Hallucinations

" Are you -hic- Are you going to abandon me too?" Adrian cries, hugging her arm.

Seeing her silent and not responding, Adrian is more terrified. " Please don't abandon me. I will be good boy -hic-"

Paisley takes a deep breath and looks at Adrian who is crying nonstop. The skinny boy looks more pitiful at this point. She extends her hand to reach the tissue box and grabs a few tissues.

" Look at me!" She says calmly.

Adrian shakes his head, fearing that she will say something that will break his heart. " I am sorry. I won't do it again. I am sorry!"

" Look at me, Adrian!" Her voice softens.

Adrian raises his head, his shiny eyes looking really beautiful in the reflection of light. " I..m I am sorry!"

" For what?" she asks,

" Killing him?" He sniffles, hanging his head down.

" Who?"

" Hah?" Adrian looks around, " The Man who just -!"

" No one is here. You didn't kill anyone, Adrian! It's just a bad dream"

" Bad dream?" He tilts his head, tears falling off his chin.

She nods, wiping his face properly. He has a beautiful face. If he gains some weight, he will look different. " Do you want to eat something? Popcorn or Pancakes?" She asks and fix his pajamas.

" Are they yummy?" He asks innocently. Seemingly forgot about the incident earlier.

" Why not try first? You will find out!"

" I want to eat!" His blue eyes spark, shaking his head constantly.

As calm as ever, Paisley nods and stands up. However, the earlier incident seems to have shaken her enough to be unable to stand properly.

She almost falls but her attention swiftly moves to Adrian who holds her hand tightly, " Are you okay? Aunt!"

" He is strong!" She mumbles but nods quietly. She knows that he can be dangerous but what can be more dangerous than the world they live in.

" Thanks. And Call me Paisley. Your mother isn't my sister. She lied!"

Saying, she walks out of the house. She can't fall asleep anymore.

However, little did she know that Adrian didn't forget about the incident. He stands before the window, staring at the yard full of snow.

" Die!"

He whispers, and soon the blood gushes out of his mouth. When he stops moving, Adrian's eyes sharpen, whispering something.

The body including the blood disappears from her yard, leaving no trace.

Next morning,

"Are you—hic—are you going to abandon me too?" Adrian sobs, clinging tightly to Paisley's arm. His voice trembles, and the more she stays silent, the more desperate his plea becomes. "Please don't abandon me. I'll be a good boy—hic—I promise."

Paisley watches the frail boy beside her, tears streaming down his cheeks. His vulnerability tugs at something deep inside her, and despite her exhaustion, she feels a pull to comfort him. She reaches for the tissue box, grabbing a few tissues before gently speaking.

"Look at me," she says softly.

Adrian shakes his head vigorously, his tears falling harder. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again. I'm sorry!" His voice cracks as he buries his face in his hands.

"Adrian, look at me," Paisley repeats, her tone softening.

With hesitation, Adrian raises his head. His tear-filled, shining eyes meet hers, glowing slightly in the dim light. His face is streaked with tears, his lips trembling. "I… I'm sorry!" he stammers.

"For what?" she asks, her voice steady.

"For… for killing him," Adrian whispers, hanging his head low.

"Killing who?" Paisley asks, keeping her tone calm.

"The man who was here! The one I—" Adrian's voice falters as he looks around the room, confused.

"There's no one here, Adrian. You didn't kill anyone," Paisley says gently. "It was just a bad dream."

"Bad dream?" Adrian blinks, his face still wet with tears, his confusion palpable. He glances back at the window, then at Paisley.

She nods, using the tissues to wipe away his tears. "Yes. Just a bad dream. Now, do you want to eat something? How about popcorn or pancakes?" she suggests, trying to shift his focus.

"Are they yummy?" Adrian asks, his childlike innocence returning, as if he's momentarily forgotten the earlier terror.

"Why don't you try them and find out?" she says with a small smile.

Adrian nods eagerly, his bright blue eyes sparkling with excitement. "I want to eat!"

Paisley rises to her feet, but as she stands, a wave of dizziness hits her, and she nearly loses her balance. Instinctively, Adrian grabs her hand, his grip surprisingly strong for someone so frail. "Are you okay, Aunt?"

Paisley glances down at his hand, her mind racing. **He's stronger than he looks**, she realizes. Despite everything, this boy—no, this Lycan—could be dangerous, even without meaning to be. But then again, what's more dangerous than the world they're already living in?

"I'm fine," she says quietly, steadying herself. "And call me Paisley. Your mother wasn't really my sister. She… she lied."

Adrian's eyes widen, but he stays silent as she gently pulls her hand away and heads toward the kitchen, the weight of the evening pressing down on her. **Sleep won't come easily tonight**, she thinks, her mind buzzing with everything that's happened.

However, what Paisley doesn't realize is that Adrian hasn't completely forgotten what transpired. While she's in the kitchen, he stands by the window, his gaze locked on the snowy yard outside. His expression darkens, and he whispers, "Die."

Suddenly, blood trickles from his mouth, and he closes his eyes as if focusing intensely. In the blink of an eye, the yard—previously marred by a body and blood—becomes clean again. The snow is undisturbed, and there's no trace of what had happened. No evidence remains.

The body, the blood—everything—disappears into nothingness, as though it had never been there.

Wiping the grin on his face, he turns, running out of the room. This smell of Pancakes or popcorn make his stomach growl.

" Are you Hungry?" Paisley asks in low tone,

Adrian nods like an obedient kid, sitting on a stool.

" Forget what you have imagined! This won't happen again." She says, her tone is firm but calm.

Adrian nods again, looking at the bowl of pancakes mixed. His dark blue eyes glared out of his thick brows. The washed hair blocks his eyes. But those eyes are full of admiration for her, a secret desire to be with this woman who looks calm like autumn afternoon.