Not Acid Nor Alkaline ~ Sleep Token FF ~

26.Missing pieces

Emma's POV:

I was in a dark room, just a few candles gave a bit of light.
A little cracking noise let me turn around and I saw Vessel just standing there and watching me. Behind him was another masked person I didn't know.

Then another noise, but from the other side. It was Matt and behind him was Abby. They starred at me weirdly, like they were soulless.

Again a noise let me shriek and turn to face my worst nightmare. I saw my parents and behind them was the dead body of my grandma covered in blood.

I turned around and wanted ro run, but I couldn't. I ended up standing at the same spot between the 3 sides. I looked back at Matt and Abby. Abby looked like she has been beaten and Matts hands were bloody, his arms had scratchmarks.

I turned around and faced Vessel. He was still the same. Behind them glowed hundreds of shimmering red pairs of eyes.
I tried to reach for Vessel, but I couldn't and then a katana appeared in his hand. He held it in his hands and I reached out my hands to stop whatever his plan was. Then he turned it around, the sharp blade facing his body. A second later, he ran through himself with the katana. His body got limp and fell to the floor, everything covered in blood.

I woke up gasping for air, my whole body was cold and sweaty and I felt like I needed to vomit. I got up and walked to the window and opened it to let the cold air clear my mind.
If this was another dream from Deity Sleep, I didn't want to sleep again. By now I was afraid sleeping.

I got my phone and my headphones. Before starting the music, I saw that I had gotten a message from him. I read it with a little smile. But if only he knew how much my dreams exhausted me the last weeks and how afraid I had been a few minutes before.
I decided to calm myself with the soothing voice of him and started my playlist.

I am caught, tangled in
Wrapped and quartered tripping up and over
Time lived again for just a moment
Missing pieces find me

I sweat and I ache for
Your eyes and the way you breathe

I thought about the words that I heard. Did I have to find missing pieces? Did I need them to be whole again? Did I have to find peace with the past? Did I need to decide for a side?

All this thoughts kept me awake for the rest of the night.

The following day I felt way too tired. But I needed to know what Matt was hiding from me.

I got dressed and packed some stuff for work before I headed of meeting Matt. Hopefully he would come.
I sat down at a table in the cafe we often met.
I ordered myself a capucchino and looked at the clock of my phone.

A few minutes later Matt finally came.
He held flowers in his hand and walked up to the table.
'Hey Emma.', he sounded happy. I frowned a little over his behaviour.
'Hey Matt.', I greeted him.
'Those are for you.', he held the flowers closer to me and I took them still looking unimpressed. 'I saw them on my way here and thought they match your eyes.'

I rose my eyebrow. 'Mhh...thanks, Matt.' I was just polite in this moment.
If I was honest, he made me feel uncomfortable.
He sat down and ordered a drink for himself. I cleared my throat and took a sip of my hot cappuccino.

'Matt, why I wanted you to meet me. Abby told me you both broke up?!', I began our talk.
'Mhh...yes.', he stuttered.
'Abby told me that you might want to tell me about the reason.', I continued, my eyes trying to read his body language.

'Emma...I, I don't know how to explain it to you.', he was nervous. He was acting totally different from yesterday.
'Matt, what is this all about? Why did you hurt Abby and what is my point in this?', I reinforced my question.
'Ok.', he sighed. 'I have fallen in love with you, Emma.'

I was dumbfounded and starred at him in total disbelieve. 'What?'
'I have fallen in love with you, actually for a while. But as you never give any signs you are interested in any kind of relationship, I never tried. And as I saw you now falling in love for this..Vessel.', his hands combed through his hair. He was really stressed. 'I thought it would be a good idea to make you jealous, so you might get feelings for me'

I got angry over his words. How could he play with Abby's feelings to try making me fall for him?
'Matt, this is redicilous! You were always a friend for me. I have never been interested in men over all this years, because I haven't found the right one. I am sorry, but you really hurt Abby and played with her feelings. I would never fall for you and I am not sure if I want to stay friends with you in this case.', I told him my point.

Matt tried to reach for my arm, but I backed away. I quickly grabbed my bag and jacket and left some money for my drink at the cashier. I needed to leave, I couldn't stay there talking to this dishonest man I had called my friend.
How could I have been so wrong about him?