Darkness. Utter darkness. There was nothing, a void stretching endlessly. Then, suddenly, a spark, like a jolt of electricity through his body, and pain—sharp, piercing. “Ugh…” The sound escaped his lips as his eyes snapped open.

Where am I? What’s happening?

Disoriented, Eli blinked rapidly, his vision still fuzzy as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. His heart raced as a rush of fragmented memories flooded his mind. Panic clawed its way to the surface, gripping him tightly. His forehead broke out in cold sweat, his hands trembled. He realized he was lying down. A fleeting hope came to him, a small, desperate thought.

Maybe it was just a dream.

He clung to the idea, trying to steady his breathing, but his attempts to calm down were shattered by the sound of a door creaking open on his right. Eli turned his head slowly, his pulse quickening.

A tall, beautiful woman with long legs and a figure that could command attention entered. She was wearing the familiar nurse's uniform—Miss Hela, the school nurse. Her hazel eyes met his, and her chestnut-brown hair was pulled back loosely. Most students talked about her like she was some kind of goddess. Between her sensual voice, her curves, and her calming presence, people usually left the infirmary feeling better just from her presence. But Eli? He felt none of that. In fact, he felt his panic intensify, because seeing her reminded him exactly where he was.

He was still in school.

And with that realization, the last thread of hope he had been clinging to snapped. There was no escape from the truth. It wasn’t just a dream. Despair began to settle in his chest, heavy and suffocating. His mind, overwhelmed with fear of the unknown, clouded his thoughts.

Noticing the look of distress on his face, Miss Hela frowned. "What's wrong? Whatever it is, calm down first," she said, her soothing voice cutting through the haze of Eli’s panic.

Her words were like an anchor. He nodded, trying to grasp at the calm she was offering him. I need to calm down. He took a deep breath, just as she instructed, inhaling slowly and deeply.

"Now, slowly let it out," she continued.

Eli followed her guidance, exhaling shakily. His thoughts, though still muddled, were starting to clear. He noticed then how drenched he was in sweat, his shirt clinging to his skin almost embarrassingly, near-transparent. He felt the cool wet towel that had been placed on his forehead.

“I’m… in the infirmary,” he muttered under his breath, piecing together the obvious. But how did I get here?

As if reading his thoughts, Miss Hela spoke again, her voice still gentle but with a tinge of concern. “You fainted in the hallway. Your friends brought you here. You were burning with a fever by the time you arrived. After checking you, I didn’t find anything wrong aside from the fever, so I let you rest. You’ve been asleep for nearly four hours.”

Four hours? Eli’s mind raced. That meant it was already past two in the afternoon. Lunchtime was about to begin soon. Everything seemed to be moving so fast, his thoughts barely able to keep up.

Miss Hela’s voice pulled him back into the present. “Can you tell me what happened?” she asked, her eyes soft but searching.

Eli hesitated. How could he possibly explain any of this without sounding completely insane? The weight of her gaze pressed down on him, her eyes filled with a quiet understanding. She wasn’t judging, but she didn’t know—couldn’t know.

“It’s okay,” she said, her tone encouraging. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”

It was like a dam broke inside of him. He started to explain, haltingly at first, about the dream, the strange girl, the missing Rose, and how no one else seemed to remember her. His words tumbled out in a rush, his voice rising in intensity as he relayed each piece of this surreal puzzle. The room felt stifling as the weight of his own words crushed down on him.

When he finished, there was a long, uncomfortable silence. Miss Hela’s hazel eyes, once calm and understanding, now looked at him with a mix of concern and pity. She was trying to process everything, but Eli could tell by the look on her face—she didn’t believe him. Not really.

“So… you’re saying everything in your dream is becoming real, and a girl named Rose has disappeared… but only you remember her?” she asked cautiously, her voice soft yet skeptical.

Eli bit his lip, his stomach sinking. “I know it sounds crazy, but it’s the truth,” he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

The pity in her gaze only deepened. “No, I believe you,” she said, but the way she said it made it clear—she didn’t.

He let out a heavy sigh, feeling the weight of her disbelief settle over him like a suffocating blanket. Of course, she doesn’t believe me. Why would she?

Miss Hela cleared her throat, her cheeks flushing slightly, as if embarrassed by her own thoughts. If this had been a normal day, he might have even found her cute, but not today. Today, he didn’t have the energy to care about anything beyond the crushing fear and confusion that consumed him.

“Well,” she said, trying to sound professional again, “your fever has gone down, and the rain outside seems to have stopped for now. You should go home and rest. Maybe talk to your family about… everything.”

It was clear from her tone that she was humoring him. To her, he was just another student having a breakdown. But Eli nodded, rising slowly from the bed, still feeling shaky. He looked out the infirmary window and saw that the sky had cleared somewhat, though dark clouds still loomed on the horizon.

It’s going to rain again, just like in my dream.

“Thank you, Miss Hela,” he said quietly, bowing his head slightly in gratitude, even though he knew she didn’t believe him. It didn’t matter. She had done her duty, and now he had to figure out the rest on his own.

