The first dream had come to her on a stormy night. Rain tapped against her window as she lay in bed, her head spinning with unspoken thoughts. In the dream, she was in a misty forest, barefoot, her pale pink gown contrasting the dark terrain. A shadowy figure whispered her name, "Aaliyah," drawing her deeper into the woods.

When she awoke, her heart was racing, her mind overwhelmed by the vividness of it. But she told no one. Her mother had already warned her against spending too much time with "those dark thoughts." Her father would chalk it up to too much imagination.

It wasn't just the dreams. She began hearing soft whispers during the day too, almost as if the shadows were following her. Her best friend, Zoya, thought it was stress. But Aaliyah knew better. The pull toward the unknown was growing stronger. Still, she kept it buried, sacrificing her love for the gothic world to appear "normal" for her parents.