Moonlight + Paradise (18+)

15. Tongue-Tied...

There are two rivers - headless and in smoke, but there aren't any fires. And I'm surrounded by trees...high, dark and anxious. And just like them, my feet are rooted deep underground. I hear his voice, 'Hello, little sis...' - echoing and taunting, but I can't move.

Please...go away...

'Hello, little sis...' It comes again, forced with the harsh wind. And I can't see. Dull white fogs brushes on my frozen skin. I feel like my chest is going to explode - trying to somehow scream for help, but nothing comes out. Not a single word...

And then I see them. Two heads on a giant beast, squatting on the ground. One of their hands are holding something...something...what is it? And then the left one puts it in his mouth. A heart. Red and still pumping. My visions are blurry when I looked down to my own chest. There are only blood. So much blood. The stabbing pain kicks in...and the two-headed beast is coming closer...closer...and closer -

'Hello, little sis' -

...

"No!!" Lisa cried out, effectively woken herself up in the dark bedroom. 

"Hey," A pair of hands wrapped around her shoulder and she flinched aggressively - over and over. "It's okay, baby - it's just me!" He holds her tighter onto his chest. 

It took a few more seconds before she realised that she's being held by Guk and not the 'beast', and she finds her breath again. 

"Shh...it's okay, I'm here...I'm here, baby. It's just a bad dream...you had a bad dream..." He hushes her softly, rocking her body with his, back and forth in slow, gentle motion. 

A dream...a bad dream. It's just a bad dream...

Her skin are still prickling with nerves and sweats. The last time Lisa had a 'bad dream' was seven months ago - while still 'fresh' out of radar. To suddenly, recurringly have it again confuses her. Why is it back? What did I do? Is there something wrong with me? When Guk releases her to get off the bed, she clutched on his shirt. 

"I'm only getting water for you, baby. I'll be right back." His expression is convincing so she pulls herself together. 

Lisa counted the seconds until his return. She couldn't even lean back, still too anxious over how real that dream was. She hasn't even forgotten about the first that she got while fainted, and now she's haunted by the next one. Why won't it go away?

"Here," Guk held out a glass of water and sits close beside her. He fixed the mess of her parted bangs and finds her eyes. "Feel better?" He asked once she's done drinking it. She nods. 

"I'm sorry...I woke you up -" Her apology is cut off by a brush of his thumb on her lips. 

"You're warm...was it a scary dream?" She nods. "What's it about?"

Lisa bit her lip. She has never revealed her past to anyone, including Somi. And while she does feel like sharing her mind with Guk, she couldn't. She didn't want him to know where she came from. About her past and how she got here...and why she is the way she is. She doesn't want him to look at her any differently than before. 

"Were there bad people in there?" She nods again, thinking it won't be too much of a reveal if she keeps doing this. "Do you know those bad people?" She paused before shaking her head. He sighed. 

"When I was coming of age..." He continues, not quite looking at her. "Twelve maybe...I went hunting, with my father and brothers. It was cold and long...I hated it. Cus we had to camp out for days before I even get to catch something. And then I shot one. A fox, about this big." He held both hands up, far from one another as a gesture of the size. Briefly she wonders why he's telling her this.