“Take care,” she said softly as he made his way to the door.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Eli opened it, stepping into the dimly lit hallway. His footsteps echoed slightly against the tiled floor, and the fluorescent lights above flickered, casting eerie shadows on the pale, cream-colored walls. The school felt unnaturally quiet, the air heavy with the scent of rain-soaked earth drifting in through the cracked windows.

As he walked, Eli felt something strange. A gaze, watching him. His body tensed, but he didn’t stop. Slowly, he turned his head just enough to see Miss Hela standing by the door, watching him intently. Her face held a strange expression—concern, curiosity, and something else. Was she… worried? Not for his health, but for his sanity?

Of course, she is. She probably thinks I’m losing it.

Sighing heavily, Eli turned his attention forward again, his feet carrying him toward the bathroom. He could feel his thoughts spiraling as he tried to process everything.

Why me? Why am I the only one who remembers? Why wasn’t it Leo? Or Alex?

These questions gnawed at him, tearing at the edges of his already fragile mind. Leo was the popular one, the leader. If something strange like this were to happen, surely it should have been Leo who noticed, or even Alex with his intense, sharp nature. Eli felt like the odd one out, the invisible one. It didn’t make sense.

The hallway leading to the bathroom was narrow, the pale tiles worn down from years of students rushing to and from class. The walls were a dull off-white, and the lighting cast a cold, clinical glow. As Eli reached the door, his breath hitched in his throat. He felt like something was wrong, like the air itself was holding its breath.

Inside the bathroom, it was quiet, almost unnervingly so. The soft hum of the fluorescent lights above buzzed in the silence. Eli walked over to the sink, gripping the cold porcelain basin as he stared at his reflection. The dim lighting cast harsh shadows on his face, his dark hair sticking to his forehead from the sweat.

Why me? Why not Leo? Or Alex?

As the thoughts circled in his head, Eli’s reflection in the mirror suddenly changed.

Eli’s reflection in the mirror suddenly shifted. His heart lurched as he noticed something behind him, just barely visible in the dim light. His breath caught in his throat. There, standing a few feet away, was the girl—the same girl from his dream. Her figure was faint, almost ethereal, as if she weren’t fully there. Her long dark hair fell around her face, her expression still as sad and apologetic as it had been before.

Eli froze, his blood running cold. The world around him seemed to narrow, his vision blurring as the edges of the room darkened. It was like the rest of the world had fallen away, leaving just him and the girl.

His mind screamed at him to turn around, to confront her, but his body refused to move. He stared into the mirror, his hands gripping the sink so tightly his knuckles turned white. She was still there, her sorrowful eyes fixed on him, her lips parting slightly as if she wanted to speak but couldn’t quite find the words.

You’re more important than you think.

Her voice echoed in his mind, soft and distant, as though it came from some faraway place. Eli’s heart pounded in his chest, every muscle in his body tense with dread. He gathered what little courage he had left and forced himself to turn around, his movements stiff and mechanical.

“W-What do you mean?” he stammered, his voice barely audible as he faced her. “What’s happening? Explain, please!”

But the girl didn’t answer. She simply looked at him with that same haunting expression, her eyes filled with an unbearable sadness. Then, without a sound, she faded away—just as suddenly as she had appeared.

Eli sucked in a shaky breath, his chest tight. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it might burst. He stumbled back a step, his mind spinning with confusion and fear. What had he just seen? Was she a ghost? A hallucination? Or something else entirely?

His thoughts spiraled as the oppressive silence of the bathroom pressed down on him. The cold tiles beneath his feet, the dull fluorescent lights overhead—everything felt off, like he was trapped in some kind of distorted reality.

Why me? Why wasn’t it Leo or Alex?

Eli stared blankly at the mirror, but his own reflection seemed foreign to him now. His face was pale, his green eyes wide and filled with the kind of fear that made his skin crawl. He could feel the questions gnawing at his sanity, breaking down whatever resolve he had left.

If Leo were here, he would know what to do. He always knew what to do.

The thought hit Eli like a punch to the gut. Leo was the one people looked up to, the one who seemed to have it all together. If anyone were going to notice something wrong or solve this mystery, it should have been him. But it wasn’t. It was Eli. The boy who always stood in Leo’s shadow, the one who was always on the outside looking in.

Why not Leo? Why me?

The weight of it all—the strangeness of the situation, the fear, the uncertainty—it was suffocating. He felt like he was drowning in a sea of questions with no answers, and every time he tried to come up for air, something pulled him back under.

He felt a deep, aching resentment building up inside him. It wasn’t fair. Leo was the strong one, the one who thrived in the spotlight. Alex was the intense one, the fighter who never backed down. And Eli? Eli was… just Eli. Quiet. Overlooked. Why was he the one dealing with this nightmare?

