The Empire of Night and Nightmares

- t h e h a p p y e n d i n g -

Her mother walked back in and saw her standing by the window. She saw her daughter violently blinking her eyes and rushed over.

"Don't stare directly at the sun! You will hurt your eyes." She reprimanded her and put the glass of water in her hands.

Mireya took a sip and felt immediate relief. She didn't know how dehydrated she was. She finished the water and handed the cup back to her mother, who simply set it down on her nightstand.

"What happened?" Mireya cleared her throat and asked her mom.

Her mom took her hands and walked towards her bed so they could sit down.

"You were under the curse. I woke up one morning and found you lying in bed. You wouldn't wake up no matter what I did." She squeezed Mireya's hand for comfort.

"I stayed by your side and slept on the floor beside your bed in case you woke up. Thankfully, you were only gone for four days..." Her mother continued to explain what happened but Mireya's thoughts went elsewhere.

I was under a curse? A curse...

She tried to remember what she had dreamed about but nothing came to mind. All she recalled were a dark pair of brown eyes.

"...sun has returned, and it seems the demons have all disappeared." Her mom finished.

"The sun?" Mireya asked. Even saying the word felt foreign to her lips.

"Yes! It rose this morning and from the chatter in the village, not a single demon has been spotted yet. That does not mean you should go running into the forest, Mireya." Her mother gave her a stern look but Mireya was too lost in her thoughts to notice.

Demons... curse...?

An image of multiple dark creatures, huddled and vicious, flashed in her mind. The image left her clutching her chest in pain.

"Honey, are you sure you're okay?" Her mother asked.

"I- I think so?"

Her mother didn't look convinced.

"I'll make you something to eat. I have to get back to the flower shop, but call out if you need me, okay?" She caressed her daughter's face one last time before standing up and leaving her bedroom.

Mireya was left alone with her thoughts once again. She sat with her knees to her chest and her back against the headboard of her bed. She knew she was forgetting something... something very important.

She turned her head towards her window. The light from the sun felt so unnatural to her. It had been so dark for so long...

Why was it so dark? Why did the sun come back?

Her mother said something about the forest. Was there something there? Why wasn't she allowed to go?

She held a hand to her chest.

And why does this hurt so much?

She closed her eyes and tried to recall what she had been dreaming about.

There were... demons? Yes. The demons were trying to get in. Where was I?

The shattered windows of an old castle filled her mind. Yes, she remembered there was a castle. It was surrounded by demons... but why was she there? How did she get there? Was she alone?

Her mother spoke of a curse. Was there a way to break it? Was it already broken? Is that why I woke up?

Mireya's thoughts wandered off to a tattered piece of paper. Was it one she had in her room, or was it also in her dream?