Taste of Melanin

Hallucination Pt. 2

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December 20th, 2019 | 8:40 PM | Westfield, Minnesota
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River stared in awe of the woman before him. As he tried to think of the right questions or even statements, she sent him a soft smile and the rushing thoughts came to a standstill.

"It's a lot to take in, just allow yourself to relax." Once more her voice carried like a soft breeze over a field of flowers before tickling his ears and settling his tense shoulders.

"Wh-who? W-what are you?" He suddenly stuttered as he remembered the fact that she had no humanly trace.

"Whatever you need me to be." The short sentence only frustrated him more.

"Are you like an angel? Is there an afterlife?" He rushed, his mouth spewing each of the questions that came to mind. The woman simply allowed him to continue, an understanding smile seemingly glued to her lips.

"Like I said, I am whatever you need me to be. I'm simply a guiding spirit to be molded into what suits you best." Moving to step closer to him, she lifted her hand.

River furrowed his eyebrows at the action, unsure of what she was showing him as he stared at her palm. A spark shot down his spine as she grabbed his hand to place it against her own. His eyes widened at the feelings of pure euphoria that flowed from his arm and down to his feet.

"You feel what you need, not what I want to give to you." She spoke softly as her fingers wrapped around his own.

River felt his knees buckle as he wrapped his fingers around her own. It felt as if they locked souls in that moment, his body becoming weightless and his vision blurring.

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December 21st, 2019 | 7:12 AM | Westfield, Minnesota
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River woke with a start, his eyes snapping open and his hands reaching out for the woman only to be met with the cold floor of his living room. Looking around, he felt confusion encompass his being as just a moment ago it was dark in the apartment.

Sunlight shined through the windows and his tv was playing the morning news. He remained in the same spot, his body now laying on the floor.

"No, no," he mumbled as he looked around, "no, no, no." Panic bubbled up in his gut.

Just as he stood to his feet to begin pacing, the familiar feelings of euphoria and calmness washed over him. Something told him it was the woman sensing his panic and his mind felt at ease knowing she would be, somehow, watching over him.

Entering the kitchen, he made himself some breakfast and prepared for the day. A bleak 9-5 shift awaited him at his accounting firm and he sighed at the thought.

'You're doing so much better.' Her voice softly spoke, almost like a whisper in his mind.

"C-can you read my mind?" Although he spoke out loud, he had a feeling she could still hear him.

'We are connected now. I think what you think, I see what you see, I feel what you feel.'

"But how?" He spoke over the bacon he had in his mouth.

'I guess you can call it magic. You shouldn't talk with your mouth full.'

A chuckle escaped as he allowed his head to fall over the plate. He couldn't keep the large smile off his face as he pushed his eggs around in the hot sauce he'd poured over them.