Realms Apart

(1) Dream or reality

I scrunched my brows together in confusion "who?" I asked.

"There's no time, leave now" it repeated in a haste. I was still standing there, lost and wondering what was going on.

"Go" it suddenly shouted and I flinched.

And I jerked out of my sleep.

I looked around and found myself on my bed in my room, holding onto my Teddy bear.

It was just a dream. A very weird one.

I sighed. I noticed it was already bright through my curtains, so I checked my phone and saw it was past 6am in the morning. I decided to get up and get ready for the day.

¤ ¤ ¤

I got to my bakery, finished setting up and then flipped over the closed sign to open.

I owned a bakery. It was the next big thing after not being able to secure a sustainable job for myself. I honestly never regretted opening the bakery, being self employed and being my own boss was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

I was still pretty much new to the market place, since I only started a few months ago, but with the help of Olivia and my other friend Greg, I had been doing great so far.

Olivia, unlike me, did have a job. She was working as a personal assistant in an editing company, which was just a few minutes from my bakery and it made it easier for her to visit me during her lunch breaks. On the other hand, Greg was a teacher and he spent most of his time at the bakery with me. He loved helping me out, but that wasnt the only thing. He secretly had a crush on me but has never had the courage to tell me.

I quite preffered it that way, because i really didnt see him that way. He was good looking and all but he was just like a brother to me, same way Olivia was like a sister to me.

After the days work, i retired home to my apartment where I lived alone. I already had dinner at the bakery, so I had a quick bath and went straight to bed, cuddling my comfy and fluffy best friend as I drifted off to sleep.

I started dreaming, yet again.

This time around, I found myself standing in front of a huge building that looked very well like a castle. Once again, in awe, I looked around me and admired the beautiful surroundings. I did a little 360 degree turn while staring at everything, before fixing my attention back at the castle.

For some reason, I felt drawn to it, so I let my curiousity get the better of me and I walked towards it. I stretched my hand in an attempt to push open the door but before I could touch it, the doors opened by themselves. Taken aback, I hesitated, looking back once more before making my way inside.

The moment I stepped foot into what looked to be the large living room, I gasped in shock as I noticed three people standing there. Two young men and a woman. Immediately their heads snap to my direction and they had the look of surprise plastered all over their faces.

I had no idea where I was or who they were or what was even happening, but somehow the feeling of dread slowly settled in.

"Who are you?" One of the young men asked me, his tone was nothing but friendly. His voice was stern and his look could have sent me six feet under. He was good-looking though, with broad shoulders, long black hair and a little stubble.

"Who are you?" I asked him the same question, ofcourse out of curiosity.

My question might had somehow offended him because he took a threatening step forward towards me. "Who are you and what do you want?" He asked again, his voice went even deeper.

"What do I want?" I was getting more confused by the second. Again, my question seemed to piss off the man because I could literally see him clenching his jaw, while still maintaining a calm demeanor. I should have just found that the best time to see myself out but I stood there like an idiot.

"Is she the same one?" He looked over his shoulder and asked the lady, who was standing quietly watching with the other young man.

"Yes, she's the same one I sensed yesterday" the lady replied. Still clueless as to what was going on, I just stared between the three of them.

The man turned to face me again, and before I could do or say anything, he suddenly stretched out his hand and I found myself colliding with the wall behind me whilst floating mid air. In just one second, a lot had happened and I couldn't grasp any of it. I felt a chill of horror run through my spine.

What the hell was happening?

"I'm going to ask you one last time, who are you and what do you want here?" He asked angrily with a loud voice, while his hand was still stretched out towards me. It felt like a wall was being pushed tightly against my body making me unable to move.

"I don't want anything, I just found myself here" I said truthfully, hoping he would let me go from whatever spell or magic he was using on me, but instead he got angrier.

"Liar!" I flinched at his harsh voice, "where is it?" He asked another absurd question I couldn't answer.

"I don't know what you're talking about" I instantly defended. Suddenly I started to feel my breath shorten, as I felt a tight hold on my throat, making me unable to breath. He was strangling me but his hand wasn't even on me.

"Where is it?" He asked again, ignoring my previous answer. I tried to repeat my answer to him but I couldn't utter a single word let alone breath. I was suffocating and I felt life draining out of my body.

What sort of nightmare was this?

"She's not lying" the second man finally spoke, surprisingly in my defense. "She's telling the truth" he said, and just like that, the man's hold was off of me and I dropped the the floor like a deadweight.

I immediately grasped for air, holding my neck in both relief and pain.

"What do you mean she's telling the truth?" The man turned around to face the other man in confrontation. I took that as my cue and bolted.

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, out of the building and onto the front yard where I found myself earlier. I looked around, confused as to what direction to go, but when I heard heavy footsteps behind me, I didn't bother to think twice. I ran in the first direction I set my eyes upon. I ran across a long bridge, looking back to inquire how close they were to me.

Whilst trying to do that, I missed my step and fell down to the rough ground.

"Shit" I groaned, standing up quickly and ignoring the sting of pain that hit me. I looked over at my elbow and noticed the scratch that was now bleeding. I didn't have time to mourn over my injury as a group of guards were almost catching up to me so I continued running.

I ran and ran until I got to a dead end and a chill of horror ran through my body. No no no no. I turned around with great fear as I watched them stop right in front of me.

Right at that moment, I shut my eyes and begged the heavens to save me.

"This has to be a dream..." I whispered to myself, "...wake up Anastasia"

Immediately I said it, I jerked right out of my sleep. I stared with wide eyes, taking in my surroundings and I realised I was on my bed in my room. I let out a long breath of relief, holding onto my heart that was racing.

"ThankGod, it was just a dream." I muttered to myself.

But just then, I felt a sting of pain in my arm so I lifted it up to my view and looked at it. I was utterly shocked to see a scratch on my elbow that was bleeding lightly.
Exactly like the one in my dream.

What the hell???

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