MOONLIGHT: NEW VERSION

PROLOGUE

21st May 2014

Dear Diary,

Once again, I awoke from the same two peculiar dreams that had recurred since my eighteenth birthday. Could it be a premonition signalling the approach of an event in the future? The specifics elude me, and the outcome remains unclear. However, one thing is sure: I need to prepare for their eventual arrival.

In my first dream, I find myself standing on a grassy bank, gazing upwards at a gap between the dark grey clouds. The bright, luminous full moon shines in the sky, casting its silvery glow over the tranquil river's flowing waters. The moon's reflection creates a mirror-like image on the river's obsidian surface, which meanders down and around bends, leading towards distant mountains.

Atop a hill, shrouded in darkness, stands a solitary house that overlooks the river's course. Its prominent position affords sweeping views of the surrounding landscape. The house is an enigma, abandoned and yearning for someone to care for it and call it home. No signs of life betray its occupancy, yet it remains an alluring and mysterious presence.

The view from the house during twilight is breathtaking, with the last glimmers of sunlight casting a warm golden glow over the surrounding trees. I imagine the diverse flora would reveal a magnificent tapestry of colours, each leaf and flower a vibrant work of art during the day. Exploring the adjacent woods would be an exhilarating adventure, and I ponder the variety of wildlife that might inhabit this area. A symphony of bird songs and rustling leaves would be my constant companions.

I can envision myself living there, basking in solitude and freedom, unbound by others' dictates. This house would be my sanctuary, a place of peace and reflection, where I can recharge my spirit and connect with nature. It remains a figment of my nocturnal musings, recurring each year on my birthday. If only it were tangible, if such a place truly existed, one can hope!

However, I am left to ponder the significance of this dream, the mysterious location of this unique house, and the identity of the river that flows past its solitary presence, flanked by an assembly of trees.

This recurring vision carries an ominous air, suggesting it could manifest into reality. It is at once terrifying and enigmatic, leaving much to the imagination. It must hold a more profound meaning since it visits me exclusively on birthdays.

My second dream is of something else: two unknown small children. A small boy looked around ten years old with chocolate brown eyes and deep brown coloured hair, and the girl was either similar or younger with vibrant blue eyes and black hair. Both children were playing with each other.

I yearn for clarity regarding these two peculiar dreams, hoping time will unveil their deep, mysterious secrets.

Farewell for now, and thank you for being the vessel of my thoughts, which would otherwise remain unspoken.

With much love, Rosa.

Rosa puts her bag and keys on the hall table after coming through the front door of the two-bedroom cottage she rents and calls home. She heads up to her bedroom, takes off her shoes, and changes into more comfortable clothes after finishing work at the local community hospital, where she has worked as the receptionist to the head manager since she was sixteen as a trainee. She slowly returns to the kitchen and puts the kettle on for a hot cup of coffee. Rosa doesn't drink alcohol or smoke as the fumes of tobacco and alcohol make her ill. After making the coffee, she sits on the sofa in the lounge room and relaxes after a busy workday. Done with drinking her coffee, she then takes a shower to help her relax and soothe the sore muscles in her body before having to think about what to have for dinner before going to bed and choosing a quick and easy meal of mac and cheese with steamed vegetables and a glass of water. She quickly washed and cleaned up after her when she was done eating her dinner.

Rosa returned to the sofa and picked up the book she was reading. It's the latest book in a series that she got into after reading the first book of the series and liking it. It is called the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas. After she had read for a while, it was time to retire for the night so she could get a well-deserved rest and, hopefully, a good night's sleep to prepare for another busy day at work tomorrow. The following day came with the bright sunlight coming through the windows and reflecting off the blinds in her bedroom, waking up slowly from sleeping. Rosa was frowning. Her strange and weird dreams at night also troubled her, making her restless and not getting enough sleep. She gets up and gets ready for work. Rosa showered and dressed for work. When dressed, she chose a breakfast of cereal with fresh fruit, toast with jam, and a hot cup of coffee to help her get through break time and take her tablet with her coffee. She then left and waited for the bus at the bus stop to take her to work. Getting to work by bus was easier for Rosa because she lives not far from where she works, saying "Good Morning" to her colleagues. Rosa starts her day as usual. Before long, it was lunchtime, so she went to the local cafe and had lunch. After finishing her meal, she returned to finish the work that her boss, Gianna Gallo, had placed on her desk before she had even gotten to work. After a while, she looks up at the clock in her office and sees the time. It's five-thirty in the evening. She should have left at five. Seeing how late it was, she quickly packed up, closed and locked her office door, and started the journey back home, waiting at the bus stop. She didn't have long to wait for the next bus to come. 

She finally got home; she ate, got ready for bed, and got her clothes ready for work the next day. This routine was the same except for her meals over the next few days, as did the dreams. She kept having the same dream repeatedly every night. Rosa came to work the following day. It was finally on Friday. She arrives at work feeling frustrated and exhausted. Not even her hot cup of coffee could help her. Rosa was so irritated that she couldn't get any sleep, and it was affecting her work. Even her colleagues had noticed her appearance. Her boss, Gianna Gallo, finally caught up to her before she left for lunch. Gianna asks Rosa, "Hey, are you alright? We are all worried about you?" Rosa replies to her, "No, I'm not alright. " Her boss asks, "Why, what's going on?" Rosa answers, "I'm not sure, but every night this week, l have had the same dream repeatedly. It's weird and strange and doesn't make any sense to me. I'm left exhausted the next day," Gianna inquires about the dream. "What's the dream about?" Rosa replies, "I'm not sure. I dream of a house in a forest, mountains plus a river, and it was at night because the full moon was out," Gianna says to her. "That's a strange dream for anybody!" she exclaimed. Rosa says, "Yeah, that's for sure, but every night. I can't get any sleep because of it!" While Rosa is saying this, Gianna is thinking to herself and then says to Rosa, "Maybe it's time for you to take a break. What do you think?" Rosa looks at her boss and replies, "Yeah, maybe I should," she said. "Will it be okay?" Gianna answers Rosa, "Yes, we will be just fine. Take as much time as you need to. You have not taken any time off since you started more than seven years ago when you were just sixteen. We can manage."

Rosa thanks her boss. "Don't worry about it. Finish up today since it's Friday, and then you can take your break and have a good time away." Rosa replies, "Alright, l will." Gianna and Rosa end their discussion. Rosa heads off to lunch while her boss goes back to her office. Finished with her meal, she returned to work to finish the paperwork. Later, it was time to say goodbye to her colleagues and boss. While she was packing up her things, she realised that she was going to miss everyone. Sighing to herself, she closed and locked her office door and headed home. 

Forty-five minutes later, she finally gets home and finds something to eat for dinner. Not feeling like cooking, she decides to get takeaway for a change. Making her choice, she puts the order in for some Chinese. While waiting for her food, she thinks about where to go for her time off. Hearing the doorbell go, she quickly opens the door and thanks the driver for delivering her food. Rosa sat down at the table, started eating, and took small sips of her water. She comes to a decision but decides to wait until tomorrow morning while she slowly eats but enjoys every bite of her meal. When she had finished eating, she washed and cleaned up after herself. Rosa then heads up to her bedroom to shower and change for bed, hoping that she will get some sleep. Maybe having a hot cup of chocolate would work. She was drinking her hot chocolate while reading her book. Noticing that she is drifting off to sleep, she puts the book away after marking the page she's up to and starts getting under the covers. She drifts to sleep, hoping that tomorrow will be better for her.