"What's this feeling…?"
"It's like I'm floating… drifting… but there's no water."
I opened my eyes.
All I could see was darkness. Endless, thick, heavy black.
Yet I wasn't scared.
I should've been scared.
Instead, I felt… peaceful?
"Where am I? Why do I feel like I know this place?"
"Where's Mom? Dad? Trinity…?"
No answer. Only silence.
I tried to move, but nothing worked—not even a finger. It felt like my body didn't exist, like I'd become part of the darkness.
"Is this… what it feels like to be dead?"
A soft laugh escaped me.
"Pops would be cracking up right now. 'Boy always had his head in the clouds,' he'd say."
"Trey…"
A voice.
It echoed softly—somewhere far off in the dark.
I tried to respond, but nothing came out.
Then louder—more urgent this time.
"Trey!"
The darkness twisted.
Suddenly, my body turned, even though I didn't tell it to. And then…
Light.
Blinding, slow-forming, creeping toward me until it morphed into images—blurry at first, then sharper.
Mom.
Dad.
Trinity.
They were standing in a room, faces pale and eyes blank. They weren't moving. Just staring… down.
I followed their gaze.
And nearly vomited.
It was me.
Lying there.
Lips sewn shut.
Eyes gouged out.
Skin—ripped, bruised, bleeding.
I couldn't scream. Couldn't look away.
"What the hell… What happened to me?"
My parents parted slowly, revealing more of my broken body.
I wanted answers—needed them.
"Dad?! Mom?! Say something!"
Nothing.
And then…
Laughter.
At first, it came from Dad.
Then Mom.
Then Trinity.
But it wasn't their normal laughter—it was wrong. Twisted. Distorted.
Their faces warped—eyes black, blood streaming down their cheeks. My sister's once-sky-blue eyes now glowed red. Her white hair was stained crimson. She looked possessed.
"TREY!!"
The voice screamed again.
The world shattered like glass.
I gasped and shot up from bed, heart pounding, sweat drenching my shirt.
My room.
Sunlight beamed in through the blinds.
It was just a dream. A really, really messed up dream.
Right?
A snicker.
I looked to my right and saw my sister Trinity, trying—and failing—to hold in her laughter.
"What do you want?" I groaned, rubbing my temples.
She pointed at my phone on the nightstand. "Look at the time, dummy."
7:01 a.m.
"Oh sh—!"
I launched out of bed and sprinted to the bathroom.
First day of school and I'm already behind schedule. Way to go, Trey.
"I told you not to stay up talking to Anna all night!" Trinity shouted from down the hall.
I ignored her and went through my routine like a speedrunner—teeth brushed, mouthwash, quick rinse, outfit hunt.
After five minutes of debating between casual, cool, or "don't care," I settled on a white Nike tee, black basketball shorts, and black Forces. Simple. Smooth. Fresh enough.
I looked at myself in the mirror.
Black dreads, a few gold tips at the ends. Light brown skin. Purple eyes that looked a little too alive for someone who just woke from a horror show. Oh—and the baby stache? It's coming in. Give it time.
Downstairs, my mom was already in full-on lawyer mode—blazer, bun, black heels.
"Morning, Mom," I said, grabbing my lunch from the counter.
"Morning, baby," she said, pecking my cheek. "Don't forget your lunch. You'll need energy if you're gonna survive high school."
Dad was at the table, sipping coffee and flipping through his newspaper.
"Excited for the first day?" he asked, looking up at me with a smile.
"Kinda… nervous too, ya know?"
"Haha, my boy," he said, patting my back. "You'll be fine. But hey, keep an eye out. The ladies love confidence."
"Confidence?" Trinity muttered as she walked in. "With what face?"
"Ouch," I said.
"You're a demon repellent," she added with a grin. "One sniff and poof—they gone."
I chuckled nervously. "Well… Anna might disagree with you."
That got Dad quiet real fast. We all knew what kind of fire Anna could bring.
After our usual back-and-forth, Trinity and I headed out, backpacks slung, sneakers crunching on the gravel sidewalk.
We lived close enough to walk to school, which was nice. Peaceful, even.
Until…
"TREY-SIXTY!"
I turned to see Brianna—fiery red hair, mischievous gray eyes—running toward us.
She looked good. Crop top, tights, and that usual devilish smirk.
"Something wrong with your lips?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
She winked. "Yours ain't gettin' nowhere near 'em."
Trinity sighed as Bri tackled her in a hug.
"Help…" Trinity whispered as Brianna squeezed her like a teddy bear.
They were seniors now, while I was stuck one building over in the junior wing of Eclipso High.
We split at the main gate, each heading to our own buildings.
I pulled out my phone to check the time again, still wondering why that dream felt so damn real. As if it were more than just my imagination…
"Attention all students: Please report to the auditorium."
Here we go.