Grey opened his eyes. He was in his own body—a twenty-one-year-old man in a custom-tailored formal suit.
The first thing he did was check his hands. A gold Rolex watch gleamed on his wrist. His nails were neatly trimmed. His black hair and the barely noticeable veins on his hands emphasized the image of a wealthy and attractive young man.
He felt an unprecedented surge of joy.
Indeed, it had all turned out to be just a dream. A terrifying, detailed dream, but a dream nonetheless. He hadn't realized how comfortable he felt in his own body.
Exulting in his return to reality, Grey looked around. His gaze swept over his surroundings, and suddenly, all sense of relief evaporated.
He found himself in an ancient cabin, bathed in a soft twilight.
The room was not too large, yet not cramped. Walls made of logs darkened by time created a sense of coziness and security. The dim flicker of candles cast bizarre shadows on the wooden ceiling beams.
In a stone stove in the corner of the room, a fire crackled, spreading pleasant warmth and the aroma of burning logs. Near the stove stood a bench covered with soft sheepskins, inviting one to sit and enjoy the comforts of home.
A small, wooden-framed window caught his eye, offering a view of a strange landscape.
An enormous, reddish moon hung low over the horizon. Its dim glow illuminated a dark, dense forest. Gloomy thickets surrounded a small settlement. The silhouettes of village huts with pointed roofs stood out against the night sky.
Cabinets stood along the walls near the window, their time-darkened doors adorned with simple carvings. Clay jars and bowls were visible on the shelves, along with several leather-bound books.
On the wooden floor, right before the hearth, lay an impressive rug made from the hide of a black wolf. Its thick fur shimmered in the reflections of the flames, creating an illusion of movement, as if the beast were still alive and ready to fight.
The rug was skillfully crafted, preserving the natural shape of the fierce creature, including the head with its snarling maw and the numerous gashes sustained in a desperate battle.
The hide was large enough for several people to sit on comfortably.
After taking in the impressive size of the pelt, Grey's gaze shifted to a massive oak table covered with a snow-white linen tablecloth.
Suddenly his pupils constricted, and his body tensed like a coiled spring...
At the table sat a short, scrawny, black-haired boy, carelessly swinging his legs in the air. The sight of the child sent a chill racing down Grey's spine. Goosebumps covered his skin, and a lump formed in his throat.
Though Grey had not looked into a mirror once since arriving in the new world, some deep, inexplicable inner sense whispered a terrifying truth to him.
This boy, sitting at the table with a carefree smile, was a perfect copy of the child whose body he had inhabited in his "dream." The same black hair, the same fragile frame, the same presence.
Grey felt his heart begin to race, and his breathing turned ragged.
Reality and the dream began to bleed together in his mind. The sensation of his own adult body, the suit, and the Rolex watch suddenly felt illusory, fake.
He tried to swallow, but his throat had gone bone-dry.
He couldn't tear his eyes away from the boy, who remained oblivious to his presence and continued to joyfully kick his legs.
Grey's racing thoughts were cut short by the cheerful laughter of a little girl and the hurried patter of footsteps on the stairs.
Unable to control himself, he turned to look in her direction. Although the rest of the room remained blurry, the girl's appearance was strikingly vivid.
She was about eight years old. Her face resembled a little angel, a gift to the world. Most notable were her snow-white hair, falling over a floral dress, and her expressive blue eyes, which seemed to contain an entire universe within them.
Grey had never seen such a beautiful child in his life.
The girl's lips were parted in a smile, revealing pearly white teeth. A clear, melodic laugh escaped her.
The girl ran toward the table, clutching two unusual animals in her arms: a snow-white fox and a three-headed black puppy. With a careless motion, she set them down on the floor, rushed to the boy, and threw her arms around his neck in a swift embrace.
"Big brother, I'm so glad you're okay. If only you knew how worried I was when you ran off into the woods alone!"
The adult Grey felt a warmth spreading through his entire body. This scene, so full of life, stood in stark contrast to his mounting panic, deepening his sense of disorientation. An involuntary smile touched his lips.
Suddenly, another female figure materialized from the girl's shadow. A black-haired cat-girl, dressed in a maid's uniform, stepped softly forward. Her ears twitched slightly, and her eyes were narrowed in pleasure.
"I am glad you have recovered, young master. You should smile as often as possible," she said, looking at the two children with warmth.
Their joy seemed to infect the cat-girl as well.
She reached out to the heads of the twins and stroked them gently. Her fingers, tipped with barely noticeable claws, affectionately ruffled their hair. At that same moment, Grey felt an invisible hand carelessly mess up his own hair, causing a strange tickling sensation.
The little boy, giggling, reached for the cat-girl's ears and began to scratch them tenderly. The girl followed her brother's example.
A content, relaxed purr involuntarily escaped the maid's throat. Grey felt a soft tail wrap around him, as if he were sinking into plush fur.
It was then he finally realized that all the boy's feelings were somehow resonating with his own.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps from the stairs again, soft and almost silent this time.
Driven by instinct, he shifted his gaze and froze...
Standing on the stairs, holding the railing, was a woman so beautiful that his thoughts simply ground to a halt.
His heart beat faster, and his breathing quickened.
Long, snow-white hair fell freely over neat shoulders of perfect shape. Her face seemed a masterpiece of art: large blue eyes radiated tenderness and wisdom, while full pink lips curved into a slight smile. A regal posture gave the woman a divine appearance, combining majesty and grace.
