This familiar sight, the tall trees that loomed before me, their trunks twisting toward the sky, leaves shimmering in the wind. The breeze is gentle and caressing, cool and comforting. Yet, what was this gnawing feeling in my heart, this dark feeling.

I looked toward my surroundings; it was all the same. The fields of grass, the green expanse. The sun still lung how on the horizon. Everything felt the same. But this unsettling feeling lingered, as if something was shifting just out of sight, and I couldn't quite grasp what it was.

I steadied my breathing and closed my eyes. Reeling in the surroundings, the rustling of leaves, the gentle breeze, the distant chirping of birds and the scent of the earth. Yet, why is my heart pounding loudly in my chest, as if my body is warning me of something.

I focused more on the surroundings, and then I heard it. The distant creaking of trees, a low groan emanating from deep within the forest. The sound grew louder with each passing moment, reverberating through the stillness around me.

Now I get it. This unsettling feeling in my heart was fear. I opened my eyes and looked toward the forest, toward the source of the sound. As it grew nearer, I took a few steps back, my heart beating loudly, sweat framing my face.

Why does this feeling, this fear feel familiar? Why did I react in this way? Why am I stepping away from the forest? Wasn't she supposed to be there, deep within the forest, in that clearing, in that meadow, waiting for me?

The trees shook violently, the leaves rustled restlessly. 'What's happening?' I thought as I continued to back away from the forest, my gaze still locked on the row of rustling trees, waiting. I didn't know what I was waiting for. My heart was racing a hundred miles per hour now and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

'Why is this familiar?'

Then, the noises stopped. The trees had stopped shaking, the leaves had returned to their normal rhythm. Yet, this fear within me lingered. My heart still pounded in my chest, my breathing was shallow, my body was shaking.

"Who's there!?"

I didn't know why I shouted, or what gave me the courage to speak. But this gnawing feeling of anticipation, this fear felt familiar. It felt like I've been in a situation like this before, yet no matter how much I tried to remember nothing came up.

"Mark!" Her voice rang out from behind me, like a storm, calling my name.

I glanced back, and saw her in the distance, running across the field of green, running toward me. Her dark, shoulder length hair bouncing in the wind, and her white gown rippled roughly as she ran toward me.

But the look on her face reminded me of something. Something at the edge of my memory, something I couldn't remember. That look of sadness on her face ruined the image of beauty and elegance she once portrayed. Yet, why does it look familiar. 'Why does this feel familiar?'

I took a step toward her, but suddenly the world around me spun. I felt something hit the back of my head. Everything was a blur, my ears were ringing, a rushing nausea enveloped my senses. Then suddenly the grass rushed toward my vision.

'Am I falling?'

⁂

I opened my eyes; the darkness of my apartment welcomed me. My heart pounded within my chest; cold sweat washing over me. 'What was that?' I thought as I stared at the ceiling, the stillness of night pressing down on me.

"What the hell is happening to me?"

I sat up, running a hand through my hair, that dream still weighing on my mind. The boy, the girl, the dark forest, and her running towards me, all of them felt connected somehow, yet I couldn't explain.

Stumbling out of bed, I walked to the bathroom, and splashed water on my face, in hopes it would help clear my thoughts. My reflection stared back at me, a shadow of man I once was. Dark circles had formed under my eyes, my skin was pale, too much time living in my head.

'I'm losing myself.'

This dream. No, these visions I was having, were taking over. I could feel it. The pull was becoming harder to resist. I didn't know why, but this unsettling feeling that everything was tied together: that woman, the boy, the girl, even Emi.

Everything felt like a puzzle with missing pieces, each fragment was like pictures or memories that was out of reach.

'I need answers.'

I sighed and lit yet another cigarette. I wandered into the kitchen, that familiar habit, coffee and smoke greeting me with glee. I watched as the smoke curled lazily into the air, I found myself staring at that same spot where the daisy had appeared before.

Taking another drag, I leaned back into the chair. The visions, whispers, Emi's visit. It was all too much, too coincidental.

Why was Emi here? She showed up out of nowhere, what did she want from me? She hadn't given me any answers, just vague explanations about wanting to "get away". Does her return have anything to do with the visions?

But did she really have a connection with these dreams I kept having, or was it just pure coincidence? Did she arrived at the right time where the visions and the dreams were intensifying, or did was she the catalyst that triggered something in this fucked up head of mine?

So many questions yet no answers. By now, I've already burned through about twelve cigarettes, the butts piling up on the ash tray, much like the questions in my head.

With a flick of my thumb, I slid another cigarette from the pack and rested it between my lips. I grabbed my lighter, and with a snap, a small flame breathed into existence. I inhaled deeply, the bitter taste lingering on my tongue, and then exhaled another string of smoke through my nostrils.

My mind was racing with so many questions yet not one answer was in sight. Instead, the world around me began to fade again, blurring, like I was slipping back into that place again. The dull colors around me began to change, my surroundings were slowly fading.

Confused, I took a good look at my cigarette. 'Is this weed?' I wondered, since this sensation was similar to when I smoked weed back in my college days.

A gentle pull tugged at my being as I sat there with my cigarette between my lips. 'I'm fucking losing it. Jesus Christ.' It felt like this place, this dream world was gently pulling me to the other side. It was both weird and surreal at the same time. Yet, deep down in my core I felt a surge of curiosity and anticipation.

Closing my eyes, I exhaled another plume of smoke. But the moment I did, I felt the world changing, the ground beneath me shifting, the air around me felt warmer than usual. When I opened them again, I wasn't in my apartment anymore.

'Here we go again.'

The meadow stretched out before me, the green expanse. The dark forest loomed in the distance, their branches swaying. This unsettling feeling, that same fear, the anticipation of something bad is about to happen, resurfaced once more.

The croaking of wood filled the air, a low ominous sound that sent shivers down my spine. Their chorus wrapped around me like the unsettling feeling of a cold winter night. My heart thumped loudly in my chest again as I remained there waiting for something unknown.

I instinctively turned back, looking for her, the woman in white. Half-expecting her to appear, running towards me again. But the meadow was empty, she's not here, nor were the daisies that littered the field. Just the trees, whispering, waiting.

I turned toward the forest again. The creaking, the rustling was getting louder and louder with each passing second. 'You're not getting me this time.' I stood there, waiting, frozen still. My feet firmly planted on the ground; my gaze lingered on the formation of trees before me.

"MARK!" Her voice rang out, loud and sharp.

I spun around, searching for her, my heart pounding. But then, I was back. I blinked, finding myself sitting at the kitchen table, my cigarette burning in the ashtray. My coffee had gone cold, I rubbed my temples, trying to shake away this feeling, yet it clung to me like a parasite, feeding on every shred of clarity I tried to muster.

I couldn't shake this feeling that I was getting closer to something. Something important. But the closer I got, the thicker the shadows, the colder the winds. As if something was preventing me from understanding, something was preventing me from getting close to her.

Then a sudden knock on the door shattered my thoughts.

"Mark...are you there?" Her voice.