The midday sun hung over Evergreen University, sharp but worn, creating faint shadows on the courtyard stones. Students gathered in hushed groupings, their voices low and deliberate. There was no laughter today. A quiet had fallen over the air like dust.
Jill made her way through the crowd, drawn to a familiar face—Alice, who stood stiffly among a ring of talking students. Her posture was firm, her jaw hard. Jill recognised that look. Something wasn't right.
She stepped forward. "Alice?"
Alice turned at the sound of her name. For a moment, her face softened, but it didn't last.
"You're late," she replied in a harsh voice. "Where were you?"
Jill glanced around. "What's going on? Why is everyone standing around like this?"
Alice stepped closer, lowering her voice. "Something's happened."
Jill frowned. "What do you mean?"
Alice stared at her for a long time. "You know Curt Jackson?"
Jill nodded slowly. "Yeah… why?"
"He's missing."
The words landed cold. Jill's body remained still. "What?"
"He has not been seen since the day before yesterday," Alice stated. "No one has heard from him. He didn't show up to class. His roommate claims his bed was not slept in.
Jill's eyebrows pulled together. "That's not like Curt."
"No, it's not," Alice agreed, her voice low.
A quiet fell between them. Jill observed the other students' worried expressions and noticed that even laughter appeared like something they'd forgotten how to do.
"This has never happened here," Jill said.
"No," Alice murmured. "It hasn't."
Jill shifted as if the burden of the early morning had finally settled on her shoulders. Alice examined her more closely.
"Are you okay?" Alice asked.
Jill blinked. "Why?"
"You look… not like yourself. Your hair's a mess. No makeup. No jewellery. You never come out like this."
Jill gave a faint, unsure smile. "I didn't sleep well last night."
Alice said nothing, but her silence asked for more.
Jill looked away. Then she went to the side, carefully pulling Alice away from the crowd. Her voice lowered.
"It's going to sound weird." Jill's voice was barely above a whisper.
"Try me," Alice said, tilting her head with a curious smile.
Jill hesitated. "How real is it for a woman to wake up feeling… wet?"
Alice's brows rose slightly and then calmed. "What do you mean? A dream. "Like a wet dream?"
"Yeah," Jill replied, barely audible. "But not like a normal one. It felt strange. My whole body felt… not like mine."
Alice leaned forward a little. "This happens. Dreams can become intense. "Your mind and body both respond at different times."
"But this wasn't just a moment," Jill explained. "It seemed like too much. "As if it stayed with me."
Alice nodded carefully. " It's not unusual. It's merely your body reacting, particularly if you have nightmares about someone you're attracted to.
Jill exhaled slowly. "So, it's not something to worry about?"
"No," Alice replied kindly. "This happens to me all the time." "It is normal."
Jill gave a slight nod. She appeared relieved, yet something in her eyes kept straying, as if she was doubting her thoughts.
"Come on," Alice replied. "Let's get to the lecture room."
They walked together, their footsteps quiet against the soft murmur of an unsettled campus. Despite the magnificent sky above, something unspoken lingered between the buildings—an unsettling hush that weighed down like an extended breath.