The person's eyes gently opened, adjusting to the light. A quiet sigh accompanies his wakefulness, stretching his limbs and shaking off sleep's embrace. He got out of the cozy bed. The real world replaces dreams, and they fully return to wakefulness.

Escaping his bed, the person looked confused, as if something was missing…

'Huh! What was that nightmare about me being in prison? Then something that only happens in novels happened, and then there were monsters, skills, and magical powers.' Dhruv thought confusedly as he walked out of his room, now going toward the hall where all his family was gathered.

"Why are you home, Surya? Why didn't you get to school?" He scolded his little brother, who was playing with puzzles.

"Today is Sunday, bro," came the reply.

'Ohh! Today is Sunday. How could I forget such a little thing? ... Maybe I forget because it is a little thing, he ponders, chuckling to himself.

He looked at his sister, she was also playing something on her phone.

'It must be that new game everyone was so hyped about.'

"Ohh! You woke up this early," Rani said sarcastically. Then she proceeded to signal towards the kitchen and said, "Tea is there; you can heat it and then drink it."

"Why didn't you wake me up, when it had been made?" he protested.

"Why do you think I didn't attempt to wake you up?" Pausing to catch her breath, she continues, "And how can you sleep like a log? Do you have any idea how much effort I put into trying to rouse you?"

"Alright, alright. Geez, calm down. I understand. Can you at least please heat it for me while I go freshen up?" Dhruv pleaded.

Pointing to her phone with a smirk, she remarked, "It's an online game, my dear brother. Otherwise, I would have probably done it."

"Yeah, probably, my as.."

Before he could even finish his word, a composed voice reached his ears.

"Dhruv... manners," his mother interjected, her gaze fixed on him with stern eyes.

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"Sorry Mom," he apologized.

Feeling a bit helpless, and tired...

'Why am I so tired? It's like I've fought in a war.' Thinking about how his body was acting strangely, he made his way to the bathroom and began his morning routine. Five minutes later, he emerged from the restroom, feeling refreshed. Heading to the kitchen, he grabbed the teapot and started heating it up.

"Tea with biscuits would be a nice combination," he thought to himself. Looking at Surya, he said, "Surya, could you please go buy a packet of biscuits?"

Surya is slightly irritated but still agrees. "Like I have any other choice. Just make sure you give me my tip as well," he grumbles.

"Hahaha! You're spot on," he laughed, putting his hand in his pocket to search for any spare change. However, he felt a piece of paper that seemed unusually large for money inside his pocket.

"How could I forget about this?" he murmurs, recalling the content of the paper. He swiftly approaches his mother, who is seated on the sofa, engrossed in a book.

His mother looked at Dhruv, who stood in front of her, and said, "What...?"

He pulled the paper out of his pocket and started unfolding it. Holding the paper in front of his mom, he exclaimed, "Do you know what this is, Mom?". The mere mention of the paper brought a smile to Dhruv's face.

"What is it?" his mother inquired, her own smile forming as she gazed at her son's joyful expression.

"Guess... Guess?" he exclaimed.

His laughter and murmuring caught the attention of his younger siblings. Seeing their curiosity, he gestured for them to take a guess about the paper's content.

However, after five minutes passed without them figuring it out, he couldn't contain his excitement any longer. And, decided to share the news with them himself.

"This is a ticket for our seven-day holiday trip," he revealed, dropping the bomb.

Hearing the revelation, all of them gasped in unison.

"Really...?" Surya asked in disbelief.

"Realllly..." he replied, giving a thumbs up.

Upon receiving confirmation, Surya quickly jumped and hugged him.

"Take it easy, buddy. The ticket is for the day after tomorrow, so you better start packing," he said, wiping away a small tear that had welled up in his eyes, looking at them all filled with happiness.

He had been planning this trip for a long time, perhaps ever since he landed his job. And now, after two years of saving diligently, he had finally managed to gather enough money for the trip.

He sat there and began talking about the trip. They chatted and laughed, sharing stories and enjoying each other's company. The happiness in the air was palpable—a warm embrace that made him forget any worries or troubles I might have had.

They were all happy, then something changed suddenly; a blood-curdling scream pierced the air. Surya's joyful playfulness turned to terror, and he pointed toward the window, his eyes wide with fear.

"Master, master, there are monsters here! Wake up!" He cried out, his voice trembling with urgency.

'Huh! Monsters... what monster?'

At first, I brushed off his words, thinking they were part of our playful banter. But then an unsettling feeling began to creep over me. The scene around me wavered as if the very fabric of the reality I had been experiencing was fraying at the edges.

I turned to look at my family, only to see their faces twisted in fear. The sunlight seemed to lose its brightness, casting elongated shadows throughout the room. The comforting warmth that had surrounded us just moments before began to retreat, replaced by an unsettling coldness. I tried to speak, but my voice caught in my throat.

Surya's body started to undergo a grotesque transformation, contorting into a monstrous, dark, and indistinct shape. In an instant, he shifted and morphed, now taking on the form of a smoky, shadowy creature.

No matter how hard I struggled to speak, to shout for help... nothing happened. It was all in vain. Despite my efforts, not even a whisper escaped my lips.

The scene shifted rapidly, spiraling into chaos. The cozy living room dissolved, replaced by a nightmarish landscape. Shadows twisted and writhed, forming grotesque shapes that loomed over us. My family's terrified faces blurred as if they were being pulled away from me.

The ground beneath my feet vanished, replaced by a dark, ebony sea, and I found myself sinking into its depths.

Then, suddenly, something emerged from the darkness—something even blacker than the water surrounding it. It was the hand of that same shadowy monster. Instinctively, I grasped onto the monstrous hand, struggling to save myself from drowning. The instant my hand made contact, the world around me began to fracture, as if I were trapped within an illusion.

And then... then I awoke from my dream, or rather, my nightmare.