36

"Hey, what happened to him?" Joseph asked in a startled tone as he saw Knox walking towards him. He was in the middle of a photo session and couldn’t leave to find out.

Anna noticed the unease in his voice, but Joseph didn’t offer any explanation. Instead, he stared at the door for a moment, shook his head, and turned back to the camera.

"What's going on?" he muttered, clutching his head with both hands, trying to control his rising anger. He felt as if his mind was about to explode. Dizzy, he collapsed onto the bed, surrendering to his emotions. As his thoughts settled, he slowly drifted into sleep.

"Make a wish, Anna," Joseph said, holding her hand as she stood beside him, dressed as a bride. It was as if he believed her words could command the world.

"What do you want?" she asked curiously.

"I already have what I want," he replied.

"Oh, like the simple things in life?" she teased.

"It's not like that anymore," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Then tell me," she urged.

"Ummm..." She playfully tapped her cheek, pretending to think, and Joseph's face lit up with a smile.

"Actually... I want to visit the dream world. Can you take me there?" she asked suddenly.

Joseph raised an eyebrow, amused, and she quickly added, "I... uh... I don’t even know how to explain this."

"Why can’t your desires be normal, like everyone else's?" he teased.

"Because I have you," she said with a grin.

"One day, you're going to take me off this planet," Joseph joked, feigning exasperation.

The dream world was full of wonders but also nightmares. Joseph had avoided it for a long time, fearing the darker side. Anna chuckled at his mock frustration, knowing she’d won him over with her playful persistence.

"Can we even walk far with me in this heavy dress?" she asked, gesturing at her gown.

"It's no problem," Joseph replied confidently.

They started walking down the road, drawing stares from passersby due to their unusual attire. If her father had seen them, especially Joseph leading her like this, he might have had a minor heart attack.

"Is that where we're headed?" Anna asked, noticing a cluster of trees ahead. Beyond them lay a massive field large enough for a spaceship to land. It was the same place Joseph had landed his tube-shaped rocket the last time Anna had been upset with him.

Joseph nodded in confirmation.

As they walked, a man brushed past Anna in the narrow space, nearly colliding with her. Before he could, Joseph placed his hand on her shoulder, redirecting the man, who stumbled and fell onto the road. The man, though uninjured, looked confused and kept glancing back at them, rubbing his arm as though he'd hit a steel wall.

Anna squinted at Joseph in mock irritation.

"I'm in love," he said with such innocence that Anna couldn’t help but smile. She motioned for him to bow, and when he did, she stood on her toes and kissed his forehead. Straightening, he murmured, "O God," making Anna laugh.

"Close your eyes," Joseph instructed, placing an invisible barrier around Anna. She obeyed, and Joseph began circling her with his fist clenched. Colorful stars rose and spun around her as the ground beneath her seemed to shift.

"Dreams aren't meant to be seen with open eyes, Anna," Joseph reminded her.

"Don't you want to enter the dream world too?" she asked, sensing his movements.

"I'm more interested in reality than dreams," he said, gazing passionately at her radiant face.

Anna didn’t reply, stepping fully into the dream world instead. She smiled as Joseph spoke to her, but her expression shifted when she saw someone standing behind him. Her gaze climbed from the figure’s feet to his face, and her smile froze as she noticed a pistol aimed at Joseph.

She tried to warn him, but it was too late. A gunshot rang out, hitting Joseph in the chest. He fell to his knees, blood spreading across his shirt. Anna screamed and rushed towards him, but another bullet grazed her before a second struck her, causing her to collapse near him. Through her fading vision, she saw Knox grinning, his pistol still smoking.

Pain consumed her as she realized she’d been betrayed not by an enemy, but a friend. She heard Joseph calling her name, his voice echoing as though from a deep well. She felt his hands on her face before everything went dark.

When she finally opened her eyes, she saw Joseph’s worried face. Overwhelmed with relief, she reached out to touch him, ensuring he was unharmed. It took her a moment to grasp that it had all been a dream—a hauntingly vivid nightmare.