Angel [Ereri/Riren]

Chapter 2- Levi

With the day halfway over, I'm sitting in my office, grading some papers and picking at a salad. I don't really like salad, I don't know why I always pack them for myself.

I can feel the eye strain coming on; I close my eyes and rest my forehead in my hands. I could almost take a nap like this. There's a knock at the door. It startles me awake. Turns out I could nap like that.

"Come in." I say, shaking my head slightly as if I could shake off my brief nap. The door creaks open and Erwin pokes his head in.

"I said you could come in."

"Yeah but I just wanted to make sure." He takes a seat in one of the seats across my desk.
"You look exhausted."

"How observant of you." I say sarcastically, leaning back in my chair. I raise an eyebrow at him.

"Any progress?" Erwin crosses one leg over the other, and rests his folded hands on his knee.

"On these papers? Unfortunately not."

"No, on the dream front."

"Oh...no, I haven't." I look out the window so I don't have to make eye contact with him.

"Have you considered talking to a therapist or something?"

This question makes me look at him, my eye brow once again raised. "Like my insurance would cover that. Plus I don't feel as if this situation really warrants one."

"I don't know, I was just thinking maybe an impartial third party could help you work things out."

"I'm not really in any rush here, Erwin. I'm fine." I lean forward on my chair and direct my attention back toward my computer.

Erwins stands up and smooths out the front of his pants; Erwin always wears a suit to work. "Well, suit yourself then." He moves toward the door.

"Levi." He says.

"Yes, Erwin." I look over at him. He looks somewhat sheepish.

"I'm going to sound crazy."

"Well, get on with it then." I say.

"Have you ever maybe considered that what happens in your dream, has ever actually happened to you?" He looks down at his hands.

"What?" I'm confused.

"Like, maybe in an alternate universe or a past life or something like that."

"Do you hear yourself, Erwin?"

"I'm just saying. You've come up nothing but empty handed so far." He grabs the door handle and opens the door. "I'll see you later."

A past life? An alternate universe? What the hell has gotten into him?

****

I pretty much do the same thing at home as I do at work when I'm not lecturing or in a meeting. I read and grade papers. I'm surprised my eyes haven't fallen out of my head.

I'm sitting on my couch with my laptop on my lap and my feet up on the coffee table. The television is on in the background and my cat, Pluto, is curled up beside me fast asleep. Must be nice.

After about another hour of grading, I'm completely useless. I push my glasses up onto my forehead and rub my eyes. I close my laptop and move it to the side, and lean my head back on the couch. I can feel myself fading.

The wind is rushing past my ears. My cheeks are warm and the ball of tension in my stomach is familiar.
I'm falling through the trees. They get taller by the second.
"Levi!" He shouts.
I look over at him. His eyes are so striking. They look like they're made of sea glass. There's a halo of light around his head; he looks like an Angel.
I look away and continue to plummet towards the gaping mouth of the thing beneath and the forest floor.

I jolt awake on the couch and my neck hurts from how I was laying. I lean up and massage the back of it. This is getting ridiculous.

I think back to what Erwin said in my office. I am not really a spiritual person, not because I don't believe in any of it, but mainly because I just have never really explored it. I guess I could try Erwin's approach on for size. I lean forward and open my laptop. It's about three in the morning, and I have to work tomorrow, but I'll just wake up again anyway. Might as well make use of the time.

I start with "multiple lives in humans," because I don't really know what I'm getting myself into. I have a doctorate in history, not past lives or alternate universes. When that doesn't turn up what I was looking for, I try "Can humans have past lives?" to see if something more direct can get me any further.

The next time I look at the clock it's about six in the morning. It appears as if I've fallen down a rabbit hole. I shut my laptop and saunter off to my room, exhausted, hoping I can get at least an hour in before I have to get ready for work.

Maybe Erwin had a point I think to myself, as I climb under my sheets and roll over, pulling them up to my chin. It's far fetched, but I'm pretty desperate for an answer. I continue to think about the possibility of this recurring dream being a glimpse into a past life, and slowly drift off into a fitful sleep.