The Bond

Ch 38

"Bold."/"Bold italic" : animatronic is talking/animatronic is talking in mind

"Normal."/"Normal italic." : human is talking/human is talking in mind

=o^o=

Until morning came, Michael was still sitting next to Ennard, tightening the blanket that had been wrapped around him for some time. He wondered if Ennard had been active while he was asleep—even so, why did Ennard bother waking up just to get him a blanket?

It had been a question in Michael's mind ever since he woke up.

Then he decided to get up, folded the blanket and put it on the nearest table, and went out of the room.

Michael headed towards the bathroom to wash his tired face, as well as refresh his mind. He turned on the sink faucet, he caught the falling water with both hands before splashing it on his face. It felt more comfortable after he washed his face, but the odd thought still lingered. Michael leaned over to the sink to take a closer look at his reflection in the mirror.

Whether it was just a fantasy of being too tired or not, Michael caught the silhouette of someone behind him in the mirror—smaller, shorter, childlike. Michael turned around, there was no one. Is he now also being toyed with by his own brain or because of the remaining guilt? He doesn't know.

Looking back at the mirror, Michael fell backwards because he slipped on his own foot due to the shock that hit when his reflection turned into a silhouette earlier.

This time the appearance was clearer; skin as pale as corpses and a head covered in blood.

He knew whose reflection it was, he knew it very well.

Michael's breath slowly hitched, he got up from the floor slowly and confirmed once again; his reflection back. Michael sighed heavily, this made him dizzy.

"Terrance."

Michael startled on the spot, his eyes opened wide, and he immediately stood up—Michael gasped; he is still in the room.

Was it just a dream?

It felt so real that Michael couldn't believe it was just a dream.

Michael shifted his gaze to Ennard, still standing still in his position not changing at all. Then he picked up the blanket on the floor; if it was Ennard who covered him how could he take the blanket without moving at all? Without waking him up considering he could be awakened by the slightest movement.

He decided not to question such a trivial matter, the dream just now still lingered in his mind. After a long time, Evan reappeared in his dream. Michael let out a tired breath, he came out of the room and walked to the bathroom, feeling so tired that he wanted to wash his face.

Turning on the water tap, he also washed his hands first from the water that slid down from the sink faucet. Michael splashed water in his face a few times, and felt much calmer after doing so.

However, it feels like déjà vu.

Michael looked in the mirror as he leaned toward the sink—the condition was exactly the same as in the dream. Michael pressed his lips together and his shoulders started to tense up, suddenly the situation in the bathroom was tense with a heavy atmosphere. He often stared at his reflection, waiting for something to appear behind him.

A few minutes passed, nothing happened.

The eldest Afton sighed for a few times. It was true that it was only a dream, he thought to himself.

Michael washed his hands again. Undeniably, guilt comes back, the same thought; "If only I hadn't done that prank." Michael turned off the faucet, watching the water trickle down the sink hole.

Why so sudden?

Is this a sign that he can't stop regretting forever?

Michael bit his lower lip hard, his hands clenched tightly against the sides of the sink. An intention rose within him to punch the mirror in front of him. His self-reflection disgusted him.

"Can you stop what has happened in the past? No, you can't. Can you change what has happened in the past? No, you still can't. Focus on yourself in the present and stop thinking like a fool who keeps complaining about the past."

Ennard's words a few weeks ago suddenly crossed his mind, Michael held his breath for a while. Those words still seemed to smack him with reality, Ennard never hesitated to speak.

"What if your brother is disappointed that you keep blaming yourself for that accidental incident?"

Michael didn't believe that part of Ennard's lecture, he never did. However, Michael couldn't help but try to look at his dream from a different perspective.

Was Evan's appearance because Evan just wanted to check on his condition? Could Evan check if he still blamed himself for the incident? Could it just be a sign that Evan doesn't want him to continue to sink, and knowing he often blames himself, Evan feels so disappointed that he decides to appear in his dreams?

Maybe.

Although Michael feels hypocritical, it is the subconscious that creates dreams. It was all just his wish from his regret to meet Evan again. Evan didn't actually pay a visit to his dream.

But it made Michael feel a little better.

He stepped out of the bathroom and into the kitchen to make some coffee—it seemed he'd been drinking too much coffee lately. He had to pass through the living room to get to the kitchen, and the sight of the endoskeleton made him stop halfway.

Something about the endoskeleton really unsettled him.