The Book of Gemma -Apocalyptic Fantasy Romance-

CHAPTER 12: THE DRUNK MEETING

A few months had gone by since that night with Deecon.

I couldn't leave my house.

I didn't want to leave my house.

I didn't want to risk the chance of seeing Franco.

I had panic attacks every night for two months for being so lost. Not finding answers and not finding a viable environment for people lighting mine on fire.

Deecon no longer talked to me more than once a week. He has distanced himself so much from me after that day I came home from the forest. He no longer looked me in the eyes.
He hated the sight of me.
But when I woke up screaming from the vivid dreams of my past trying to break through, Deecon would pull me onto his lap and rock me back to sleep. He wouldn't say a word, wouldn't give a glance at my face but he would make sure I fell asleep before leaving.

His mental games disappear with him. He stopped eating at the table and would take his food to another room. He started to go to work earlier and stay later. My absence in the office probably gave him more time to research outside of his job title. Deecon was in charge of a couple teams who specialized in splicing genetics, but lately I got a glimpse of his notes on my people.

Whenever we had to attend an event, he would escort me through the people. Smiling and laughing with me as if we were bounded lovers to each other. As soon as the car door shut, he would slide to the opposite end of the car. Staring out the window refusing to look at me. I don't know why he has grown so distant.

After 3 months of staying in my room, I had people loitering outside my gate. They wanted to know if I had fallen ill, or if I had given up on my family's legacy. A few rumors had floated around that Lower Valley would be uprising and run rampant in the streets... rumors say I cower in my house because I know the end is coming for Sky.
In reality, I feared to see another reason to let the humans die.
Three months of silence in my house had made me lifeless. Days turned into weeks begging Deecon to just look at me. He wanted nothing to do with me after that night. Maybe he was letting me heal to begin the game again? Maybe he wants to see my shocked expression when he double crosses me next?

There was one night though that I had caught Deecon's attention.
I was outside on the front porch with my telescope. I was re-mapping the stars with better tech for my room. A 3-D hologram that could spread through my whole room. I just needed to occupy more of my time in my room when gaps in communication with my lab happened. I heard Albi's voice from the open front door.

"Food is ready!" he shouted. I didn't listen. I barely ate nowadays, my mind was constantly running and eating was a break I didn't want. He repeated himself a couple times after that but I just kept staring at the sky.

I haven't been in space for thousands of years and I yearned for it. I wanted to float into the unknown more and more each day. It looked so quiet and still. One second my telescope is pointed to the sky and then rudely shoved downward.

"Albi, do you know how long it will take to position it perfectly again?" I snap. Then I hear Deecon behind me clearing his throat. I turned to see him holding my plate of food.

"You gotta eat something, you haven't all day." He mumbles. I don't take it, I keep trying to readjust my telescope.
"Just do me a favor and-"
I cut him off, irritated he would even ask.
"I'm in the middle of something, you want to do me a favor? Grab the bottle of Dormousse from my nightstand."

As soon as the words left my mouth, I heard the shatter of the dinner plate on the front porch. My back becomes warm as he pushes his chest against it, hovering over me.
"Do us all a favor and drink yourself to death." He taunts me in my ear.
And I don't cry, I don't even frown. I feel nothing.