Through the Veil

Chapter Eight

Quinten felt empty inside, unable to cry anymore he slowly pushed himself up onto his knees and sat looking around the room, everything from his experience with Lynnea was gone except for the minor cuts on his face from the exploding ceramic tea set. All that was left in the room were his sleeping bag in the middle of the floor and his dirty clothes in a pile beside it. He took a slow, shaky breath and got to his feet, his skin sticky with dried blood. Fighting back a gag of disgust, he immediately stripped and walked over to the bathroom and started the water, waiting for the steam to build before stepping under the cascading water.

He tried to relax and breathe but every time he closed his eyes he saw the broken body of his little sister screaming at him. Fresh sobs rocked his body as he fought the guilt and shame of what had happened, balling his fists and pressing them into his temples as if to try and press the feelings out of his mind. Breathe... ground yourself. Focus on what's around you... He shifted his focus to his surroundings to bring himself back into the present moment. The hot water beating against his skin. The pine scent of his soap. The red swirls of blood in the water at his feet, spiraling quickly down the drain. Imagine all your grief and pain like the bloody water... Let it wash down the drain and never come back... Lynnea is gone but it wasn't my fault. Let it go...

He repeated those phrases over and over until he felt his breathing calm and the tension in his muscles start to give way. Heaving a heavy sigh of shallow relief he scrubbed his hair and body clean, making sure there was no trace of blood on him before stepping out onto the bathmat and reaching for his towel. His fingers brushed against soft skin as he took the towel from someone's outstretched hand. Not even bothering to see who it was, he squeezed the water from his hair and looked over at where his towel had been hanging. Standing there against the wall was a stunning person wearing nothing but a black leather collar around their slender neck, their short black waves slicked back emphasizing their delicately angular features. Quinten smiled softly at them, recognizing them from his dream the first night in the house. "Hey there..." The person smiled, pressing a finger to their black tinted lips to indicate that they couldn't speak. Quinten nodded, "I'll keep it to yes or no questions then... Were you in my dreams before?"

They smirked and nodded, a slight blush in their cheeks.

Quinten nodded, drying off his skin and trying to not stare at them. Their skin was pale and delicate looking but soft, unmarred by wounds or scars. "Are you dead?"

They raised an eyebrow and shook their head, obviously amused by his question.

He walked naked back to his bedroom, the beautifully androgynous person closely in tow. "So I'm guess that you're the girl that went missing a year ago?" Their eyes narrowed as they crossed their arms, clearly offended. Quinten looked at them, confusion wrinkling his forehead, "What?" They lowered their head, irritation turning to anger. Looking at the floor, his mind racing, "Wha- Oh! Fuck I'm sorry, are your pronouns they/them?" They smiled and gave an approving nod, their stance relaxing slightly. Quinten breathed a sigh, "I am so sorry for using the wrong pronouns. So... are you stuck in this weird pocket universe in a beach house thing too?"

They nodded, shoulders dropping slightly indicating their weariness and relief at finally being understood. It was clear to Quinten that they were desperate for contact and communication but there was something keeping them from being able to speak. His mind started spinning, "So, if you're not dead and you just disappeared but you're still in turmoil..." He snapped his fingers and looked into their eyes, "You're still doing your trials aren't you?" A tear streamed down their face as their lower lip quivered, not a sound coming from their mouth as they began to weep. Quinten held out his hand to them, "It's ok, I'm doing mine too. I'm not sure what the next one will be but I know that it sucks and it hurts. You can do this..." He chuckled, suddenly feeling very awkward, "I don't even know your name." They breathed a soft chuckle and pointed to their hair. Quinten scrunched his brow in thought, "Black...?" They nodded, twisting their hands together and wiggling their fingers. "Uh... bird?" They touched their finger to their nose to indicate he was on the right track. "Black bird... Raven? Is your name Raven?" They breathed a sigh of relief, closing their eyes and reveling in the sound of their name as they nodded. Quinten felt his heart break a little, seeing the intense relief and joy on their face. "Does no one here use your name? That's awful." Raven shook their head, frustration tightening their throat as they tried to make him understand.