The motel is silent. Outside, the low chirps of crickets blend with the distant hum of a sleeping city.

Inside, the hushed snores of exhausted children fill the dark room, interrupted only by the occasional sleep-mumbled words.

Anaki sits stiffly on his bed, listening to every sound, watching every shadow slide past the dim ceiling.

He can't sleep.

The dream felt more like a life than an illusion.

He presses his palm against his forehead, exhaling shakily. It couldn't be real. It had to be some terrible nightmare.

But... what if it wasn't?

His fingers curl around the edge of his blanket. He glances at the alarm clock.

11:50 PM.

If it was just a dream, then nothing will happen. If it wasn't...

Anaki quietly slips from his bed. He's snuck out before. Careful not to make a sound, he holds his breath, slowly pressing one toe after the other-

"I've got your back, hero!"

A Sukiyaki-sama action figure blurts out beneath his foot. Anaki flinches, eyes snapping shut.

Dammit.

He waits in the darkness, face growing red from holding his breath. Waiting for someone to wake up.

Nothing.

Only Orion shifts slightly in his sleep.

Anaki exhales shakily. That was close.

His fingers ghost over the handle before gripping it tight. He pushes the door open-carefully, slowly-and steps out into the dim hallway.

It's long past night hours in the motel. No one is awake at this time.

He turns toward the stairwell. The elevator is too loud. He climbs, pounding his chest, hoping his heart will shut up.

When he reaches the rooftop the wind slams against the door, trying to tear it open.

He bites his lip, cursing under his breath. Why is it so loud?

Anaki glances back once-the red flicker of the exit sign, nothing more. Luckily no one heard.

A breeze cools his damp skin. He shivers, then sucks in the air, savoring it. He still can't believe it-how uncontaminated it is. How refreshing it feels.

How real that vision was.

The city stretches before him, alive-cars, flickering lights, neon signs, old roads, distant laughter.

It feels like an alien world.

It's all supposed to be destroyed, replaced by a graveyard of chaos and ruin.

His fingers tighten around his wristwatch.

11:55 PM.

Five minutes.

The first time, no one had been awake to see it. But he is awake. He's here to witness it firsthand.

A bitter taste fills his mouth.

Please let it be a dream.

He inhales, trying to settle the nausea twisting in his stomach.

Something warm suddenly taps him on the shoulder. He flinches, stumbling back, nearly tripping over.

It's Eli.

Eli yawns, rubbing his eyes, hair a mess. He signs lazily, What are you doing?

Anaki fumbles with signs, trying to remember what each gesture means. He can't think straight.

Why is he awake?

"I-" Anaki swallows. Should he tell Eli?

Eli sighs, stepping closer. "You're acting weird again." His voice is thick with grogginess. "You've been acting weird since you woke up. What's wrong-"

"-What are you two doing up here?"

Anaki's stomach drops. Orion steps onto the rooftop.

Why are they both awake?

Unlike Eli, Orion doesn't look sleepy. He looks annoyed, eyes flicking from Anaki to Eli, his lips pressed into a thin line of utter exasperation.

Anaki instinctively steps back. He's not afraid anymore, but his body still reacts on reflex.

Orion always had a terrifying aura.

Eli lets out another yawn. "You awake too? Looks like. Anaki couldn't sleep again."

"Oh, for-are you serious?" Orion hisses. "Is that why you two are here?"

Eli, still sleepy, simply shrugs. "I followed him."

Orion shakes his head. "Yeah, well, idiocy is contagious."

"There was something I had to check-" Anaki chokes on his dry throat. God. He'd almost forgotten how hard it was to communicate with others.

"Uh-huh. What, the view?" Orion gestures to the city. "Oh wow, look, lights. Amazing. Totally worth sneaking up here and risking getting into trouble with Yaryu. Again."

Anaki winces. He doesn't want them here any more than Orion does.

Eli's hands move. Another nightmare.

Orion groans, scrubbing his face. "You're joking." His voice is sharp, but his arms aren't crossed anymore. He's paying attention now.

Eli tilts his head, signing to Anaki now. Was it scarier than your other dreams?

Anaki shudders. Yeah.

They both died. They didn't make it past tomorrow morning.

He gazes at his friends.

Orion smirks. "Lemme guess-you saw our horrible, tragic deaths?"

He has all his limbs attached.

Eli grins. "Should we start saying our goodbyes now?"

He's not crushed by pounds of concrete. No pole poking out of his chest.

Orion snorts. "Damn, Anaki, I hope it was a cool death. Like, I better not trip and fall down some stairs or some lame crap like that."

"Maybe it was." Eli chuckles, but his brows knit together. "Anaki, you okay?"

Their flesh is not pale or cold. It's vibrant with life, their cheeks flushed from the chilly night air.

Anaki doesn't answer. Another choke holds his throat.

Orion's smirk fades just a little. "Wait... you're not gonna cry again, are you? We were kidding, you know-"

"I know-" Anaki feels like he's going to throw up.

"What's wrong? This isn't like you, Anaki." Eli slowly approaches him.

Even Orion's brows furrow in concern.

Anaki checks the time.

11:58 PM.

A gust of wind hits harder than before. The hairs on Anaki's arms stand on end.

Two minutes.

"Mister Troublesome Threesomes."

Anaki flinches. Orion and Eli whip around.

Miss Yaryu stands in the doorway, hand on her waist, her hair even messier than the kids'.

"Why am I not surprised to see you three up here?"

Eli's soul nearly leaves his body. Orion curses. He knew this would happen.

"Uh-"

"I-"

"We-"

"Downstairs. Now. You better have a good explanation."

Anaki barely hears her.

Because-

The handle on his watch clicks.

It's midnight.

He waits. A sweat droplet trickles down his temple.

"Hurry up, Anaki. You, of all people, are not allowed to be here."

He waits.

Nothing happens.

Could it have been just a long, painful dream?

His breath shudders, cold sweat trickling down his spine.

It's been ten seconds.

He looks up. The stars are barely visible, the city lights too bright. A satellite floats overhead, a small light flickering.

Blip, blip, blip.

Anaki swallows hard. He's thirsty.

Twenty seconds.

Still nothing.

He was wrong.

Thank God.

"Come on." Yaryu gestures.

He nods, following them inside. But they don't move.

They're staring at the sky.

The air starts to freeze into clouds. Anaki shivers, hugging himself. Were summer nights really this cold?

He steps back outside.

And looks up.

Oh shit.

A black cloak spills over the sky, swallowing star after star. Consuming everything. Even the satellite pops like a spark.

The city lights flicker like a heart beat. Once.

Orion's amusement evaporates. His brows draw together in genuine confusion, he pulls Eli closer to himself.

Eli's hands hover mid-sign.

Miss Yaryu stands stiff, her body taking a defensive. Her senses perked up.

Again. The city pulsates, electricity breathing and dying. It's all silent suddenly. Not a single horn or chirp heard.

Yaryu does not lift her gaze off the vanishing sky, "Could it be a lunar eclipse?"

"How can there be an eclipse," Anaki whispers back, his hand clenching the useless watch.

"Without a moon?"

-then the heartbeat dies. Everything goes pitch black. Utter darkness as if they had been blinded. They stand, frozen, listening to their own breathes. Waiting for it to return.

Anaki's shivering breaths are the loudest.

And in the darkness, they hear him mutter:

"...It was real."