The sound of the alarm clock shattered the silence of the small, dimly lit bedroom. Chloe groaned, burying her face deeper into her pillow, trying to escape the inevitable start of another school day. The cool morning breeze seeped through the slightly open window, making her pull the blanket over her head.

  "Chloe, get up already! You’re going to be late!" her brother Brian’s voice echoed from the hallway.

  With a sigh, she threw the covers off and sat up, her messy white hair falling over her face. She rubbed her tired green eyes and stretched before reluctantly getting out of bed. The wooden floor creaked beneath her feet as she walked toward the bathroom, her mind still hazy from sleep.

  Her daily routine was simple—wake up, go to school, come home, help her grandmother with chores, and repeat. Nothing extraordinary ever happened. But lately… something felt different.

  It wasn’t anything obvious, just small, strange moments. Sometimes, she would feel as if she can hear whisper when no one was around. Other times, she’d feel some strange chi inside her. At first, she brushed it off as exhaustion or imagination playing tricks on her. But deep down, she knew something was changing.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  As she made her way downstairs, the comforting scent of freshly brewed tea filled the air. Her grandmother, a kind but sharp-eyed woman, was setting the table. Brian sat on the couch, lazily scrolling through his phone.

  "Morning, Grandma," Chloe said, forcing a small smile as she grabbed a piece of toast.

  Her grandmother studied her for a moment before speaking. "Did you sleep well?"

  Chloe hesitated. She wanted to say yes, but the truth was, her sleep had been restless. Lately, her dreams were vivid—too vivid. Places she had never seen or someone calling her she couldn't see that person's face and his voice was not either clear too.

  "Yeah," she lied, taking a bite of her toast.

  Her grandmother didn’t press further, but the way her knowing eyes lingered on Chloe made her wonder if she knew more than she let on.

  Brian stood up, grabbing his bag. "Come on, let’s go. If we miss the bus again, I’m blaming you."

  Chloe rolled her eyes but followed him out the door. The autumn wind was crisp, making her tighten her jacket around her. As they walked toward the bus stop, she couldn’t shake the feeling that today would be different—that something was about to change.

  And she had no idea how right she was.