Strange Girls Dream (05)

A small girl, no older than seven, with stark white hair and wide gray eyes, sprinted down a sleek, high-tech hallway. 

Her small feet barely made a sound on the polished floor as she clutched three wailing newborns tightly to her chest. Their cries echoed off the metallic walls, blending with the hum of advanced machinery embedded into the infrastructure around her.

Outside the long stretch of windows running parallel to her path, the vast expanse of space loomed close, almost tangible. A distant planet, encased in an intricate network of high-tech satellites and orbiting spaceships, dominated the view, its surface bathed in the eerie glow of artificial lights.

The girl skidded to a stop in front of an immense structure—an object looking like a black hole, but constructed, mechanical. Thick wires spiraled out of it like roots, connecting to the ceiling, walls, and floor, giving it life. The swirling energy within pulsed ominously, as if beckoning her closer.

Before she could react, a shadow blocked her path. A figure floated in the air before her, his presence commanding and cold. He was encased in high-tech armor that gleamed under the artificial lights, his eyes glowing an unnerving pure white, devoid of any emotion.

"Bolno tonio segbo," he said, his voice low and menacing in a language unfamiliar to her.

*Translation: Where do you think you're going, kid?*

The girl's eyes widened, her grip tightening on the babies. Fear laced her voice as she pleaded, "Nigolo namio gata."

*Translation: Please let me go.*

The figure's lips curled into a twisted smile. "Lafuma kataku sama fu?"

*Translation: You really think I will let you go?*

Without warning, he reached forward, snatching one of the crying infants from her arms. The girl's heart sank, her breath catching in her throat as she watched helplessly.

"Hamana ku mula h? Amita fyma gua lu," the figure sneered, inspecting the infant with disdain.

His voice was casual, but the weight of his words felt like a death sentence.

Translation: This is your sister, right? It's such a shame your mother gave birth to a woman. She shall die now.*

"No! No! Gu, gu, saja!" The girl's voice cracked with desperation, tears welling in her eyes as she extended her trembling arms toward the baby.

*Translation: No, no, please!*

More armored figures appeared, hovering around them like silent sentinels. They watched, detached and indifferent.

The first figure's smile deepened. "Haru Gu mata du," he whispered, his tone laced with malice.

*Translation: Your 'no' is my 'yes.'*

And with that, he crushed the newborn's skull in one swift, brutal motion.

The sickening sound of bones shattering echoed through the hallway, followed by a deafening silence.

Blood splattered across the floor, mixing with the glowing wires beneath.

The girl's scream tore through the air, guttural and filled with an agony far beyond her years. "Gu..gu..Guuuuuu!" Her entire body trembled violently, and then—an explosion. 

Energy erupted from her in a blinding flash, sending shockwaves through the corridor, rattling the walls and windows.

.

__

Suddenly, a young woman shot up in bed, gasping for air.

Her chest heaved as her wide gray eyes, darted around the dimly lit room. Her skin, pale and damp with sweat, glowed faintly in the soft light filtering through the curtains. 

She ran a hand through her short black hair, her fingers trembling.

"What the hell... that dream again?" she muttered to herself, glancing at the clock beside her bed. 4:12 AM. She sighed, rubbing her tired eyes.

The room around her was a chaotic mess, gaming equipment piled in one corner, and empty takeout containers on the desk. The stale scent of old coffee lingered in the air.

She swung her legs out of bed and stood, her tall frame moving sluggishly as she padded toward the bathroom. 

Her oversized black t-shirt hung loosely on her body, and her black pajama pants dragged slightly on the floor. 

In the bathroom mirror, she stared at her reflection with a frown.

Her bright, pale skin seemed to glow eerily under the harsh bathroom lights, and her eyes, usually a soft gray, became bit red  but again became gray. 

She splashed cold water on her face, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream that clung to her mind like a fog.

