Subject 3033...(BWAM, Sci-fi Romance, 18+)

Chapter Eight

Dream continues to torment me, continues to agonize my mind as it plays so vividly before my eyes. It jolts me awake and the silent little rivulets dribble down my temples. Momentary fright grips my chest, it does. It nearly suffocates me till my brain faithfully recalls recent past's happenings. Noe's home. I look to the darkly ceiling walls, just look as I continue to ponder over nightmare.

I miss her, I grieve her. Enya. How she spoke so sweetly, so preciously to me. Her words ever so encouraging despite the blackness, the murkiness of the world we'd formerly lived. The pain is present, is like a needy lover who clings to me so firmly. Though I try to distract my mind, though I try to numb the hurt, it still remains, still prevails during those silent little moments in the lonely.

I turn to look upon the side, drink in the sight of Noe who is also wide-eyed and staring upon the nothingness. What does he think? What does he dream? Are his visions filled with loath and dread as mine are, or does he know only the peace?
"Can't sleep, Noe?"
"I am a light sleeper so you accidentally woke me."

"Oh, forgive me. I didn't mean to," I speak raspily, comb strands of hairs out of my face and behind my ear.
"Do not apologize, Tallulah. Unless..."
"I have a valid reason for doing so. I know, I know. You shouldn't have taken the sofa. This is your home, Noe."

"You needed good sleep in a comfortable bed. Your body is injured, Tallulah, and I honestly do not know if you fully realize that," he speaks, turns eyes to gaze upon my now sat form atop the bed.
"Uh, Tallulah, your shirt..."
I furrow brows at his flustered state, look down upon my almost-nude chest.
"What?"

"What do you mean what? Tallulah, your...the shirt...adjust it a little."
Utterly confused, I readjust the clothe, tilt head to take in his features a little better. In the labs, my body was subject to a lot of prodding and never, not even once, did they let me cleanse my own self. But now, perhaps I comprehend Noe's reaction. The world inside the labs is not the world outside them.
"Forgive me, Noe."

"It's alright, I promise. Just go back to sleep."
And so, I try. I glide back under hefty covers, glance upon athletic build of man who rests a couple of feet away from where I am lain. Though my body is at a point beyond fatigue, my mind continues to wander, to lay wake. One sheep, two sheep, three sheep, I count. But no, the sleep evades me, the insomnia like a faithful companion. I give up, give in.

"Noe, Noe, are you asleep?"
Man maintains his quiet, stays put for a time. Then...
"No, I'm still awake, Tallulah."
"Okay," more seconds fleet, more minutes ticks, then, "Noe, do you have a favorite colour?" I query, listen intently for his response.
"Black, black is my favorite colour," he humors me.
"Like the skies of midnight?"

"Like the skies at midnight. Well, since you've established that you are not falling asleep anytime soon, what is yours?"
"Green like little moss and fern and artichoke and the rain forest. Green is a symbol of life, you know? But I have never seen these things with own eyes. I'd love to, though. I really would," I speak in the darkness, my palms pressed -one above the other- atop my stomach.
"You have never seen fern, moss?"
"No, not really."

More quietness, more silentness.
"Well, the bunker is located in a valley surrounded by tall mountains. This place is one of the very few that still remains untouched by technological advancements. Fortunately, the gas that had been released was a little too dense to cover a vast surface. So, larger parts of the mountains around are a healthy green hue. The waters of the little rivulets are safe for consumption I noticed. The fish are still alive so that's a good sign. If you are willing, I'll take you when I'm out to scavenge for animal meat."

"You'd do that? You'd take me? I have never seen actual leaves and flowers and the blue skies. Only seen them in books. They'd never let me leave the labs. I'd train indoors, swim indoors. If I needed the sun, they'd create beams that would mimick the sun and I'd bask under those, instead. You see these little cuts on my back?" He nods head softly and I continue eagerly, "those are whip marks from when I'd tried to escape," though I smile to him, though I chirp so enthusiastically, it is all but a cover to the truth of what it is I feel.

His face remains a sheet of stoicism, undecipherable. But I do not mind it. He is a good listener, does not interrupt me in my speech. A moment of comforting quiet fleets.
"Are you genuinely comfortable, Noe? You are tall and sinewy so I can only imagine the level of discomfort you have to endure because of me. Come, lay next to me," I coo as I tap at the space to my side.

"You want me to come over to that bed? You are a woman, Tallulah."
"And what does that mean, Noe?" Genuinely, I query.
I do not comprehend what my womanhood has anything to do with it. I gaze upon man quizzically, gaze upon him in perplexity.
"I do not bite, Noe. Come on," I tease, smile at the flustered man whilst patting the space on the softness of mattress.

"Noe, come on. Do not be shy."
He sighs softly before he turns to face away from me with his clothed posterior sticking out from under the duvet covers.
"Noe, your rear will detach and separate from the rest of your body with how badly it's sticking out."

He mumbles lowly, mutters incoherently to himself. Then, he lifts off sofa and proceeds for the bed, moves under the duvet -his rigid nude back towards me.
"Noe, are you still awake?"
He sighs a slow, dramatic sigh, shuffles a little to look to the ceiling walls just as I do.
"Yes, Tallulah. I still am."

"How many languages do you speak, Noe?"
"Tallulah, sleep, please."
"Just that one question and I promise, I'll stop with the plunging."
He spares me a seconds worth a glance, looks to the ceiling once more.
"You promise you'll sleep when I answer?"
I turn head ever so slightly to gaze upon his side profile, turn to gaze back upon ceiling.
"I promise."

"Alright then. I speak a couple of languages. English, a little bit of French and Spanish. Now sleep, Tallulah," he speaks with finality, his Adam's apple jiggling as he does.
For a moment, the shortest of moments, our eyes meet. They lock and hold until he averts his vision. And so, keeping to my promise, I let man enjoy his serenity, let the silentness enfold and diffuse across the chamber, let the slumber come to him till only the soft noise of his breathing sounds.

I -on the other hand- still stare upon the emptiness. A million queries bombard and cross the front of my mind and I turn head to look to the side, to look to Noe. Is he truly asleep?
I wave palm above his face again and again but Zilch. Nada. Asleep. And thus, I too lay head upon softness of bed, shut eyes and pray that the slumber comes to me more easily...

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