Gabby's hand hovered over the glowing sigil. The air around her seemed to hum with energy, vibrating with possibility.
"1 for 1," she whispered, the decision final in her mind.
The light around her exploded into brightness, then dissolved into a flash, leaving her in an empty void. The voice echoed one last time, low and resonant.
"The transaction is made. You have chosen your power."
And just like that, Gabby was jerked awake, sitting up in her bed, her heart pounding. The dream—no, the vision—still clung to her like a shadow, its vividness unnerving.
"What was up with that dream?" Gabby muttered to herself, trying to shake off the disorientation. Her voice was steady, but inside, she was reeling. It had felt so real.
Shaking her head, she swung her legs off the bed and stood, her feet unsteady beneath her. She needed something to ground herself.
She went downstairs, her mind swirling with the remnants of the dream. The house was quiet, just as it should be at this hour. Gabby made her way to the kitchen, her feet almost moving on their own. She filled a glass with cold water, trying to clear the fog in her head.
Just as she was about to take a sip, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned to see Gabriel, still half-asleep, standing in the doorway.
"Bring me some too," he said, his voice groggy, rubbing his eyes.
Gabby nodded without thinking and filled another glass. She handed it to him, their fingers brushing lightly as he took the cup. He didn't notice anything unusual, but Gabby couldn't shake the strange feeling crawling up her spine.
Gabriel muttered a tired, "Thanks," and without another word, he walked off toward his room. The door creaked open and closed behind him with a soft click.
Gabby stood there for a moment, the weight of the silence pressing down on her. She raised the glass to her lips, but before she could take a drink, the world seemed to tilt. A sharp, sudden pain shot through her head, piercing her thoughts.
"You have 1 wish."
The words echoed in her mind, over and over, repeating like a chant. The pain felt real, far too real, and it made her wince, clutching her head.
"What… What is this?" she gasped, her heart pounding. Was this part of the dream? But it couldn't be—could it? She had woken up!
She glanced at Gabriel's door, now closed, his presence absent from the room. The words continued to swirl in her mind, relentless and dizzying.
"You have 1 wish."
Gabby stumbled backward, leaning against the kitchen counter, her hands shaking. Was this happening because of her choice? Did the power already exist in the waking world?
Her breathing quickened, and she pressed her palms to her temples, trying to push the words away. But they wouldn't leave.
The pain slowly began to fade, but the echo remained, lingering in her mind like a whisper she couldn't escape.
Gabby stood there, motionless, as the strange sensation of the dream became more and more real.