His mother, Evelyn

He powered on his phone, the screen lighting up to reveal a call from his girlfriend, Chloe, her name glowing brightly.

With a quick tap, he selected her name and lifted the device to his ear, the sound of ringing filling the air.

Suddenly, a voice, tinged with irritation yet laced with drama, burst through, "You better have a solid excuse for being late again. Don't tell me it was another dream, okay?"

Silas squinted, running his fingers through his tousled, wavy black hair.

"I know, I don't have an excuse for being late. I'm really sorry, and yes, I had another bizarre dream," he admitted.

Her voice softened, though the frustration still simmered beneath, "Hmm, maybe you should consider talking to someone. There might be some unresolved issues lurking in there. Do you remember anything at all?"

He shook his head, then quickly remembered she couldn't see him, so he replied with a weary, "No."

"Hey, I'm really sorry for sleeping in again, but I need to get dressed. I'll see you in class. Love you, sweetheart."

Her tone shifted to one of warmth, "It's okay, just don't keep me waiting too long. You're not off the hook yet, but I love you too."

A smile crept onto his face as he ended the call. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, groaning at the ache that coursed through him.

At just twenty, he felt inexplicably old. Stepping into the brisk air, he made his way to the kitchen, where the mouthwatering aroma of bacon and eggs wafted through the air. There stood his mom, Evelyn, her long black hair cascading down her back, her pale skin contrasting with her worn T-shirt and sweatpants.

She turned at the sound of his footsteps, tossing a shiny object that glinted in the light. Silas instinctively ducked, his heart racing, only to realize it was a silver fork.

"Mom, are you out of your mind? What if you had hit me with that?" he exclaimed, his eyes wide, the fatigue momentarily forgotten.

The fork landed softly on the black carpet beside him, making a gentle clink.

She folded her arms, causing her shirt to crinkle even more. With a smile that barely masked the fury flickering in her dark eyes, she asked, "Why are you late to school again? This isn't the first time. Your girlfriend called me, and she mentioned your grades are slipping because you keep showing up late."

Silas swallowed hard, sensing the steam that seemed to rise from his mother's ears. Though she was small and delicate, her fierce demeanor could be intimidating when provoked.

Frustration simmered within him, directed at his overly inquisitive girlfriend for spilling the beans.

Lost in his thoughts, he suddenly yelped as pain shot through his ears, realizing too late that his mother had seized the opportunity to tug on them while he was distracted.

She fixed him with an expectant gaze. "Are you going to explain why you're late?"

He let out an exaggerated groan. "Alright, I'll tell you. Can you please let go of my ear?" Her grin widened mischievously as she stepped back, pulling a chair from the counter with a squeaky protest and crossing her arms once more.

With raised eyebrows and a tone that brooked no argument, she asked, "So, are you going to sit down?"

Silas approached the chair and settled into it, producing a soft creak under his weight. Taking a deep breath, he confessed, "I've been having these strange dreams that leave me scared when I wake up, but the odd part is, I can't remember them. I've been struggling to get enough sleep."

She lowered herself into her own chair, which squeaked in response, concern etched in her features. "Really? How often do you have these dreams?"

He shrugged, replying, "I'm not sure. Some days I have them, and other days, I'm fine." "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" He shrugged again, saying, "I know you're busy with work and everything, so I didn't want to add to your worries. I thought the dreams would just fade away."

She frowned and said, "You're my only son, and I'll always worry about you."

With a sigh, she ran her fingers through her hair and continued, "Alright, we'll discuss this more when we get home. We need to prepare you for school or college.

I don't want you to miss any classes and let your grades suffer."

Silas stood up from the chair and gently kissed his mother's cheek, earning a soft smile in return.

He then turned and headed back to his room to get dressed.