In a parked SUV, Felix's father carefully positioned the last cardboard box on the back seat. He paused, wiping his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand and letting out an exhausted sigh.
"I must admit, I didn't expect you to accumulate so many things in such a short time, Felix," he said, looking with a mix of disbelief and humor at his son.
Felix, a 19-year-old with still youthful features, was on the threshold between adolescence and adulthood. He had just finished his first year of college and now, with the help of his parents and sister, Felicia, was dismantling his room in the student accommodation.
Felicia, a few years older and already familiar with university life, was somewhat impatient. She had finished her exams the previous week and, in fact, would have preferred to be anywhere else than helping in the intense heat of that May day. Her t-shirt clung to her body, and she had tied her brown hair in a hurried bun, trying to relieve the heat. Even so, she couldn't avoid the sweat that ran down her skin.
Observing the amount of Felix's belongings scattered throughout the vehicle, she commented, half-ironically, while leaning against a nearby tree: "You'll need to do a clean out of all this junk. Or do you want me to go on the roof of the car?"
Felix's father laughed, trying to ease the tension: "The trip back is quick, just an hour. I think we can manage." Despite the complaint, Felicia agreed with a reluctant nod.
The way back was filled with light conversations and plans for the next year. Felix's mother and father were animatedly discussing the coming months, while Felicia dived into her world through her smartphone screen. Felix, on the other hand, seemed lost in thought, looking out the window and occasionally at the belongings that surrounded them all.
However, the calmness of the scene was abruptly interrupted. The rumble of thunder echoed deafeningly, followed by a lightning bolt so bright it tore the sky. Without warning, a dark and sinister opening formed behind the vehicle, resembling the voracious mouth of a hungry creature.
The reality around Felix seemed to freeze, his eyes widened in pure terror. He felt a tingling on his skin, and currents of silver energy danced around the car, focusing on him. In an instant, Felix felt his consciousness distort, and everything around him changed.
"What was that scare?", murmured the mother, looking around with wide eyes, trying to understand what had just happened.
"The most important thing is that we are all okay," the father replied, reflexively gripping the steering wheel.
In the midst of all the confusion, Felicia tried to get comfortable, saying with a complaining tone: "My leg is tingling, I need to move."
Felix, still trying to assimilate the strange feeling of displacement, replied in an almost dreamy tone: "Honestly, I don't have much space here."
The two young ones, gently falling asleep in the backseat. They were now innocently and comfortably intertwined, seeking each other's warmth and comfort.
Noticing the scene, the parents looked through the rearview mirror and were overcome with a wave of nostalgia, remembering when their children were just little ones who used to fall asleep like this after long play sessions.
"Look at them," the mother murmured with a tender smile on her lips. "They look like those little ones who used to sleep cuddled up after an exhausting day. How time flies, doesn't it? It's so comforting to see that they maintain that bond."
The father agreed, visibly moved. "You know, it's really special. Not every sibling has this kind of connection. They will always be there for each other, I'm sure of it."
They couldn't be more wrong...