Too Familiar

I lingered in the garden, sitting quietly as the cool night air brushed against my skin. Above me, the full moon hung like a glowing pearl in a velvet sky—perfectly round, soft, and surreal. Stars dotted the darkness, scattered like tiny diamonds across the heavens. The entire scene felt dreamlike, as if time itself had paused just to admire the view.

Eventually, I stood and headed back inside. The house had grown silent. The lights in the hallway were dim, and when I stepped into the living room, it was empty. Everyone must've returned to their rooms already. Even Andreis was gone—probably back to wherever he stays. With a soft sigh, I climbed the stairs to my room, changed into my sleepwear, brushed my teeth, and combed through the tangles in my hair. The day had drained me—mentally, emotionally. My body felt heavy with everything I had seen, done, and felt.

•••

I was crying—sobbing, actually—as I ran. My chest heaved with sharp, shallow breaths, my lungs burning. I couldn't stop, even though my legs trembled beneath me, threatening to collapse at any moment.

I was surrounded by darkness—not the gentle, quiet kind you find in peaceful nights, but a thick, suffocating, living darkness. It swallowed the world around me, made the air feel colder, heavier.

I was in a forest. But not the kind from fairytales or adventure stories. No—this was a nightmare come alive.

The trees loomed high above me like twisted monsters, their gnarled branches reaching downward like claws, snagging at my hair and clothes. The moon's light barely trickled through the canopy, casting flickering shadows that danced with every gust of wind. Every corner I turned looked the same—wild, unwelcoming, endless. The ground was slick with damp leaves and thick mud. Thorny vines scraped at my ankles, and fallen branches snapped underfoot.

Somewhere behind me, twigs cracked. Leaves rustled. Louder and closer with every step I took.

"Where's my mom?! Where's my dad?!" I cried out, my voice cracked and shaky. "Help me!"

I tried to scream again, but nothing came out. My throat was wide open, but no sound escaped. Like something had stolen my voice mid-breath.

Then I heard it—low, deep, and growling.

A sound that chilled my blood.

I didn't need to turn around. I knew.

It was behind me.

Huge. Fast. Hunting me.

A werewolf.

Its snarls ripped through the forest like thunder, and I could hear the pounding of its paws—fast, brutal, unrelenting. I ran harder, branches whipping my face, tearing at my arms, but there was nowhere to go. Every path led deeper into the same endless maze.

I could feel its breath now—hot, wet, animal—just inches from the back of my neck.

I screamed in my mind for someone—anyone—to help me.

And then—

everything stopped.

•••

I woke up with a gasp, chest rising and falling like I'd just run miles. My throat was dry, my hands clammy. I sat up in bed, breathing heavily, trying to steady my racing heart.

Same dream. Again.

It never really got easier, no matter how many times I had it. And I had it often. Almost every night.

I'd told Mom about it before. Her response was always the same:

"It's just a dream, sweetheart. What matters is it's not real. Just breathe."

But it felt real. Too real.

I reached for the glass by my bedside, only to find it empty. My throat ached for water. With a sigh, I stood, glancing around the darkened room before stepping into the hallway. The entire house was quiet. Everyone must be asleep.

The only light came from outside. I paused near the window, pulled the curtain back—and laughed when I accidentally startled one of the guards outside. He jumped like I'd appeared out of thin air.

I grinned and flashed him a peace sign through the glass. He scowled and shook his head, clearly unimpressed. Grumpy old man. The garden looked calm under the pale glow of the moon. Beautiful, really.

I made my way toward the kitchen, feet cold on the floorboards. I turned the light switch on—and screamed.

My heart practically leapt out of my chest.

Andreis was sitting there, in the dark, at the dining table like some kind of horror movie plot twist—sipping water casually in Dad's seat.

"Damn it!" I shouted, hand on my heart.

He burst out laughing, completely unbothered. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt and flannel pajama pants—like it was perfectly normal to sit in a pitch-black room at 2:30 in the morning.

"Sorry," he said between chuckles, "I didn't mean to scare you. I just don't like bright lights, so I didn't turn it on."

I squinted at him as I reached for a glass. "Do you live here or something?!"

He smiled, still seated. "Yeah. Right next to your room."

"Huh??" I blinked at him.

"Our dads are best friends," he explained, setting his glass down. "We don't own property here—everything we have is in Italy. Your dad didn't want me to waste money buying land just to stay close, so he offered me a room here instead."

I walked over to the table, holding my glass of water. "Okay… that makes sense, I guess."

Andreis shifted in his seat and lightly pushed out the chair beside him—Mom's usual spot. An unspoken invitation.

I hesitated for a beat before sitting down. I wasn't sleepy anymore, and to be honest, I could use the company.

"I had a nightmare," I said, setting my glass on the table. "Now I can't fall back asleep."

He nodded understandingly, the smile on his face softening. For a second, it made him look like Angelo again.

I leaned forward. "You really don't have a brother?"

He looked at me, amused. "Still with that? No. I'm an only child. At least… as far as I know."

I sighed in frustration. "This is hard."

"What time is it?" he asked as he stood up and stretched.

"Last I checked, it was 2:30."

He stepped closer, voice gentler now. "Alright. Go back to bed."

Before I could argue, he reached for my arm and tugged me up with a light pull.

The moment our skin touched, something shifted.

I felt it again.

That feeling. That strange, weightless pull—like when Angelo had grabbed my wrist back at the mall, leading me to safety through the crowd. My feet followed without question. My body remembered.

Identical.

It was the exact same feeling.

Could they really be the same person?

But that's impossible… right?

No. I'm thinking crazy again. I shook my head, trying to banish the thoughts.

We stopped outside my door.

"Go inside and sleep," Andreis said softly.

I nodded and stepped inside, but the questions stayed with me.

And in the quiet of my room, I knew—I wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon.