The Shadow's Grip • bxb [COMPLETED]

-6-

Felix's P.O.V.

After all these years during which I spent more time in doctors' and therapists' rooms than at home, I finally feel understood.

Dimitri saw the monster, that I thought was only in my head, too. It's such an amazing feeling that I don't feel alone in this anymore.

Sitting next to the cash register on a chair while we're trying to figure out what we should do. It's no longer just me that has to understand everything that's happening alone. Now I have someone I can trust.

"So you're telling me that you've seen that... thing.... before?"

"Yeah. Since I was like 14 or something"

"And you never tried to tell anybody about it?" he looks concerned.

"Oh I did. That's why I'm taking pills now. I've been diagnosed with schizophrenia but I've never had any other hallucinations beside... that"

"Well... We can't both be crazy right?" he looks at me and I want to shake my head but I don't really know what to answer either.

"If it was only my hallucination you probably wouldn't have seen it..."

"That's right. There's no logical explanation for this honestly. What should we do?"

I look at him for some time and try to think about what we could do. I've been haunted by that monster for a few years but judging by the situation it's probably the first time he saw it.

"What if... well... what if we talk to each other about it"

"What?" he's looking at me more confused than before.

"You see, after the first time I saw it while awake I started seeing it in every dream I had. This was the first time it appeared in front of you so... Maybe tonight... It'll be in your dreams"

"That's crazy! I'm not taking this shit anymore. If it appears in my sleep I'll go to a priest and drown myself in holy water"

"I don't think religious objects help. You're wearing that cross around your neck but it didn't do anything while we were in the back room, right?" I point my finger towards it and he flinches but nods nevertheless.

"This is so frustrating. So what am I supposed to do? Wait?" he ruffles his hair and then sighs loudly.

"For now, yes"

Then there's an awkward silence in the air again and I look down at my bruised hands.

"I can give you my phone number" he mumbles under his breath.

"What?"

"My phone number. I should give it to you so tomorrow I can call you and tell you if I saw that thing again"

"Well... My phone won't turn on" I show him an apologetic smile and point at my cracked screen.

"Fine...let's do it the old fashioned way" he grabs a napkin from a box nearby and takes a pen from his shirt's pocket.

He writes his phone number on it with the blue ink before he hands it over to me and I take it with a smile.

"If I see it... We should stick together and find out more about it. I guess you're pretty clueless huh?"

"Yeah. No matter how hard I try I can't really find any clues that can help me find out what it is. Well, sometimes I can't even see it... I just sense it"

"But if I don't see it... I'll just act like nothing happened. Maybe my eyes were just tired. After all I haven't really slept in a while. And it was pitch black all around us too"

"So we won't talk anymore?"

That slipped. I'm being stupid and unreasonable again. What happened doesn't make us anything more than strangers. Maybe he didn't even see it at all but just sensed it.

But if he did saw it... Did I drag him in this? Is it my fault? If the monster is making him suffer too then I'm the only one to blame.

Even if it was for a short time, and we were scared to death, I guess his presence is pretty comforting. He radiates this cozy and warm energy. We're just strangers but he didn't hesitate to hug me when I was crying. Maybe he's just more caring and considerate than others.

Having a friend like him wouldn't do me any bad. Since I don't even have that many friends. Sam is the only one I've been really close to, and she's been going through a lot of stuff lately so nothing is like it was before.

Things were a lot less complicated in school. At least for me. I know Sam wasn't happy and it might be selfish of me to say something like that but I can't help it. The monster wasn't following me all the time and it wasn't big like now. Back then it was just a small shadow, scaring me around corners sometimes.

Now it's worse. With time the monster grew with me from just one shadow to a big tall creature with piercing grey eyes shining in the darkness and sharp teeth. It's becoming everything I've always been afraid of no matter how hard I try to control it.

"We're not friends, are we?"

I flinch at what he said, without noticing, snapping out of my thoughts. He looks rather guilty afterwards scratching the back of his head before talking again.

"Or... do you want us to be?"

I really do. But if we're friends just because he pities me then what's the point? That's not what a friendship is about. And he's right in one way or another. Just because somebody shows me kindness doesn't mean we have to be tied together forever.

"It doesn't matter if I want to or not. We'll see if we can become friends. Let's try and figure out this mess first"

He looks pleased with my answer and smiles, showing his dimples that make me stare at him curiously.

"This is a weird way of meeting a new friend but I can work with that"

I smile back at him and then stand up from the chair. The rain stopped now so I should probably head back home before my aunt becomes more worried than she is already.

The fact that my phone isn't working makes me even more anxious. She probably called me a hundred times and nothing angers her more than the moments where I don't answer the phone.

"Well I should be on my way before it starts raining again"

"Wait! Your cereals!" he catches me by my shoulder before I can leave.

I sigh because of how forgetful I can be sometimes and take the box from him with a smile.

"Thank you... for everything"

And with that I leave the gas station.

My bicycle is still there, where I left it, thankfully. I thought someone might have stole it already.

Ah... Who am I kidding? It's so old and rusty it wouldn't be of use to anyone other than me.

I look at the sky, full of clouds, no star to be seen. It isn't raining anymore, and I'm thankful for it. Then my eyes fall on the box of cereals in my hand.

Can we really make it work?