LIKE WATER | A Collection Of Oneshots

The Past

Run.

Faster.

They'll catch you.

Go.

Get out.

You need to leave.

Quickly.

Find the exit.

Don't get caught.

Before it collapses.

I wake up, biting back a scream. I sit up in my bed and scan my surroundings. I say the name of everything I see, in an attempt to calm my breathing down. I feel hot, wet.

Oh right, I'm sweating. I had a nightmare. I need to get more of my pills. That'll help. Last time I had nightmares this real, was right after it happened.

But I'm not there. I need to remember that. I'm not that reckless little boy anymore. Hell I'm not even a boy anymore.

I get up from my bed and go to my bathroom. I search through the cabinet, searching for the spare bottle of my pills I always kept around. I search and search and search until I remember. I lost it a week ago.

I sigh and go out onto my balcony. I glance at the clock as I pass and see that it reads 5:26 am. Of course. I probably won't sleep again, so I may as well start my morning routine a bit early.

I lean against the railing of my balcony and recount everything that's happened since that day. But as the memories flooded my mind, I could only remember a few words or sentences of each.

"How are you feeling?"

"You're.... Alex?"

"They're practically nonverbal."

"Say something Alex!"

"Hey! You aren't there anymore."

"I've got you.... You're safe...."

"Please don't cry...."

"I love you Alex..."

I don't notice I had started crying until I feel a few tears hit my hand where it's resting on the rail. I quickly snap out of my thoughts and wipe my eyes.

"She's gone. Just like everyone else. Just like Damien." I mutter to myself, standing up straight.

Emotion shows weakness. Emotion gets you killed, I remember the words spoken to me years ago. I remember who spoke them, and exactly how he looked when he said them too.

I pace back and forth in the alley, glancing at my watch. I sigh. Of course he's late, he always is. That's when I hear the sound of someone approaching me. I look up and raise an eyebrow as I see him approach me. It's him alright, the way he's walking, his timing, and even the shape of him. But I have to make sure, I have to double check that it's him.

"Number, threat level, and security answer?" I ask the man as he approaches me. He scoffs, looking me up and down. I get that I'm younger than most who join, and I'm shorter than most my age, but I can't help but scowl when he scoffs.

He obviously decides to answer my questions-probably thinking he's humoring me. "7891, extreme, 10 years ago." I nod and let my guard down ever so slightly, leaning against the alley wall.

"You said you have news about them?" I ask, clearly not wanting to be here. He nods and recites the info.

"Both were found dead in their dorm today. It's being investigated. They're gone Damien, they've been pronounced dead, their bodies off to the morgue," he explains. My eyes widen and I stand up straight.