The Final Calling

Klaus jolted awake, his heart racing.

The echoes of his heavy breaths reverberated in the silence that enveloped the room. It was as if he had emerged from a vivid dream, yet the details slipped through his grasp.

The night outside was serene, its tranquility contrasting with the turmoil within Klaus. Gazing at his right palm, he struggled to steady his breathing. With an uncertain feel, he rose from his bed.

As he stood, a surge of anxiety coursed through him, as though he were an observer in his own body. Unable to control his movements, he suddenly stepped outside, each footfall increasing his unease. It felt as though an external force was directing his actions.

Klaus walked forward, propelled by an invisible force he could not control. The fear within him grew, and he struggled to comprehend what was happening. All he knew was that he had to stop this involuntary movement.

Finally, he arrived at an unfamiliar spot: an alleyway located a significant distance from his home. His steps halted as he faced a wall adorned with a strange poster of a right palm, accompanied by the phrase "Believe The Unbelievable," underneath.

Klaus stared at the poster, his confusion mounting as he grappled with the strange feeling of his experience. And then... he awoke.

The same labored breaths echoed, but this time, Klaus had control over his body. The experience felt dreamlike, yet carried a weight of authenticity that defied simple explanation. He had been fully aware, experiencing it not as a fleeting dream, but as something tangible before being jolted awake. Still, he was certain he had never set foot in that alley before, which made the entire ordeal even more perplexing.

Sitting on his bed, lost in thought, Klaus considered reaching out to Rose. Though it was quite late, he hesitated, unsure if it was necessary to call. Considering the connection between their abilities, he wondered if her insight was necessary. But just as he was about to dial her number, his screen lit up with an incoming call.

It was Rose.

Klaus accepted the call, noticing the coincidence, but wondering what could have prompted her to contact him at this hour. But upon picking up, Rose's voice rushed through the line, laden with urgency and keeping Klaus in a state of shock.

"Klaus... please... I need you," Rose muttered between breaths. "Come quickly?"

Upon hearing the genuine tone in Rose's plea, Klaus had already reached her front door in a fraction of a second. He knocked quickly, the urgency clear in his movements.

As Klaus's knocks grew more insistent and he neared the point of considering a more forceful action, the door's lock clicked, and it swung open. A woman stood before him, regarding him with a mix of curiosity and bemusement, seemingly unfazed by the urgency in his demeanor.

"Can I help you, sweetie?" she greeted him warmly.

Klaus, still somewhat caught off guard, managed to compose himself. "I'm sorry, ma'am," he began. "I was wondering if Rose is home."

The woman smiled kindly, putting him at ease. "No need for formalities, sweetie," she replied. "Just Brianna is fine. And yes, she's upstairs asleep."

Brianna's gaze shifted, her tone friendly as a smile grew onto her face. "You seem to be new," she muttered. "I haven't seen you here before."

Klaus hesitantly nodded, his initial anxiety subsiding. "Uhh... sorry, I'm Klaus Walker," he replied. "Rose called me urgently, so I rushed over."

Emerging from behind, Rose approached them with a relieved smile. "Oh hey, Klaus," she greeted, her expression conveying her gratitude for his presence. "Glad you got my text."

Immediately, Rose ushered Klaus into the house with a welcoming gesture.

"Ah, you must be the infamous Klaus I've heard so much about," Rose's mother spoke up, her tone friendly and teasing.

A mix of surprise and embarrassment swept across Rose's face. "Mom!" she exclaimed, prompting a light laugh and a playful apology from Brianna.

Caught amid this exchange, Klaus found himself a bit uncertain about the situation. He was unsure whether to feel puzzled or irritated by the way Rose had called him with urgency. However, noting that Rose mentioned a text instead of their actual call, he assumed there might be a reason she wanted to keep something from her mother. Preferring not to escalate the situation in front of her mom, Klaus decided to go along and maintain a calm demeanor in the meantime.

Guiding him to her room, Rose quickly locked the door behind them, establishing a sense of privacy. Klaus was on the verge of demanding why she had called him so urgently, but before he could speak, Rose collapsed to the floor, gasping for air. His initial annoyance quickly shifted to surprise as he rushed to her side, concern overtaking him at the sight of her weakened state, starkly different from her earlier demeanor.

"Are you okay?" he inquired urgently as Rose slowly opened her eyes and gazed at him.

Rose chuckled under her breath. "Y-Yeah, sorry. I'm fine," she replied.