Her figure was truly seductive. A slender waist, cinched by a belt, emphasized the elegance of her silhouette. The white dress softly clung to her lithe curves, accentuating a full chest and rounded hips of ideal proportions.
As she descended the stairs, her long legs occasionally revealed glimpses of tender skin, beckoning the viewer.
Everything about this woman seemed beautiful. Even her toes, peeking out from unassuming sandals, resembled ripe grapes that one would long to cover with kisses.
Maternal tenderness could be read in her gaze, and the grace of a queen in her movements. She radiated an aura of care and protection, mingled with an unearthly attraction.
Grey felt an overwhelming urge to draw near her, to breathe in her enchanting scent, to bury his face in that snow-white hair, and to feel her supple, tender body in his arms—to dissolve into her embrace forever.
He stood frozen, completely spellbound.
This woman embodied the ideal—temptress and mother, queen and goddess, a blend of earthly accessibility and celestial perfection. Her presence filled the room with a unique atmosphere where time seemed to stand still and reality blurred into a dream.
"Fufufu," the woman laughed, her voice like the shimmering chime of silver bells. "My darlings, why aren't you hugging your mommy?"
As if receiving a heavenly command, the children rushed into the beauty's arms.
In that moment, through the eyes of the child, Grey felt echoes of celestial bliss from the embrace of a goddess.
His soul flickered, gradually dissolving into peace and consolation. As he faded, he felt no fear or despair—only a sincere longing to be lost in oblivion, merging with the woman into a single whole forever.
However, the children quickly broke the embrace.
As if doused with ice water, the adult Grey snapped back to his senses. Goosebumps raced across his body. Instinctively, he realized he had nearly lost himself forever, all because of a fleeting sensation from this beauty's hug.
Although the very thought of eternal oblivion made his soul tremble with dread and apprehension, he couldn't bring himself to hate the exquisite woman. Instead, Grey reproached himself for being unworthy of such perfection.
A sense of awe mingled with the bitterness of his own inadequacy in the face of divine beauty.
Balancing between fear and admiration, Grey understood that every moment in her presence was simultaneously a blessing and an ordeal, a temptation and a revelation.
The scene continued to unfold, immersing him in an atmosphere of domestic comfort and serenity.
As if dancing, the beauty moved through the kitchen, deftly handling dishes and ingredients. Soon, the pleasant aroma of roasted meat spread through the room, filling the space with the scent of a delicious dinner.
Unwilling to stay quiet, the two pets decided to demand attention.
The fox glided gracefully between the children's legs, playfully nipping at their heels from time to time.
The three-headed black puppy, by contrast, was the epitome of clumsy charm. His oversized paws constantly got tangled, making him trip and tumble, which drew bursts of laughter from the two children.
Both animals, despite their differences, acted in surprising harmony, repeatedly casting pitiful glances toward their beautiful mistress. Their eyes grew large and glassy.
The fox let out a soft, almost musical sound: "Wuwuwu."
The puppy's three heads tilted sideways in unison, creating a comical sight.
Their silent plea for food was so amusing and obvious that even Grey couldn't stop his lips from curling into a smile.
The family gathered around, exchanging light jokes and good-natured teasing.
The little girl, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, started telling a joke she had heard from her grandfather.
"Do you know what Grandpa Ma said when he saw a flying fish?" she began, barely stifling her laughter. "He said, 'Looks like this river ran out of water!'"
"Ahahahah. And... do you know why Grandpa Jack is always so strict and tense?" the black-haired boy chimed in. "Grandma Cornelia said, 'He threw a boomerang once, but it never came back.' Ahahah. He's lived in fear ever since."
"Ahahahahaha, brother, do you know what memory the blind grandpa considers his fondest?"
"What?"
"When he found three silver coins in an old coat... And all on his first day working at the cloakroom... Ahahahah."
The children's laughter rang through the air, creating a melody of domestic bliss. Even the cat-girl, usually cold, couldn't help but smile.
Once the dish was ready, the clatter of cutlery mingled with quiet conversation and satisfied exclamations. Time seemed to slow down. Every moment of the family dinner was filled with special meaning and beauty.
Standing apart and watching, Grey caught himself thinking that he wanted to stay in this moment forever, immersed in the atmosphere of love and comfort enveloping him. These weren't his feelings at all, but the feelings of the body's original owner; yet he couldn't tell the difference, and he didn't want to.
Suddenly, the beauty spoke. Her voice was tender, yet a faint note of concern lingered within it.
"Darling, I'm so glad you came through the failed operation so well. Know that we will always be by your side. Always," she said with a gentle smile.
"Always," the children echoed.
"Always," the cat-girl repeated.
The echo of those words rang in the air, growing louder and louder.
Suddenly, the woman's beautiful form underwent a change.
Blood gushed from her mouth. Her white clothes stained a deep crimson. Her face turned pale, becoming like a waxen mask. A tender, caring smile still played on her lips, but the tip of a spear now protruded from her chest.
"Always!" her voice rang out, just as peaceful, yet faint and strangled.
A crack tore through the outlines of the scene, as if the entire world were merely a fragile vase that someone had ruthlessly shattered to pieces. The idyllic picture of the family dinner began to crumble like the shards of a broken mirror.
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I am very interested in how my readers think this story will end.