As these thoughts swirled around in his head, he barely noticed how the bathroom seemed to grow colder, the walls a dull grey under the artificial lights. The air felt thick, like something was watching him even though he was alone. The soft drip of a leaky faucet echoed in the small, tiled space, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

I shouldn’t be the one. This should have been Leo’s problem, or Alex’s.

He couldn’t stop the bitter thoughts, even as part of him knew they were unfair. Still, the frustration gnawed at him. Why was he, of all people, the one forced to confront this nightmare?

He forced himself to move, stepping away from the sink and the eerie reflection that seemed to mock him. He needed to get out of here. Now.

Without another word, Eli bolted from the bathroom, his footsteps echoing down the hallway. The walls felt closer, the shadows darker as he ran. He couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, that same presence lingering just out of sight.

As he rounded the corner, his breath ragged from fear, he nearly collided with a teacher. It was Mr. Hart, his homeroom teacher, with his usual stern expression. The older man raised an eyebrow at Eli, clearly concerned by the state he was in.

“I heard what happened from Miss Hela. You should go home today, Eli. And stop running in the hallway,” Mr. Hart said, his voice firm but not unkind. “But before you go, your friends are looking for you. You should let them know you’re okay.”

Eli blinked, still reeling from everything. He nodded mutely, too exhausted to protest.

“Y-Yes, sir. I’ll visit them first,” he managed to say, his voice shaky.

Mr. Hart placed a hand on his shoulder, his grip firm but reassuring. “No matter what happens, always remember your friends are there for you.”

The words hit Eli harder than he expected. For a brief moment, the storm in his mind quieted. Right. I’m not alone. I still have them.

As Mr. Hart walked away, Eli stood there for a moment, clutching his phone. He pulled it out, realizing he hadn’t yet called his mom. He needed to tell her he was coming home.

With trembling hands, he dialed her number, pressing the phone to his ear. The line rang once, then twice. Then nothing. No answer.

Eli frowned. That’s strange. She usually picks up right away.

He tried again, the ringing filling the silence. Still nothing. His stomach twisted uncomfortably. Maybe she’s busy?

Trying to shake off the growing anxiety, Eli called his dad next. But the result was the same. No answer.

Something’s wrong. Something’s definitely wrong.

The fear that had been gnawing at him all day started to claw its way back, more intense than before. He was about to try again when the door to his classroom opened. Miss Lena, the English teacher, walked out, her sharp brown eyes softening slightly when she saw him.

“I heard what happened. You should go home and rest,” she said, her tone unusually gentle.

Eli nodded, muttering a quick “Thank you.”

Just as she turned to leave, she stopped halfway down the hall and, without turning around, added, “Happy birthday.”

The words hung in the air for a moment, heavy and out of place, like a reminder of the normal day that had somehow turned into a nightmare.

Eli swallowed hard, barely registering her departure before he heard a familiar voice call out to him. It was Leo, followed closely by Alex and Mia. Leo’s face was full of concern, his usual confident demeanor replaced by something much softer.

“Eli, are you alright? Why did you suddenly faint?” Leo asked, his eyes scanning Eli’s face, searching for answers.

Eli felt a pang of guilt. He had been so wrapped up in his fear and frustration that he had briefly resented Leo for not being the one caught up in this nightmare. But seeing his friend’s genuine concern now… it made him feel ashamed.

“I’m fine now,” Eli said quietly, trying to sound convincing. “But it’s… a long story. I’ll explain everything tomorrow. I need to get home.”

Leo hesitated, clearly wanting to push for more answers but holding back when he saw the urgency in Eli’s eyes.

“Alright,” Leo said, his voice soft. “Take this.” He handed Eli a journal, and for a moment, Eli felt a surge of warmth in his chest. His friend was worried about him. Despite everything, they still cared.

As Eli was about to leave, he suddenly remembered something he hesitated but still asked“ have you guys heard of someone named Mr Hans”

Leo answered with growing concerned look ”no”

Eli said disappointed but not surprised.

Alex ran over with an umbrella, pressing it into Eli’s hands. “Take it. It might rain again,” he said gruffly, though his tone was filled with the same concern.

Eli blinked in surprise, touched by the gesture. “Don’t you need it?” he asked.

Alex shook his head. “I’ve got another one. Just take it.”

“Thanks,” Eli muttered, clutching the umbrella tightly.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow,” Eli said, his voice steadier now.

Leo and Alex nodded, while Mia smiled gently.

As Eli turned to leave, he felt the weight of everything pressing down on him again. He still had no answers, but at least for now, he had his friends.

He walked quickly toward the school gate, his thoughts racing. But just as his hand touched the gate, his head started to spin again. The world blurred, the ground tilting beneath his feet. And then—darkness.

“Eli, hey, Eli! Wake up, it’s about to start!”

Leo’s voice pulled him from the darkness, and Eli’s eyes snapped open. He was back in the classroom.

The same classroom from before. His heart pounded as he looked around in confusion, his mind reeling.

“What’s going on?” he whispered, the weight of the loop crashing down on him once again.