"What the hell happened to you?" Klaus asked, helping her up.

Rose's slight panting was evident. "I... don't know," she said. "I just woke up and suddenly started feeling really lightheaded."

Her words made it clear to Klaus that she was in pain. 'Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," Rose assured with a faint smile as Klaus helped her onto the bed. "Don't worry about me."

As they sat down, Rose noticed the genuine concern on Klaus's face, a reaction she hadn't expected. "Seems you got here pretty fast, huh?" she muttered with a small smile.

"Considering the way you called me, I felt like I had to," Klaus explained, his neutral expression never changing.

"Well... I'm glad you care this much about me," Rose added.

Klaus sighed. "Please, don't use this as an opportunity to flirt," he said softly.

"No, I mean it," Rose assured, her smile growing. "Thank you."

As Rose finished speaking, Klaus finally became aware of his actions and was taken aback. For as long as he could remember, he had never felt such concern for anything outside of his family. So why had he reacted so quickly at the sound of her distress?

Klaus couldn't fully understand why, but in that moment, a wave of relief washed over him when he realized she was not in critical condition. In response, he found himself smiling at Rose for the first time. "No problem," he soon replied.

Rose was taken aback by Klaus's reciprocated smile, a sight she had never witnessed before. The surprise of it sent chills through her, mingled with the realization of just how strikingly handsome he was. Her cheeks flushed crimson, her heartbeats resonating audibly in her ears. She found herself captivated, her gaze locking onto his. Her lips involuntarily parted as if she had fallen into a trance, the urge to draw closer to him growing with each passing moment.

However, her reverie was soon interrupted when Klaus suddenly stood, his worried expression making her assume he believed she was still unwell. He stepped into the bathroom for a moment, then returned with a warm towel and gently placed it on her forehead.

As the sensation of the towel's warmth brought Rose back to reality, she realized how lost in her thoughts she had been. Playing along with his assumption, she softly smiled. "T-Thanks," she muttered, holding the towel to her forehead.

After giving her a moment, Klaus finally found the opportunity to voice his question.

CONVERSATION

Klaus: So, any idea why this happened?

Rose: Not sure, but it might have something to do with the dream I just had.

Klaus: Was it about the giant men again?

Rose paused in thought.

Rose: Not... exactly. It was kind of like a dream where I couldn't control my actions. But it felt like it...

Klaus: ...wasn't a dream at all... right?

They exchanged glances, both seemingly sharing a general understanding of why the same phenomenon had occurred to them.

Rose: So, you too?

Klaus: Yeah. Though it didn't feel as bad as you do right now.

Rose: I guess I just got unlucky, haha.

Klaus: I guess.

A few moments passed.

Rose: Do you think it has something to do with the gods?

Klaus: I'm still not convinced about that theory, but I do think there's a connection between our dreams.

Klaus soon observed her condition.

Klaus: But for now, I think you should rest. Try to get some sleep... though I'm not sure if it'll help. At the very least, don't overdo yourself.

Rose sighed, wearing a smile.

Rose: I said I'm fine.

Klaus: I know you did, but I also know what it means. Back there, with your mom, you tried to present a facade of being alright. And I'm familiar with that kind of act. But... you don't have to do that with me, so just get some rest and we'll talk about it tomorrow, okay?

Rose's false smile faltered as a moment passed.

Rose: S-Sure, okay.

After assisting her to her bed and ensuring she was comfortably tucked in, Klaus finally said his goodbyes and made his way back home.

Several minutes after Klaus's departure, Brianna entered her room and found Rose asleep. Ever since Klaus's presence, she had sensed that something was amiss with Rose, prompting her to check on her.

Approaching her daughter, she gently placed her hand on Rose's forehead, her expression reflecting a mix of emotions. "He's quite the hunk, isn't he?" she muttered quietly. "And he seems like a real keeper, too. I just hope you'll treat him well this time."

Soon enough, Brianna withdrew her hand, a smile on her face, before she headed toward the door.

As her mother left the room, Rose slowly opened her eyes, staring up at the ceiling, lost in thought over everything that had just happened. She reflected on her actions toward Klaus and began to understand what they truly meant. Her gaze remained fixed upward as she realized that her distress stemmed not only from the lingering impact of the dream but also from the unfamiliar emotions she had begun to feel for him.

As the seconds passed, tears gradually filled her eyes before spilling over. She lay there in silence, quietly crying and reflecting, until exhaustion finally overtook her and she drifted into slumber.

