𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧- 𝐄.𝐌

5. Confrontation

Her fingers gripped the edge of the porcelain sink inside the bathroom. Her eyes strained staring at her own reflections. Her mouth parted, lips chapped heaving audible breaths. Her hair fell in a curtain on the side of her face but it didn't bother her as much as the uneasiness coursing through her veins. She let go of her grip on the sink and stood up, back straightened. She rolled her lips into a thin line as an ache slowly spread over her body.

She stepped outside the bathroom, inside her room. She laid flat on the bed staring up at the ceiling. The ache slowly grew stronger taking hold of her senses. Her vision clouded and dulled before it became sharp. She sat up again feeling her body grow warmer with each second. She looked at the window in front of her. In the darkness of night, a stream of moon's light filtered inside falling on the floor. She let out a blood freezing scream falling to the floor on her knees. Her back arched making her grit her teeth. She fell forward again but placed her hands flat on the ground to stop herself from hitting the floor. She closed her eyes and opened them again unable to think straight.

She opened her eyes yet again. It struck her odd at how clearly she could see the world now. The darkness in the room didn't bother her as much as it did before. She tilted her head to look at herself in the floor length mirror in the room ahead of her. She gasped taking in trembling breaths seeing two blood red eyes reflecting in them. She shrieked as loudly as she could but no one came for her.

No one knocked on the door or barged in. She spread out her arms involuntarily throwing her head back giving away control of her body to an unknown source. The lights in the room flickered, as did the street light outside the window. She looked around panicking with each flicker. She shielded her head, pulling herself into a foetal position as the lights fused due to an unknown source.

She screamed out as pain bombarded her fragile body making her drop flat on the floor. She succumbed to the pain. Her hands fell next to her lethargically. When the eyes opened again a strange feeling bubbled inside. Heart thumped in the chest swallowing the stark silence. Her eyes went to the mirror in the room. A howl echoed inside the room. The dogs on the street just outside the window barked and howled at the sound of a wolf's howl.

Maeve walked silently alongside Elijah. She refused to look at him but only stared at the forest floor. Her bare feet felt rough now having walked on the cold muddy forest floor. She wrapped her arms around her body looking up ahead.

"What were you doing in the forest all alone in the night?" asked Elijah breaking the silence.

"I'll explain everything. Just not here. Please." Maeve pleaded glancing at Elijah. He nodded his head continuing to walk. They reached his car.

"I...I have my car. I'll see you at the apartment building across Mystic Grill." Maeve told him walking over to her car parked just behind his.

No words were exchanged after that between the two. Patiently Elijah got in his own car and drove away. Maeve drowned herself in the silence of her closed car heaving breaths through her flared nostrils.

*******

Maeve led Elijah up the creaking staircase leading to her apartment on the fifth floor. "The building isn't exactly maintained properly." she sheepishly mentioned scurrying off into the dully lit hallway to her apartment.

"It's fine. Better than the house you were kept in." Elijah bemused making Maeve giggle in response. She opened the door and stepped inside, dropping the keys in a bowl next to the door and making her way over to the leather sofa in the room. She turned around again to see Elijah still standing by the door.

"Shit! Sorry──uh, come in." Elijah strided in, looking around the place examining the entire room.

"You've got a nice place." Maeve scoffed at the compliment.