"It's the twelfth time," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. "I keep having this dream. I don't understand it... the language, the faces, everything's a blur. But it feels real." 

As she wiped her face with a towel . She blinked, and when she opened her eyes again, everything around her shifted and everything became like X ray vision. She scanned the room, her gaze landing on a small box hidden under her desk.

Without hesitation, she walked over and opened the box, revealing a set of gloves. She slid one on, flexing her fingers as the glove hummed to life with a faint red glow.

A swirling red portal appeared in front of her, its edges crackling with energy. 

She stepped through the portal and into a dimly lit room. A man lay asleep in bed, oblivious to her presence.

She scanned the room, her eyes locking onto a small locker tucked beneath the bed. She concentrated, and her X-ray vision allowed her to see through the metal, spotting a ring-shaped object inside.

Another portal appeared—small, barely the size of her hand—and she reached through it, retrieving the ring from the locker without making a sound. With a quiet breath, she returned to her room, the portal closing behind her.

Sitting on her bed, she opened her phone, sliding out the SIM slot and inserting the ring. The screen blinked to life, a message flashing across it: "Operation successful."

Without wasting time, she created another portal and slipped back into the man's room. She gently placed the ring back in its hiding spot, then returned to her room, closing the portal behind her. 

Her heart pounded as she lay back down, pretending to sleep, her mind racing.

Here's a revised version with improved dialogue flow, more natural speech, and some minor adjustments for clarity:

A few moments later, a man opened the door to the girl's room.

He approached her, sat down beside her, and gently said, "Faria, can you wake up for a moment?"

The girl stirred and sat up. "Dad? Is something wrong?" she asked, rubbing her eyes."

"No, nothing's wrong," he replied, shaking his head with a small smile. "I'm heading back to work. I probably won't be home for a month."

"Already?" Faria blinked in surprise. "You just got back yesterday, and now you're leaving again?"

Her father sighed. "Yeah, I know. I could take a break if I wanted to, but... you know how it is. It's about the country." He handed her a piece of paper,"Here, I transferred some money for you. "

Faria took the paper, frowning. "Why are you giving me this? I didn't ask for any money."

"Your admission results come out today at noon," he reminded her. "And since I won't be around for a while, I figured you'd need it."

"Oh, right... I forgot," Faria admitted.

Then, hesitating for a moment, she added, "Dad, I've been thinking. I'm planning to join an esports team."

Her father raised his eyebrows, intrigued. "Really? That's great! What's your plan?"

Faria shrugged. "I don't know yet. I guess I'll see what happens."

He smiled, nodding. "You shouldn't have any problems finding a team. Your ranking is pretty high."

"Yeah, but it's bad timing," she said with a slight frown. "The tournament's starting soon, and it'll be tough to get in with a team this late."

Her father chuckled. "You never showed much interest in joining an esports team when I suggested it before. Now you're almost 19... You know it's only going to get harder from here, right?"

Faria sighed. "Yeah, I know... but.. Forget it ."

Suddenly, a call came through on her father's phone. Glancing at the screen, he stood up and smiled. "I've got to go now. We'll talk more later when I get back, okay?"

"Dad, wait," Faria called out.

"Yeah?" he replied, turning back.

"Nothing" she said softly.

That noon -

Tamim and Fahim sat on a couch at Tamims house , both looking at their phones. Fahim grinned, unable to contain his excitement.

"Dude, you ranked 62nd in the exam in DBU!" Fahim announced, beaming.

"Okay," Tamim replied, his expression as neutral as ever.

"'Okay'? Seriously?" Fahim said, clearly baffled. "You've secured admission to the best university for your subject, and that's all you have to say?"

"Well, it's not like it matters," Tamim shrugged. "A university degree is pretty useless these days. People graduate and still can't find jobs. Anyway, you ranked fifth in Science Lab University, so why are you even concerned about my result?"

"Man, you'll never change," Fahim said, shaking his head with a laugh.

