Chapter 3: A New Beginning

The sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow on Noah's room. He blinked, slowly waking from a dream that felt too vivid, too real to have been just a dream. His mind was hazy, still lingering in the remnants of the dream as his eyes adjusted to the morning light.

The memory of the voice was still fresh in his mind, like a whisper carried on the wind, soft and warm. "I am the way, the truth, and the life." The words echoed in his chest, just as they had when he was five, and again as he had dreamed last night. The presence, the comfort, the peace—it had all felt so real.

Noah sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes and taking a deep breath. It was strange—he was fifteen now, so much older than the little boy he'd been when he first heard those words in church. But even now, those words had never left him. The voice had never left him.

He glanced at the clock—7:30 AM. His parents had already left for work, and his sister was still asleep. Today was the first day of his new school. The move to this new country had been unexpected. His parents had found new jobs here, and just like that, everything had changed. A new house. A new city. A new high school.

The thought made his stomach twist a little. He wasn't sure if it was nerves, or the weight of everything he had to leave behind. He'd spent most of his life in one place, and now, here he was—starting over.

Noah stood and walked to the window, pushing the curtains aside. The view outside was different—buildings he didn't recognize, streets filled with unfamiliar faces. A sense of both excitement and anxiety twisted inside him. He had always been shy, especially when it came to meeting new people, and this new school felt like a mountain he wasn't sure he could climb.

But there was something else inside him, something he couldn't ignore. The voice. The comfort. The presence that had been with him for as long as he could remember. Even though the years had passed, the voice had always been there, like a soft anchor in his heart. He didn't know why it had chosen him, but he knew that it would guide him, even through this new chapter.

"Are you still with me?" Noah whispered to the empty room, as if testing the air. He felt a warmth spread through him, a quiet reassurance that the voice was still there, even though he couldn't hear it.

He smiled to himself and took a deep breath. There was a strange peace that settled over him, as though the weight of the unknown had been lifted, if only just a little. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe he could find his way, just like before.

Noah glanced at the clock again and sighed. Time to face the day. He grabbed his backpack, slung it over his shoulder, and took one last look at his room—his old life—and then, with a final deep breath, he stepped out into the new world waiting for him.