A full week had passed, and it had been several days since Klaus had last seen Rose. He assumed her absence from school was due to her illness and chose not to reach out, hoping to give her time to recover. However, by the seventh day, he felt an unexpected urge to check on her, a reaction that genuinely surprised him.

Deciding to visit Rose's home after school, Klaus approached her front door. Upon knocking, Rose's mother answered.

"Oh, you're the cute boy from last time," Brianna began with a friendly smile.

"Uhh... I guess?" Klaus muttered awkwardly before deciding to move on. "Sorry to bother you. I just wanted to check on Rose and make sure she was doing all right."

Brianna's smile softened slightly. "Oh, sorry, dear, but she's not home," she admitted. "She's gone to visit her dad for a while."

"Oh," Klaus replied, understanding the reason for her absence.

With the new information, he thanked Rose's mother for her time and made his way back home.

After finishing his usual after-school chores with Shade, Klaus returned to his room. Shade had other plans to attend to and left after they completed the housework. With no particular plans, Klaus decided to take a nap before the rest of the family returned home.

During his nap, the same dream from the week prior revisited him once more. This time, the path he walked was illuminated, guiding him once again toward the same alley. As he woke up, he recognized that it was already well past midnight.

Klaus perched on the edge of his bed, deep in thought as he pondered the recurring dream. It was the second time he had experienced this peculiar dream, yet it felt distinct from the other common one. There was a sense of tangibility about it, as if the path he had traversed within the dream held a connection to reality.

With newfound determination and an estranged decision to act on impulse for the first time, Klaus rose from his bed. He retraced the path he had followed in his dream, moving through the bustling streets with a focused expression. Passersby couldn't help but notice his intense demeanor, casting curious glances his way.

Finally arriving at the alleyway, Klaus entered cautiously, recognizing the eerie similarity to his dream. His eyes scanned the surroundings, seeking any sign or clue that could shed light on the significance of the location. Then, his gaze locked onto something familiar: a poster depicting a right hand, the very image that had appeared in his dream.

As Klaus read the words written underneath the hand, a mixture of intrigue and confusion colored his expression. "Believe the unbelievable, huh," he muttered to himself.

The passersby who observed him from outside the alley exchanged puzzled glances, wondering about the young man's purpose in this seemingly ordinary location.

Klaus's gaze remained fixed on the poster before he slowly lifted his left hand. A strange compulsion seemed to pull at him, urging him to place his hand atop the depiction.

With a mixture of curiosity and confusion, he gradually extended his hand toward the poster. Each movement was deliberate and cautious, as if expecting some form of response from this seemingly ordinary artwork. Finally, his palm came into contact with the hand on the poster.

Moments passed, and nothing happened. Klaus's curiosity began to fade, replaced by a growing sense of annoyance at the lack of a reaction. He began to question what had prompted him to do such a thing, and what exactly he had expected to happen. The rational part of him doubted the purpose behind his actions, yet he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the situation than met the eye.

But just as the bystanders, who had curiously observed him from a distance, started to disperse, dismissing him as strange, Klaus suddenly felt an unexpected sensation course through his palm. A tingling, almost electric, feeling seemed to radiate from the point of contact. And at that moment, something bizarre began to happen.

In an instant, Klaus's very form began to disintegrate, the world around him blurring into a chaotic haze. Panic surged within him, a desperate urge to scream locked within a body that no longer obeyed his commands. It was a sensation he had never known, an experience so foreign and terrifying that he couldn't even comprehend the nature of his fear.

The seconds ticked by, each one stretching like an eternity, as his senses seemed to dissolve and his being fragmented. And then, just as abruptly as it began, the commotion ceased.

Klaus's awareness seemed to return in a hazy jumble of sensations. Slowly, his surroundings came into focus, and he found himself standing on solid ground once more. He clutched at his head, his thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief. His body had just dematerialized, consumed by some inexplicable force. But now he stood, whole and intact.

Rising unsteadily, he began to walk forward, his steps unsure. His mind replayed the surreal moment he had just experienced, struggling to make sense of it. But as he took a closer look at his surroundings, a realization slowly began to take hold. This place was completely unfamiliar, shrouded in dense white fog stretching endlessly in all directions, unlike anything he had ever seen before.

And in complete disbelief, a few words managed to leave Klaus's lips.

"Where... am I?"