A New Day

Lily’s eyes flickered open as the blaring sound of her alarm clock pierced the stillness of the room. Groggily, she reached out and hit the snooze button, momentarily closing her eyes to stave off the morning light filtering in through the blinds. The soft, golden glow of the sun shone through the slats, but it felt so foreign to her after the dark, haunting night she had just experienced.

She lay there for a moment, her body still tangled in the blankets, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Her head ached, the lingering effects of a restless night haunting her. The strange man in the woods, his eerie gaze, and the words he had spoken kept replaying in her mind. You shouldn’t be here. It’s not just a forest. Not for you.

Lily let out a breath, trying to shake the haunting feeling that clung to her. It’s just a dream, she told herself, her voice almost a whisper in the silence of the room. She had heard stories about the forest, legends of creatures that roamed its depths, but that’s all they were—stories. Still, the memory of the figure watching her from the shadows felt too real to ignore.

The clock on her nightstand blinked, pulling her out of her thoughts. She groaned, rubbing her eyes as she forced herself to sit up. The day had already begun, and she didn’t have the luxury of staying in bed.

She glanced at the time. It was nearly 7:30 a.m. The sounds of birds chirping outside the window were the only things breaking the quiet. Lily wasn’t a morning person, and the thought of dragging herself out of bed for another busy day at college didn’t exactly excite her. But she knew she couldn’t afford to miss class.

With a deep sigh, Lily swung her legs over the side of the bed and planted her feet on the cold hardwood floor. The chill in the air was a stark contrast to the warmth of her blankets. She stood up, stretching her arms above her head, and then walked to the bathroom.

After brushing her teeth and washing her face, Lily looked at her reflection in the mirror. She didn’t look any different, but somehow, everything felt different. She saw the same tired eyes staring back at her, the same messy hair she always had in the mornings. But there was a certain unease in her gaze, something she hadn’t felt before. She didn’t know what had changed, but she could sense that something had.

It was a small, nagging feeling at the back of her mind, one she couldn’t quite explain. It wasn’t just the encounter in the woods that troubled her—it was the way the world around her seemed to have shifted. Her college life, her friendships, the routine she had come to rely on, all of it suddenly felt a little less familiar, as if she were walking through a dream.

Maybe I’m just tired, Lily reasoned as she pulled on a pair of jeans and a comfortable sweatshirt. It was chilly outside, so she added a jacket for warmth. It wasn’t much of an outfit, but it would do for today. She didn’t feel like putting any more effort into her appearance. Her thoughts were far away from fashion and style at the moment.

Lily made herself a quick breakfast of toast and coffee, hoping that the caffeine would help clear her mind. The toast was a little burnt, but she didn’t care. She ate it anyway, her mind still elsewhere. As she sat at the table, she tried to push the thoughts of the previous night aside. She needed to focus on today—on the classes, the work, the things she could control. But every time she tried to focus, the image of the stranger in the woods returned, uninvited.

Lily finished her breakfast quickly and grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder as she headed for the door. The cool morning air hit her face as soon as she stepped outside, and she took a deep breath, trying to calm the nervous energy swirling inside her.

The walk to college was short, but it gave her time to collect her thoughts. The streets were still quiet, with only a few cars and pedestrians making their way to work. Lily was grateful for the calmness, though part of her wished for a little more chaos to distract her from the haunting silence inside her head.

By the time she reached the campus, she felt slightly better. The familiar hustle and bustle of college life surrounded her, and it was comforting in its own way. People rushed between buildings, talking to friends, checking their phones, and preparing for the day ahead. The routine of it all was a stark contrast to the strange and unsettling events of the previous night.

Lily walked across the campus toward the library, where she had planned to meet Ema and Nadia. As she neared the entrance, she spotted them standing outside, chatting and laughing. Ema was the first to notice her, waving enthusiastically.

“Lily! You made it!” Ema called out, flashing a bright smile. “You okay? You look a little off.”

Lily forced a smile in return, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little tired,” she replied, trying to sound casual. She didn’t want to worry them, especially not after everything that had happened.

Nadia, always the observant one, raised an eyebrow as she looked at Lily. “Are you sure? You don’t look like your usual self.”

“I’m just… not feeling the best today,” Lily said quickly, brushing off Nadia’s concern. “I’ll be fine. I just didn’t sleep well.”

Ema seemed to accept the explanation without question, and soon they were walking toward their first class. The conversation shifted to other things—what they had planned for the weekend, how difficult the upcoming exams were going to be, the usual chatter. But Lily couldn’t bring herself to fully engage in their talk. Her mind kept drifting back to the woods, to the man with the glowing eyes, to the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

What was that feeling? Lily wondered. Why did I feel like I had to keep going deeper into the forest? Why did I feel like I couldn’t leave?

She didn’t understand it, and it frustrated her. But she wasn’t ready to share this with Ema and Nadia. She wasn’t sure they would understand, and she didn’t want them to worry. They had enough of their own problems to deal with.

The day passed slowly, each hour dragging on as Lily tried to focus on her lectures. But no matter how hard she tried, her thoughts kept returning to the night before. The way the forest had felt alive, the way the man had looked at her, as if he knew something she didn’t. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his face, his cold, unreadable expression.

What if it wasn’t just a dream? Lily thought. What if something really is out there?

After the final class of the day, Lily felt utterly exhausted. Her mind was still swirling with questions, and her body ached from the strain of trying to keep it all together. Ema and Nadia invited her to grab a coffee with them before heading home, but Lily declined. She needed time to think—time alone.

“I’m just going to head back to my apartment and rest,” she said. “I’ll catch up with you both later.”

Ema and Nadia exchanged concerned looks but didn’t press her further. They said their goodbyes, and Lily made her way back home, her pace slow and deliberate. The campus was quieter now, the fading light of the evening casting long shadows across the pathways. It felt like another world, distant and far removed from the chaos of the woods.

As she walked, Lily couldn’t shake the feeling that something was waiting for her. Something she hadn’t yet understood. She didn’t know what it was, but she couldn’t deny the sense that the events of the previous night had set something in motion—a chain of events she couldn’t stop.

When she finally reached her apartment, the sun was low on the horizon, the sky painted in shades of orange and pink. Lily felt like she had crossed some invisible line, and now, there was no going back.