Ghost of the past

Tennesey was running frantically towards a room. He didn't know why, but he felt his chest getting heavy with every step.

He was gasping as he began to recognize whose room it is.

"No, no, no," he said as he pushed the door open. There was an eerie silence circling the place. His eyes began to scan every part of it. There's no one around. The bathroom, he thought. Nothing had prepared him for what was about to greet him inside. The shower curtain on the tub was drawn. But there was definitely a shadow of someone's hand peeking from it.

He took a deep breath, though he can hardly breathe.

Please, don't let it be. He was praying hard as he took a

step closer. His hands began to shake as he drew the curtain to see who it is.

There it was lying under the warm water of the tub. It still has its clothes on, but it wasn't even breathing anymore.

A bottle was floating along with a few more pills that it hadn't taken. But it's merely a few compared to the ones that were missing.

"Why?" he dropped down to his knees knowing that he's already too late.

"Lowen," he woke up having trouble breathing. It was only a dream. But the one that never left his mind ever since. It was merely a reminder to never forget what happened that day. And it's all because of Marc.

***

"Lowen," Marc woke up holding Erin's hand tightly.

"You're having a bad dream."

Erin was right. The room was obviously freezing with the air-conditioning. But he's actually bathing in sweat.

It was the first time again since he had a dream about Lowen. Then his gaze turned to Erin's face. Could it be that it's not happy to see him being around the latter?

He gently shook his head and took his hand back from its wrist.

"What are you doing here?" he's suddenly acting indifferent in front of the latter. As if it had something to do with what happened.

"Andrei asked me to call you for breakfast." It started to explain. "I heard you murmuring behind the door, and thought that you might be having a nightmare so I-"

"I get it. You can leave now."

Erin looked hurt. That he thought for a second that it was Lowen's face that was staring back at him.

"You can go down first. I'll be there in a minute."

He felt terrible after Erin left the room. Why did he have to take it out on him? It's not like it's responsible for what happened that day.

***

Erin felt like crying after leaving Marc's room.

They've just reconciled and yet, it made him feel bad again.

And whose name was it calling earlier? It seemed really affected by it. Could it be someone so important?

He began dismissing the idea as soon as he reached the stairs. But somehow, his mind drifted somewhere else that his steps fell the wrong way.

A strong arm held him back from his waist. And when he lifted his stare, Marc was already wearing that almost terrified look on his face.

"Are you alright?" it was panting like it had to run a mile just to catch him.

"How are you-" he was going to say, here already? But he was cut short with its angry tone.

"Can you keep your head straight? If I hadn't followed you here, you'd be lying in the hospital. Or probably dead by now. What were you thinking going down the stairs without even looking?"

He pushed hard on its chest with much annoyance.

"If you hadn't treated me like trash earlier. I wouldn't be tripping as you said. And what's your problem anyway? It's not like I wanted to die."

He was shocked when it suddenly hit the wood railings of the stair. It seemed really angry at some point.

But when it placed both arms on his sides. It looked weak as it bowed its head down for a moment.

"Don't ever say that you're going to die. Promise me."

"I-I won't. I'm sorry."

The hands that were once placed on the railings went up to hug him.

It had him guessing later. What could be the reason for it to act like this? And he thought of the last name that went out of its lips.

Lowen. It must have been someone so important to Marc. That it messes greatly with its emotions. One moment it's indifferent, then sad and angry at the next.

They were all sitting at the dining table. When Andrei and Dylan began to notice the underlying silence between them.

Each had the same thought in mind as they exchanged glances. silently asking each other a question. Haven't they already reconciled last night?

***

"I'll just be in my room. Don't try and bother me unless it's important." Marc's words were obviously meant not just for his bodyguards. it went straight to the stairs, and later they heard a door slamming shut.

"Did you two have a fight again?" Dylan whispered to his ear.

Why is it always because of him?

"Try asking your bipolar boss, " he said as he went straight to the front lawn. He took a deep breath as soon as he sat there.

He must have been crazy to accept an offer from a guy like this? Come to think of it, the idea itself was just as crazy.

A car suddenly parked in front. He stood as soon as he recognized the owner.

It was Alexei Hanz.