I jolted up, awake and panting. It was the same dream I’ve been dreaming since I was young. The dream that only appears during my…

 

“Happy Birthday to me…” I sighed.

 

Temporarily forgetting about the dream, I thought about how miserable my life right now is. I am 24 years old today. I’m rich. I’m alone. I’m empty. I don’t know what my purpose in life is. I am sick of my everyday routine of going to work and going back home.

 

As I get out of the bed, I thought of the things that had happened to my life. I was an orphan for 15 years until some rich old man got me out of the orphanage.

 

“Sophie dear, I have good news for you…” the nun from the orphanage told me.

 

“What is it, Mother?” I asked.

 

“Someone wants to adopt you!” she excitedly replied.

 

I was so happy back then. I was fifteen and at that age, I had a very slim chance of going out of that orphanage. Adoptive parents prefer young kids, you know.

 

“Really?! Is that true? Where are my adoptive parents then?!” I bombarded her these questions and I can’t hide my excitement.

 

“He is down stairs, dear.” she answered. “Go!”

 

“Oh, Dad. Why do you have to leave me too soon?” talking to myself, I recalled my adoptive dad’s memories when he was alive. He was a cheerful person and he taught me a lot of things. He died and left me all his money. I wish he were here. Going to the bathroom, I kept thinking of these memories.

 

“HURRY UP, !”

 

Out of nowhere, I remembered my dream and now it’s stuck in my brain, the dream that has been bothering me since I can remember. I find it strange that it only happens during my birthday and NEVER during any other days. What could it really mean?

 

I finally was able to push it out of my head as I head out for the car and drive my way to work. I won’t bother celebrating this day as I am used to being alone every time. I have few friends from the orphanage but I won’t bother inviting them because they are way too far from here.

 

As I drive my way to work, I turned my music player on and played some songs. I started with A Pink’s NoNoNo and SNSD’s Lion Heart and now I am listening to…wait, what is this? I cant seem to recognize the song. I checked the playlist and discovered that the song is titled “24 moons”. It’s just instrumental from start to end and plays back right after.

 

“Hell, this is creepy, gaah.”

 

I tried tapping the NEXT button so it stops playing but it wont work! I tapped and tapped almost to the point of wanting to crush the player because it is scaring the out of me and it wont STOP! It is really creeping me out and I start to feel shaky. NO. The car is shaking! THE FREAKING CAR IS SHAKING! The clouds suddenly looked strangely too close and it got darker and darker and I’m scared. I’m scared and I am running out of control of the car.

 

“What’s going on?!” I yelled through the loud noises the car is making. It started to rain hard, not gradually but all at once. I tried stopping the car but when I do, it reacts even more violently! I finally gave up and held my face in my hand. That’s only when I realized I had been crying.

 

“Help…” sobs… “me….” Sobs

 

I whispered. Through the loud noise, I can still hear the faint music of 24 moons along with my crying. Flash back memories flooded my mind and I thought to myself…

 

“Guess this is it for me, then…”

 

Minutes passed, as sudden as the rain started to fall, the car stopped shaking. It is still dark outside and the clouds are even creepier than before. I slowly peeked out of my window without rolling it down. I saw two men approaching me. I started to panic! Are they going to attack me? Are they the ones who did this to my car? Are they after me? I was starting to get paranoid.

 

I heard them asking me to open the door but I cant move. I am scared!

 

“, she wont listen!”  I heard one of them said.

 

“Break it open, then! We’ve no more time!” answered the other.

 

Oh no.. Oh no..

 

All of a sudden, I was being dragged away into the woods. The taller man started shaking me, waking my up and commanded me to run as FAST as I can before the vultures recognize my smell.

 

“WHAT?!” I asked him, running.

 

“JUST SHUT YOUR MOUTH UP FOR NOW AND KEEP RUNNING!” the Blondie answered instead.

 

I obliged and we ran together through the woods. It was even darker and the route is a bit hard to travel at because of the protruding stems and big roots. I am starting to get tired and those two start to outrun me, leaving me few steps behind.

 

“Wait up!” I called to them, pleading.

 

Instead, they continued with the same pace until I almost lost them. I saw them stopped at a certain spot between two big trees that looked like an entrance. They were there, panting, urging me to run faster.

 

“MY DREAM!”

 

I recognize that those two looked familiar. What the hell is going on?!

 

I started to slow down. I am too tired and am running out of air. Suddenly I heard flapping wings flying very fast behind me, flapping so hard I could feel the wind their wings are pushing.

 

“VULTURES!!!” Big Guy called.

 

“HURRY UP, !” Blondie seconded.

 

“Seriously guys! Come out and help me!” I cried to them.

 

But they didn’t… I was really closing in…

 

Three more steps…

 

Too slow…

 

Last two…

 

“Come on….” I encouraged myself.

 

One big final step…

 

WAIT. If this is what’s in my dream, then…

 

I know what’s going to happen and instinctively, I turned around, held out my hand to (miraculously) push my attacker away. To my surprise, it worked!

 

The vulture flew hard against a tree.

 

“WHOA!” the Big Guy was amazed and so was I.

 

Not only that I was able to sent flying the first vulture, but the other birdies cant come any closer anymore.

 

“What’s going on?!” I asked them.

 

“Jesus! Stop asking and get your across the border! Hurry! Don’t put your hands down!” said Blondie.

 

I stepped back one foot at a time, while the vultures still try to come near. I noticed a faint transparent big bubble that is surrounding me extending to about a meter radius and that's where the vultures cant cross.

 

I finally stepped in what looked like an entrance and so slowly put down my hands. The vultures started to back away.

 

I sat down, finally able to catch my breath, and broke down. I just cried for a good 10 minutes and the two were just watching. When I calmed down, I asked:

 

“What is happening?”

 

I believe my question is not complicated but why cant they answer me from the beginning?!

 

With his husky voice, Mr Biggie answered “I know you have a lot of questions right now, but let us take you to Elysia to get you fixed and warm and we will tell you all we can on our way there.  First things first, Sophie. I am CAP, and this is LJoe.”

 

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YAY! FIRST CHAPTER?! WAAAH. I WONDER WHO'S GOING TO READ THIS BORING FIC. LOL.