ELENA'S POV
YEAR 19 OF THE VEIL
I jolted awake, my nightgown clinging to my body, drenched in sweat. My heart hammered against my ribs.
What… what had I just seen?
The dream still lingered like smoke- unclear, but heavy with dread.
I pressed both hands against my temples. A sharp pain pulsed at the back of my head. Groaning, I forced myself out of bed and stumbled toward the tiny kitchen in my cramped apartment. I poured a cup of water from the flask I kept on the counter and drank slowly, letting the coolness calm my shaking hands.
I sighed. How long am I going to live like this?
I knew what was wrong with me, but I wasn't sure if the solution would ever work.
****
"RING! RING!!"
The sound of my ringtone cut through my thoughts. I grabbed my phone from the bedside table.
"Good evening, ma'am... yes, yes, I can hear you... No, I won't be coming for the night shift tonight... Yes, ma'am. Thank you."
I hung up and sank into the sofa, exhaling a long, defeated sigh.
It wasn't fair. None of it.
Every time I dreamed, it felt like something inside me was slipping away- like I was trading a day of my life for a glimpse of the future.
"RING! RING!!"
Another call. I answered quickly.
"Good evening, Mum... Yes, I'll pick Evan up today... I won't be late, I promise."
When I hung up, I stared at the dark ceiling for a long while. I had adopted Evan after his mother- my friend Evelyn from work- died on duty. The memory still stung.
I shivered and sneezed, pulling my sweater closer. I had to hurry and get him.
****
I tossed a few things into the back seat of my car and placed a flask of warm milk in the holder near the steering wheel. The drive to Tsinq State always felt longer than it was. Evan's school was there. Tsinq had better schools than Tsep.
As I drove, the radio played softly. I hummed along to The Gambler by Kenny Rogers, then Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton- songs that reminded me of simpler days, when life didn't feel so heavy.
Traffic was brutal, as always. Agencies barely worked anymore. Some people hadn't been paid for months, yet we were still expected to show up smiling. If you dared to come late, you'd be punished or fired. That was life in Tsep- a country held together by exhaustion.
When I finally reached the boundary checkpoint, an officer waved me forward, scribbling my plate number down.
"Two thousand, two hundred Farqus for the ticket," he said flatly.
"What? It was two thousand yesterday."
"Madam, please turn around if you can't afford it," he barked. "Do not cause traffic or I'll fine you for obstruction."
"Okay, okay." I reached into my bag and pulled out the extra two hundred.
He smiled; his yellow-stained teeth glinting in the light. "Have a lovely day in Tsinq City," he said, handing me the blue ticket.
I took it silently, forcing a polite smile. They were always unpredictable.
With one hand on the wheel, I sipped from my flask and crossed into Tsinq State.
****
That night, after dinner with Mum and Evan, I helped Evan into the passenger seat. He was already drowsy, clutching his little stuffed bear.
"Elly," my mother called, "you remember what we talked about, don't you?"
"Mother, you don't need to worry. Evan starts elementary school in three months. I'll save enough before then for all three of us."
She shook her head. "You're already one of the best nursing consultants in the country. Even foreign medical teams call you to work with them, Elena. What are you still waiting for? Until I'm dead?"
Her words sliced through me. My jaw tightened. "Mother, stop talking like that. You're not dying."
She only sighed and turned away. "Just go. The boundary gates close by midnight."
"Alright, Mum. Good night."
"Good night."
"I love-"
"Keep quiet and get into that car," she snapped. "You have a child with you."
I rolled my eyes but smiled faintly. She was impossible sometimes. Every time I tried to say "I love you," she dodged it- as though affection was something dangerous.
I got into the car and drove off into the night.
****
The road was eerily quiet. The hum of the tires filled the silence. I reached the boundary sooner than expected, returned the ticket, and was cleared.
Evan was fast asleep beside me, his small head tilted to the side. I smiled weakly. "I need to stop letting you fall asleep in cars, little one," I whispered.
But then, at a sharp corner, my headlights caught movement. Someone was waving.
I slammed the brakes. The tires screeched, jolting Evan awake.
"Are we home?" he mumbled.
I didn't answer. My eyes were fixed on the figure ahead- an old man, covered in blood. His hair- white and matted with red- shimmered under the light.
I got out cautiously, my hand brushing against my pocket knife.
"Please, young miss," he rasped, raising his trembling hands. "Don't be afraid. My grandson and I had an accident. We crawled out, but he's too weak. I called the hospital- they said they'd send an ambulance in one hour, but it's been longer than that. You know the law here… if I call again, they'll cancel my request." His voice cracked. "Please, help us."
My pulse quickened. Every instinct screamed no. But something- maybe my conscience, maybe my nurse's heart- said yes.
"Show me," I said quietly.
Evan held my hand tightly as we followed the man down the dark path.
And then my breath hitched.
The scene before me… it was the same as my dream.
Every shadow, every broken piece of glass, even the faint smell of metal and blood.
And there, sitting by the wrecked car, was a man with blond hair, blood streaking down his injured arm.
His eyes slowly met mine. I took a few hesitant steps forward, past the old man, trying to see clearly.
I turned to look back… and to my horror... he had vanished.