Stranger

Elara Dodson, a young musician and singer who lost her sight after being hit by a hit-and-run driver in a dark alley, withdrew from the waking world but gained a new perspective. She lost her eyesight, but gained a new sight, allowing her to see events before they happen.

In her dreams at night, she witnessed terrifying, vivid images of a man’s death - a ruthless person driving a black sports car under the influence of alcohol and drugs, hitting him and drinking away from the scene.

Every night, the same dream, the man is left to die in a rainy, dark alley with only his own screams echoing around him.

On certain nights, Elara dreamed of the man’s life—a stranger yet eerily familiar, a connection she couldn’t explain. It felt like a shared past life, a whisper across the veil of rebirth, adding to the surreal quality of her precognitive dreams.

His name was Liam, a renowned sculptor who frequently donated his work to raise funds for various charities. Every night, Elara dreamt about him, and his face was always clear and vivid in her mind.

Sometimes, Elara would dream, watching Liam use metal tools to carve sculptures, chiseling details to bring out the abstract forms. Elara's favorite part of sculpting is the polychromy, which involves using a variety of colors. Applying colors to the surface of a sculpture can heighten its sense of energy and bring the surface to life. Liam uses paint, gold leaf, and glaze to direct the viewer's focus to the features and forms.

Elara found Liam's eyes to be appalling, looking like marbles, with both green and brown visible in them. They were mirrors that reflected brightly on Liam's soul, revealing a tender and kind person.

Something in Liam's eyes told Elara that Liam didn't deserve such a fate.

Elara knew with a chilling certainty that she had to prevent his death, not only because of the connection she felt toward him, but because Liam didn’t deserve to be run over and left to die in some alley. He gives to others without asking for anything in return; his life has purpose and meaning.

Elara wanted to use her new gift to ensure that Liam didn't suffer the fate she had seen in her vision. Somehow, she would find a way to save Liam so that he could live a long and happy life full of meaning.

The strange way Liam died in Elara's vision reflected the mysterious circumstances of her own sight loss—an unseen, dark force taking his life just as it had taken hers. Elara found the willpower to make sure another human being wouldn't suffer as she had.

With a sense of desperate urgency, Elara made her way through the city, guided by her cane and with her other senses on high alert. She used her heightened hearing to pick up information and managed to overhear people describing Liam’s sculptor’s signature on his work.

Elara used every connection and resource she had at her disposal to search for Liam. After going through difficulty and determination, she managed to trace Liam’s location to a charity event hosted by the city's most prestigious art gallery.

Much to Elara’s dismay, the charity event takes place on the night of Liam’s death. Every detail of Liam's death in her vision has led her to this moment, and Elara knew that it was her destiny to save Liam's life.

Once a renowned musician, Elara got an invite to the art gallery where Liam was set to display his artwork. Elara used her other senses to find her way around the gallery. She couldn't see, but she could hear the chattering among the guests, the sweet smell of fresh fruit, and the bitterness of the wine being served.

Eventually, Elara spotted Liam; even though she couldn’t see him with her eyes, she could sense him with her heart and feel him with her soul.

Liam is a captivating, troubled man—full of life and eager to lend a hand to those in need. He seems oblivious to the danger that loomed at the end of the night.

Elara intentionally bumped into Liam, stepping in front of him, causing her to lose her balance.

Secretly, Elara knew the kind of man Liam is; all she had to do was wait patiently for it.

Without asking, Liam offered to be her eyes for the remainder of the evening, escorting her around the gallery and describing the details of each piece of art on display. Liam allowed Elara to touch his artwork, feeling the details and explaining everything to envision the sight in Elara's mind.

Liam was drawn to Elara, a young, talented woman who had lost her sight but still maintained a positive spirit, refusing to let her loss hold her back from living life to the fullest. He learned a valuable lesson from their first meeting: even when you lose something, you always gain something else. As long as you have the strength to keep going, you'll find a way to move forward. A person must simply have enough life left inside of them to move forward, no matter what bumps that step in their path.

Elara's attention was drawn to the new artwork, and she examined every detail of the striking statue of a woman with her eyes closed, her face serene yet cast in an unsettling shadow—a haunting echo of Elara’s own life. Despite being blind, Elara felt a profound connection to the statue, as if it held the key to their shared destiny.

As the night wore on, Liam spent time chatting and laughing with Elara, savoring this brief moment of happiness.

Elara finally shared her vision with Liam, her words breaking through the crowd's chatter at the charity event. As a sudden gust of wind blew out the lights, leaving them in darkness, a dark figure emerged from the shadows. Liam grabbed Elara, whisking them away to the gallery, where they stood before a haunting glow coming from the statue of the blind woman.

Now, Liam reveals his own secret: the statue of the blind woman is Elara, the stranger who warned him of the event of his death ten years ago, even at the cost of her own life. A sacrifice that forged a bond that went beyond just a physical connection.