After Death II

After seeing who was waiting on the other side of the door through the peephole, she didn't wait for even a second longer and opened it. What greeted her was Zachary in his usual pair of shorts and tee. But if anything did change, it was his disheveled state. His jet black hair disarray. Usually, when he goes outside his apartment, his clothes were neatly ironed but the ones he is wearing now have wrinkles every here and there.

She was honestly wondering what could have possibly occurred to make him neglect the very thing he's so careful about, his appearance.

The very moment he saw her, he hastily launched himself, hugging her ever so tightly as if he hadn't seen her for ages. She can feel him trembling from his embrace. She didn't brush him off but instead, hugged him back. 'Something terrible must have happened to him for him to react like this.'

After who knows how long, he let her go but his hands remained rested on her shoulders. His deep brown orbs scanned her face, visibly shaking. His lips parted as if wanting to say something only to close it again. "A-are you okay? Odette? You're not hurt or anything, are you?" he asked her as he continued to scan her. He made her turn around to look at her back, her arms, her neck… As if desperately searching for an injury.

"No? Why would I not be okay? I should be the one asking you though, are you okay? I think you're not." she told him while cupping his face, her reddish-brown irises staring at him filled with concern.

Zach, unconvinced, asked her again, "Are you sure? You didn't get injured or anything, did you?"

Odette contemplated for a while, thinking if it would be alright to tell him about what occurred to her this morning in his current condition. "Hmm… Well, except for some police who came here this morning and me being sent to the psychiatrist. Aside from that, no, I didn't get hurt or anything, I assure you."

She told him cautiously, not wanting to create any misunderstandings but it only has a different effect. Zach turned wide-eyed, "What happened?! Why were there police? Were there any intruders? D-did they hurt you?" Seeing his over-the-top reaction, she knew she messed up. 'I shouldn't have told him.'

"What about we get inside first, let's talk it out… calmly."

She gave him a cup of tea and sat on the chair opposite to him. "Hmm… How should I say it? Apparently, I had a sleep terror this morning and had been screaming my heart out disturbing the neighbors. The landlord came to knock at my door, finding out that no one is opening and him hearing my screams, he thought that something is happening so he called the police. They then sent me to the psychiatrist to have me check. He said I only had a sleep terror and it happens sometimes. No worries." she narrated what happened, of course, leaving the part where the police had to restrain her as she turned aggressive out of the blue. It would only make him think of the worst.

Seeing him sigh in relief, she finally relaxed. She hadn't realized that she had been tensed since the moment she woke up.

"Okay, my turn. What got you thinking I'm hurt? And what made you react like that? Something happened?" she asked him as she took a bite from her butter cookie. He didn't speak for a while, as if he is trying to remember something.

"I had a dream. No, more like a nightmare. A vivid one at that." she only hummed as a response, urging him to continue.

"It felt so real. In there, I… I saw you bathed in your own blood. Some of your fingers were severed, some were dislocated. Although you're alive, you clearly had no more light in your eyes. Looked like you've already resigned to your horrible fate. I didn't know how or why were you in that state. I… I clearly remember, how you look at me straight into my eyes lifelessly." as he was saying that, his fingers that were holding his cup trembled, tears started to well up in his eyes.

Odette meanwhile, as she was listening felt something weird. She couldn't explain it actually, it was as if, she can exactly feel what he's talking. As if it was actually her inside his dreams. 'It must be the aftereffect of the sleep terror.' she convinced herself.

Looking at him so vulnerable, weak, and looked like he would break any moment. She stood from her seat and sat beside him. She then rested his head onto her shoulder, caressing his back. "I'm fine though, that was only a dream. I'm here in the flesh with no decapacitated fingers. Do you want to stay here tonight?" he didn't answer but instead, he hugged her tightly. Somehow, she didn't need to hear his response. Because she knew, that she's also in her vulnerable state now. She needed him too.