Just then, his phone rang with a brain rot ringtone . The caller ID read "Samia."

"Samia Sis is calling," Fahim said, staring at his phone but hesitating to answer.

Tamim glanced at him, unimpressed. "Why aren't you picking up? You're just staring at it like an idiot. Also, your ringtone sucks."

Fahim cut the call. "I think we should go to the team instead of just telling her the result over the phone."

"Then go," Tamim replied, leaning back. "I'm staying here. I need some rest."

"You don't look like you need rest," Fahim shot back. "Come on, if you don't come, Samia Sis will be upset."

"I'll just call her and tell her the result," Tamim responded flatly.

Few moments later, 

Inside the gaming room on Nextera.Co,4th floor. where a sign outside read "Nextera Esports," tension filled the air. Samia, a woman with orange hair and black eyes in her 30s, paced back and forth. She was visibly frustrated, her voice strained.

"How could Roky leave us at a time like this? It's so unprofessional. How are we supposed to find a replacement now?" Samia vented.

"Don't stress, Samia; we'll figure something out," Riya reassured her from her seat nearby.

"But finding a skilled under-19 player right before the tournament? That's nearly impossible," added Rafi, a concerned look on his face.

Just then, the door opened, and Tamim and Fahim entered.

"What's going on, Samia Sis? Why do you look so upset?" Fahim asked.

Tamim looked around with a raised eyebrow. "Huh. So it's true."

Samia blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"

Tamim leaned against the wall and shrugged. "Well, on the day of my exam, the manager of Bloodstroke Esports team called me."

Samia's curiosity piqued as Tamim started recalling the memory.

That morning, as Tamim was tying his shoes, his phone rang.

He answered it, the voice on the other end unfamiliar.

"Good morning, is this Neon—uh, I mean, Tamim?" the man asked.

"Yeah, that's me," Tamim replied. "Who's this?"

"I'm the manager of Bloodstroke," the man said. 

" And?" Tamim asked. 

" And…We'd like you to join our team for the next tournament, at double your current rate."

Tamim's expression didn't change. "Sorry, I can't."

The manager didn't seem deterred. "Well, I've already taken out your team's sniper player . One of your key players. I'm sure your team won't stand a chance without them. No one's going to join your team in time. It's an easy win for us."

Without a word, Tamim hung up, cutting the call short.

"And that's how it went," Tamim finished, snapping back to the present.

Samia crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"

Tamim smirked. "Because it felt like a lie, Thought they were trying to take me to their team  ."

"Oh, that makes sense. Sorry," Samia said, her frustration softening.

"By the way, how did you guys do on your results?" Samia asked.

"Both of us got admission," Fahim replied with a grin.

"Congratulations!" Riya and Rafi chimed in enthusiastically.

"I'm really happy for you both," Samia said, her smile faint but sincere. "But, to be honest, I can't fully celebrate right now. As a manager, I need to find a replacement player as soon as possible."

She paused, her tone softening as she continued, "Sorry... I'm just not in a good mood. Do you mind giving me some time to think? I also need to call Nahid."

Understanding her need for space, the group nodded and quietly left the room, allowing Samia a moment to herself.

As they walked away, Rafi spoke up, "Hey, Fahim, did you see that viral video? Near the bridge, some guy turned into a monster, and then a hooded figure showed up and took it down."

"Yeah, I saw it. It's crazy how people are developing superpowers ever since the sudden mass deaths, but the government's keeping it quiet to avoid causing panic," Fahim replied, shaking his head.

Tamim's heart skipped a beat. *That guy was me... How did this get out? Who recorded it?* he thought, a hint of panic rising inside him.

"Can I see the video?" Tamim asked, trying to sound casual.

Riya handed him her phone, and Tamim watched the footage carefully. It was grainy, in black and white, the details obscured by the low quality.

"Thank goodness," Tamim thought with relief. "It's not clear enough to identify me"

To be continued...