SHADOW OF MYSELF

Chapter Six(i)

The evening flew by. We finished dinner and settled down to study. Lizzy, however, wasn't as enthusiastic.

After two grueling hours, she whined, "Prisca, I'm so bored! Can't we take a break? We're almost done with the syllabus anyway."

I smiled, understanding her fatigue, but also knowing we were close to the finish line. "Just one more topic, Lizzy. Then we can rest."

She pouted, her big eyes pleading. "But Priscaaa, please? Let's continue later. I'm exhausted!"

With a sigh, I conceded. "Alright, alright. One break it is." Standing up, I headed to the bathroom for a refreshing shower.

Under the warm spray, my mind drifted to my recurring dreams. Lately, they'd been strangely absent.

Was it a good thing, a bad thing? I couldn't shake the feeling that something was brewing just beneath the surface.

Drying off, I noticed Lizzy fast asleep in bed, without even bothering with a shower. A familiar annoyance flickered, quickly replaced by concern. How could she sleep so soundly?

Ignoring her, I settled into my side of the bed and pulled out my journal. Tonight's entry detailed the day's events, a quiet normalcy that felt unsettling in the face of my recent dreamscape silence.

Just as I drifted off, the dreams returned, transporting me to a chilling labyrinth of endless mirrors. Panic surged as I searched for an escape. But this time, I wasn't alone.

A tall figure cloaked in darkness materialized from the reflections. "Prisca," a voice rasped. Before I could question him, a searing pain pierced my chest. A chilling echo resonated, "Stay away from Felix! He's not who he seems!"

"I know!" I cried out, frustration mingling with fear. "But why these cryptic warnings?"

The figure vanished, replaced by a woman in a shimmering blue gown. An unsettling aura surrounded her.

"Tonight, child," she said, her voice laced with power, "you'll confront more than just past pain. You'll witness a glimpse of what awaits if you don't heed the warnings."

A shiver ran down my spine. "I'm not afraid," I lied, my voice trembling.

She stepped closer, her gaze unwavering. "Don't be foolish! This isn't mere entertainment. One wrong step, and you'll face unimaginable consequences."

With a flick of her wrist, she grabbed my hand and plunged it into a blank mirror. It shimmered, revealing the stark word "FUTURE."

Trepidation clawed at me. "Are we...?" I stammered.

Without a word, she used her earring to pierce the mirror, shattering it into a million pieces. A blinding light erupted, momentarily engulfing me.

"Welcome to your future, young lady," a voice boomed in my ears. Shoving me through the pulsating light, the woman vanished.

Panic surged as I found myself in a familiar scene – my schoolyard. In the distance, I saw myself meeting someone. Felix. They smiled at each other, then disappeared into a taxi.

Anxiety gnawed at me as I followed their trail. They arrived at an ominous-looking building. Curiosity morphed into dread as I saw myself, unconscious, lying on a stone altar.

Felix, now adorned in an unfamiliar attire, cackled with glee. "Finally, Prisca," he taunted. "Everything within you will be mine!"

Fear choked me. But before I could react, a voice interrupted. "Not so fast, Felix!"

Suddenly, the scene blurred, transporting me back to the mirrored labyrinth. The woman reappeared, a sliver dress now replacing the blue gown.

"You can't see everything at once," she explained. "But heed my warning! Felix is your doom. Stay away from him, or risk losing everything – your powers, your loved ones… everything!"

Images flashed before my eyes – a past filled with sorrow, the haunting memory of loss. Tears welled up as I pleaded, "Who am I? Why are these dreams happening?"

The woman chuckled. "A question for Joshua, dear. He'll reveal your true nature. As for me," she gestured vaguely, "I'm but a humble servant."

Before I could question her enigmatic words, she vanished. This time, escape wasn't a matter of breaking mirrors, but of confronting a long-buried truth.

With a deep breath, I whispered, "Joshua… why did he…?" The name felt heavy on my tongue. "Why did he kill Zach and David? And you…"

The image flickered, revealing a younger me, cradling the lifeless body of a boy with kind eyes. Two other figures lay still nearby, their faces etched with pain.

A horrifying realization dawned on me – the tall figure standing before me wasn't just some stranger. It was Felix.

Hatred burned in his eyes as he spoke, his voice dripping with venom. "No one can keep you from me, Princess Elsa. You'll be mine, even in your next life, Princess Elsa."

Grief washed over me, so intense it felt like I was reliving the moment. The woman in the mirror softened. "There, child," she said gently. "You've faced your sorrow. Now, the truth had been revealed."

The mirrored walls shimmered, a crack appearing that grew larger by the second. Finally, with a deafening crash, the labyrinth shattered, revealing the familiar sight of my bedroom.

But the feeling of unease lingered, a stark reminder of the darkness I had glimpsed.

A wave of exhaustion crashed over me, pulling me back to reality. I gasped, sitting bolt upright in bed. Lizzy stirred beside me, her eyes blinking open in concern.

"Prisca? What happened? Is everything okay?" she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

Tears streamed down my face. "It's nothing, Lizzy," I choked out, my voice raw. "Just a bad dream."

Lizzy sat up fully, her worry evident. "Are you sure? You look awful. Do you want to talk about it?"

I yearned to confide in her, to share the terrifying visions and cryptic warnings. But the woman's words echoed in my mind: "A question for Joshua."

With a shaky breath, I shook my head. "No, Lizzy. I just need some water."

We sat together in silence, the weight of the dream pressing down on me. As Lizzy drifted back to sleep, a sense of dread settled deep in my gut.

These weren't just nightmares. They were messages, harbingers of a coming storm.

The first rays of dawn peeked through the window, casting an orange glow across the room. I knew then that sleep would be impossible.

I needed answers, and I needed them fast. My gaze darted towards the sleeping form of Lizzy, then back to the window.

A decision solidified in my mind. I had to speak with Joshua. He held the key to unlocking the secrets of my past, the key to understanding the danger I faced. And maybe, just maybe, the key to stopping Felix before it was too late.