this place...?" she whispered.

Before she could take another step, a cheerful voice rang out from behind the rose bushes.

"Elara! There you are! Come fast, or we'll be late again!"

Elara turned sharply.

A girl around her age came running toward her. She had bright eyes, a satchel slung over one shoulder, and wore the same old-fashioned school uniform.

Elara blinked.

She recognized her... but from where?

The girl reached her and grabbed her hand playfully.

"Don't space out, come on!"

Elara was still frozen, stunned by how real everything felt. The girl didn't seem to notice anything strange.

"You said you'd walk with me today. Christy is waiting by the fountain!"

Christy...?

That name tugged at something deep inside her.

Like a memory that had been buried under centuries of silence.

Elara slowly nodded.

"Right... I'm coming."

The girl smiled and pulled her forward, down the garden path that curved between hedges and stone statues. Other students were heading the same way, their laughter echoing across the courtyard.

And as they walked, Elara's heart pounded with a strange mix of fear and wonder.

She was in another time.

But who had she been here?

And why did everything feel so heartbreakingly familiar?

Elara walked through the garden pathway, led by the cheerful girl who called herself Christy.

As they turned a corner, a grand old building came into view-tall windows, ivy-covered walls, and a clock tower that looked like it hadn't changed in a hundred years.

They entered the hallway filled with vintage posters and rows of wooden lockers. Christy nudged her gently.

"Come on, classroom's this way. We're almost late."

Inside, the classroom was buzzing with quiet chatter. Students were taking their seats, notebooks out, laughing, whispering.

Elara froze just past the door.

Her breath caught.

Sitting in the third row... was Ella.

And next to her-Nia.

On the opposite side, by the window, Leo, Henry, and Billi were teasing each other just like they did back in her present life.

No. This can't be...

They looked younger. Dressed in the same old-fashioned uniforms. But their faces, their energy-it was them. Just like always.

Before she could react, Christy dragged her to an empty seat near the middle.

Elara sat down, her hands trembling under the desk. She tried to make sense of it.