Romania, October 1st, 1989

IN THE OUTSKIRTS of the city Brasov, a small, cozy home, lay in a quiet neighborhood. The late afternoon sun casts a warm glow through the curtains as Laura, a vibrant young woman in her mid-twenties, sits on the couch with her newlywed husband, Luca. They're still basking in the joy of their recent marriage, the house filled with the soft hum of music and the scent of freshly-brewed tea.

A gentle breeze drifts in through the open window, carrying with it the sweet scent of blooming jasmine from the garden outside. The soft rustling of leaves blends with the distant chirping of birds, creating a serene symphony that fills the quiet spaces of their home. Laura leans back into the plush cushions of the couch, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of her teacup as she exchanges a contented smile with Luca. The golden light of the sun bathes the room, casting long shadows that dance along the wooden floors. The world outside seems to hold its breath, as if in reverence of the peaceful moment they share.

Leaning against Luca, Laura laughs softly. "I can't believe we're married. It feels like a dream."

Luca smiles at the woman, kissing her forehead. "A dream I never want to wake up from" He looked into her big, playful eyes, wishing nothing more than to be in this moment forever.

But just as they're settling into this peaceful moment, Laura suddenly feels a sharp pain in her abdomen. She winces, her hand instinctively moving to her stomach. Luca notices immediately, his smile fading into concern.

"Laura? What's wrong?"

Laura starts breathing heavily, confusion and fear flooding her eyes. "I don't know.... it hurts..... it feels like..."

Her words trail off as the pain intensifies, and she doubles over, gasping. Luca, now in full panic mode, rushes to her side. "Laura, we need to get you to a hospital, something's wrong' he says, frantically.

But as Luca helps her stand, they both notice something shocking- Laura's stomach is rapidly swelling, as if she's suddenly several months pregnant. The impossibility of it leaves them both in a stunned silence.

Laura's eyes open wide with terror, and she clutches Luca's hand. "This can't be happening.... Luca, what's going on?"

With no time to think, Luca swiftly carries his wife to the car, speeding through the streets to the nearest hospital, their minds racing with fear and confusion.

••••

When they arrive, doctors and nurses are equally baffled, but there's no time to question. Laura is rushed to the delivery room, the situation spiraling out of control. Luca is left in the waiting area, pacing, wringing his hands, his mind a whirlwind of disbelief.

After what feels like an eternity, a doctor comes out, her face grim.

"Mr. Cristescu... your wife..... she didn't make it. I'm so sorry. We did everything we could." She says gently, with sorrow in her voice.

Luca feels the world collapse around him. The joy of the day has turned into an unimaginable nightmare. His eyes start filling with tears, his chest starts pounding. His knees buckle, but before he can truly process the loss, the doctor continues.

With a soft, yet urgent tone, she adds "But.... your daughter. She's healthy. Laura gave birth to a beautiful baby girl."

Luca is lead into the room where Laura lies pale and lifeless, but next to her, in a small bassinet, is a tiny, crying infant- Katerina. His heart breaks at the sight of the woman he loved most, but something in the baby's cries pulls him back from the edge of despair. He approaches, his hands shaking, and he picks up his daughter.

As he looks into her big, brown eyes, he feels his stomach twist and turn. How did this happen? Why now? Why me?

•••

Katerina's childhood was not what would be considered "normal", but, frankly, that's all she ever really wished for. With her mother dying the moment she came into this world, how could she ever imagine having a normal childhood?

Her father, devastated by Laura's death, took shelter in alcohol not long after. He did feel for his child- and Katerina knew that, but he was too plagued by grief to even try showing it. When she was old enough to fend for herself, (at least, she tried) many of her days consisted of dragging her passed out father to his bedroom and cleaning up his mess. But the days in which he wasn't in a defenseless state, well, those days still haunt her to this day.

On a cloudy day in November, when Katerina was 7 years old, her doorbell rang. She was met with what looked like the iciest eyes she had ever seen. In front of her, was a tall woman, with thin black curls resting on her shoulders. Her piercing gaze was fixed on the small girl.

Katerina did not know what to make of the woman looking at her like she killed her entire family, or her father, looking as sober as ever, stumbling out of the car carrying 2 large suitcases. Her young mind did understand many things- maybe too many for her age. But this? She did not understand this.

As the years went by, the haggard woman became a fixture in the family. One might think a motherly presence would become a blessing, right? That wasn't the case. Every time Beatrice looked into Katerina's eyes, she saw the haunting reflection of her husband's lost love. Overwhelmed by jealousy, she couldn't suppress the bitter resentment that festered within her, directed at the innocent girl.

Fortunately, it wasn't all bad. Two years after her father had remarried, a miracle came into Katerina's life- her little brother.

Darius Cristescu was born just after Katerina's 9th birthday. He was a small bundle of joy- frankly, the only thing keeping Katerina going throughout her years home.

Katerina took charge in raising her brother, seeing as her father succumbed once again to his old habits, and her step-mother never being home. She taught him how to tie his shoelaces, how to read, how to behave- everything a child should be taught. He became her sole focus, her only source of purpose. She would have done anything to protect him.

Katerina always knew she was not normal, even outside of her challenging home life. She felt- way more than anyone else. And not just her own emotions, but the ones surrounding her. She felt when her teachers told the class little lies to nurture young imaginations, she felt the local cashier's quiet suffering, she felt the rage of her step-mother before she lashed out. She felt everything.

She couldn't explain the origin of the ability, only that it wasn't normal. At the time, she couldn't grasp it's full potential. It came in unpredictable waves, she always struggled to control it. That was, until one day, when the thing in the world she loved most was about to vanish.