Chapter Five: A Glimpse Through A Veil

Author's POV

As the days turned into weeks, the dreams became more frequent, more vivid, and increasingly difficult for Selene and Callista to ignore. Both women found themselves caught in a web of curiosity and yearning, as if some unseen force was pulling them toward a destiny they couldn't quite grasp. At work, Selene's mind often wandered, her thoughts drifting back to the recurring dreams and the mysterious woman who occupied them. Her friends and colleagues noticed her distraction, but she brushed off their concerns, attributing it to stress from the new project. Deep down, she knew it was more than that.

Selene's POV

I can't shake this feeling. Every night, it's the same dream—her voice, her presence, so real, so tangible. But when I wake up, she's gone, leaving me with nothing but a lingering sense of loss. It's getting harder to focus during the day. The dreams are starting to bleed into my reality, making it difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins.Today, I decided to leave work early, unable to concentrate on anything but the nagging questions in my mind. I wandered the city aimlessly, hoping that the fresh air and change of scenery would help clear my head.

As I walked, I found myself drawn to a small, secluded park I hadn't visited in years. The trees were tall and ancient, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze. I took a deep breath, feeling a sense of calm wash over me as I sat on a bench near a quiet pond. For a moment, I closed my eyes, letting the sounds of nature soothe my restless mind. But as soon as I did, I felt a familiar presence—her presence.

"Selene," a soft voice whispered, so close I could almost feel her breath on my skin.

My eyes snapped open, and I looked around, half-expecting to see her standing there. But the park was empty, save for a few distant joggers and an elderly couple feeding the ducks by the water.

"Am I losing my mind?" I muttered to myself, shaking my head. But the voice had been so clear, so real. And she had said my name, not just any name—my name.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes again, trying to recapture the feeling, to hear her voice once more. But all I found was silence, a deafening quiet that left me feeling more alone than ever.

With a sigh, I stood up and began to make my way back to the apartment, my thoughts still spinning, my heart heavy with questions.

Author's POV

At the same time, Callista was experiencing her own strange moments of connection. Her dreams, once filled with abstract images and fleeting impressions, had become more focused, more intense. She could now clearly see the woman who had been haunting her sleep, and she could swear that she had heard her name spoken — Selene. Callista had always been a believer in the power of dreams, but this was something different, something more profound. It was as if she and this mysterious Selene were connected by a thread that stretched beyond the boundaries of the waking world.

Callista's POV

I can't ignore it anymore. Every time I close my eyes, I see her. And every time I hear her voice, it feels like I'm hearing it for the first time, yet it's so familiar, so comforting. But why? Why do I feel this way about someone I've never met?

This afternoon, I decided to visit Jasper, hoping he might have some insight. He's always been good at helping me make sense of the things I don't understand. I found him in the studio, working on a new sculpture. He looked up as I entered, wiping his hands on a rag before giving me a warm smile.

"You look troubled," he said, his eyes filled with concern."It's the dreams," I admitted, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders as I spoke.

"They're getting stronger. And I think I know her name—Selene."Jasper raised an eyebrow.

"That's a beautiful name. What do you know about her?"

"Nothing," I said with a frustrated sigh. "I don't know anything about her, but I feel like I've known her forever. It's driving me crazy. I feel like I'm missing something important."

Jasper nodded thoughtfully, his gaze distant as he considered my words. "Dreams are powerful, Callista. They're often our subconscious trying to communicate something to us. But sometimes, they're more than that. Sometimes, they're a connection to something—or someone—beyond our understanding."

"Do you think she's real?" I asked, my voice tinged with hope.

"I don't know," Jasper replied honestly.

"But it sounds like she's real to you. And that's what matters."I nodded, feeling a mixture of relief and frustration. It was comforting to know that Jasper didn't think I was crazy, but it still didn't give me the answers I was looking for.

"Maybe you should try to find her," Jasper suggested, his tone gentle but firm.

"If she's out there, maybe the dreams are leading you to her."

The thought had crossed my mind more than once, but it felt impossible. How could I find someone I had only seen in dreams?But deep down, I knew Jasper was right. I couldn't keep ignoring this connection, couldn't keep pretending that it was all just in my head. If there was a chance—any chance—that Selene was real, I had to find her.

Author's POV

As the days passed, Selene and Callista found themselves growing more determined to uncover the truth. Their lives continued as usual, but the dreams lingered in the background, always present, always pulling them closer together.

And then, one evening, something changed. Selene was sitting on her bed, her laptop open in front of her as she worked on some last-minute emails. But she found it hard to focus, her thoughts drifting to the dream she had the night before. It had been different from the others—clearer, more detailed. She had been standing in a room she didn't recognize, the walls lined with bookshelves filled with old, leather-bound volumes. The air was thick with the scent of aged paper and something else—something familiar. And then she saw her, sitting at a small wooden table, a book open in front of her. Selene had moved toward her, her heart pounding in her chest, but before she could reach her, the woman had looked up, her eyes meeting Selene's with an intensity that took her breath away.

"Find me," she had whispered, her voice echoing in Selene's mind even now.

Selene shook her head, trying to push the memory away, but it clung to her like a shadow. And then, almost without thinking, she opened a search engine on her laptop and typed in the name that had been haunting her thoughts—Callista.

As the results loaded, Selene's heart raced, a mixture of fear and anticipation coursing through her veins. She clicked on the first link that caught her eye, a profile on an art website. And there she was—Callista, the woman from her dreams, her face as clear as day on the screen in front of her. Selene's breath caught in her throat as she stared at the image, unable to believe what she was seeing. This was her—this was the woman she had been dreaming of, the woman who had been calling out to her. She quickly scanned the profile, taking in every detail. Callista was an artist, based in the same city, with a gallery exhibit opening the following weekend.

Without hesitating, Selene grabbed her phone and typed out a quick message to Theo, asking if he wanted to check out an art exhibit with her. She needed an excuse, a reason to go without looking like she had lost her mind. As she hit send, a sense of resolve settled over her. She didn't know what would happen next, but she knew one thing for certain—she had to find Callista. The dreams, the whispers, the inexplicable connection—it all pointed to this moment, to this meeting.

And now, for the first time, the lines between dream and reality were beginning to blur, setting the stage for what was sure to be a life-changing encounter.