"What happened Eve? Why are you so stressed today?" I hear a familiar voice and open my eyes.

Looking in front, I find myself in front of Lucas' grave. A beautiful white hue is surrounding his grave. A cool breeze is touching every inch of my face as I gaze at the bright light. I look around, but the rays of light is not letting me see anything other than Lucas' grave.

Not understanding the sudden and absurd changes, I thought of standing up but, I can't. It's as if my legs are rooted on the ground though I can still see my naked feet on the grassy ground.

"You know what you have to do Eve." Surprised, I look around.

It's the same voice. The voice which can make me feel warm and calm at any stressful moment. The voice whose owner knows me too well.

Lucas is speaking with me but where is he? Why can't I see him? And where the heck I am? This cemetery... this is not at all looking real. And... and this light? Where is this light coming from? What... what is happening? Why is the light diminishing suddenly? What's going on here?

The bright white hue starts to suck all the rays at the centre creating a huge shimmering white floating ball. Everything around is a foggy mess. A layer has been formed which is dividing me and Lucas' grave from the rest of the cemetery. The white ball is still floating.

"Lu... Lucas? Is this you?" A load of question is swimming in my brain.

What if I'm hallucinating all these? What if someone is playing tricks with me? What if... what if it's really Lucas? What if...

"Go back Eve. Live your life. Forget me not but hold onto me not as well. Live Eve. Or else I'll not be at peace. Live your life, for me." I can't see a single soul, but I can hear his soft, soothing voice.

Is the voice coming out of that floating white ball?

"You asked me to guide you. I did it. Now go back my love. Go back." The ball starts fading away into the air.

I throw my hands towards the ball to hold it. But it's passing through my fingers.

"No. No. Lucas!" I push myself with all my strength to get up but still, I can't.

The fading shimmers of light is dispersing into the air. One floats onto the grassy ground and settles on the grass like a glassy dew. I forward my hand to touch it, but to my astonishment, the dew drop slowly takes the shape of a little white feather.

Surprised with all these unreal happenings, I pick the feather up and gaze at it intently. A gush of wind passes through me and the feather starts dispersing into the air.

"No. Wait. Don't go. Lucas!" And then there is none. All I'm left with is an empty hand.

I look around once again and the fog is still there but Lucas' grave is missing. Panicking, I stand up. After a few seconds, I realize that I can freely move my legs now. And then, a very familiar tingling tune hits my ears. It's as if the tune is coming from a very far away land but still I can recognise the sound.

It's the wind chime! The wind chime that's hanging in my balcony.

Flap! Flap! Flap!

A very loud flapping sound is hitting my ears. I turn my head around to find the source but can't find any. The flapping is cutting the air sharply and the tune of the wind chime is getting louder and louder.

Frustrated and stressed, I shut my ears with my palms, squeeze my eyes close and scream out, "Stop!"

Everything calms down. I can't hear a single sound. I open my eyes but the view in front of me leaves me speechless.

Leaning against the wall, I'm in my balcony. The sky is beautifully adorned with blue twinkling stars. The moon is not in my vicinity anymore. A fading light in the far horizon is contrasting the whole pitch-black sky.

Flap! Flap! Flap!

Same flapping sound echoes in the sky. But this time, I can see a bird passing across the balcony. A light wind flows making the wind chime dance. But I can't decipher what's going on. Am I dreaming? Or the whole incident at the cemetery was a dream? Or is this a dream and that was real?

Not understanding anything I decide to do something childish.

"Ouch!" Pinching myself is the option I was left with.

I rub my palm on my arm where I've pinched myself as I realise that this is not a dream but the cemetery one is. But still, a doubt is peeping out. Maybe the cemetery incident really happened. Maybe that light and vanishing feather was in reality.

Standing up, I start going towards my room to lie on the bed to clear my mind. As I am about to enter the room, I feel something soft under my left foot. I remove my foot only to find a beautiful, pure white small feather lying peacefully on the ground.

I shudder as I get a déjà vu feeling. I get pulled back to that part where I saw a part of light turning into a feather and then dispersing into the air as soon as I picked it up.

Getting cautious, I pick the feather with a lurking thought that this feather is also going to disperse proving that this is also a dream. But it doesn't and this finally pins the nail on my doubt that this is reality and that was dream.

Hustling inside the room, I sit on the bed while staring at the feather.

"What is the meaning of all of these? Is this only a coincidence? And what is the meaning of that weird dream? Does it really has any meaning or was it just a figment of my imagination? Or the worst, am I going crazy because of staying at home all the time? Shall I take Pa's offer and join his business?"

You know what you have to do Eve.

Those words echo around my ears out of nowhere like an answer to my questions. Does it mean...

I never get to finish my thought as I hear Mom's loud scream from downstairs.

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