Deviant Fate

61 - Bonding

-Gwen-

This morning was relatively quiet. I was shocked Arowin hadn't pissed me off yet.

Although I have been inconsistent with my sexual feelings towards him, I still haven't forgotten the very real and negative feelings. The divine bond couldn't be true. This relationship was broken and deranged. Irreparable. The damage was done, we both had crossed the line of no return.

"You're not eating." Arowin stated, pulling me from my daze.

I looked down at my plate and stabbed a strawberry with my fork. Even though I couldn't stand him most of the time, I did appreciate that he ordered strawberries for me.

"I have business to attend to today." He announced, as I continued to eat. "I had planned to have you stay with Keerly." I instantly looked up at him. "Unfortunately, he has plans today." My face dropped as he finished his sentence.

Why even bring it up? I scoffed to myself internally.

"You'll stay here while I'm gone. Someone will bring you food and there are plenty of books to read. The balcony will be locked." He spoke and I lazily continued eating.

I just needed to follow my own advice. Endure the following days. It wasn't that long, I could suck it up.

"Are you listening?" He sighed.

"Yes." I answered bluntly.

I could feel his burning stare, but it didn't last long as I heard the click of the lock as he left. I leaned back in my seat, bored. Maybe if I slept as much as possible, the days would move faster.

Lying in bed, I felt myself sink into a strange space. I knew I was dreaming, but it was strange that I was so aware. I was outside in the forest next to my old cottage house. It was dark, but I couldn't hear any crickets chirping or tree frogs singing. It was eerily silent.

Suddenly, I wasn't looking at my cottage house anymore. It was a familiar house, but I wasn't sure where I knew it from. Then, seconds later I was inside a cramped space. I couldn't see anything, but warm yellow lighting through a slit in a door.

I felt I wasn't alone. There was a presence outside. I couldn't see anything, but I felt it. I began to hear voices. Two? A woman and a man, but I still couldn't see anything.

The woman was calm. The man seemed upset. Did they know each other?

She spoke in a quiet tone that I couldn't make out. I heard him yell and cry out and a whoosh noise followed. The clanking of metal hit the floor and the man began to cry. What did he do? Why was he crying?

I felt a pang of emptiness hit my chest and suddenly I couldn't breathe. It felt like I lost something. My anxiety skyrocketed and I wanted to wake up. I clenched my eyes and opened them rapidly. Each time I was somewhere new. Different scenes played out in front of me. Horrible ones. Happy ones. People I thought I recognized, but was too overwhelmed to notice. I panicked the more times I opened them.

"Gwen." A voice whispered-yelled in my ear.

I was almost too scared to open my eyes again. The voice sounded familiar, but I still hesitated. It called my name more softly and I mustered up the courage to open them again.

As I did, I discovered Everhett leaning over the bed staring with worried eyes. This wasn't real. I was still in a dream. There's no way he's here. I clenched my eyes and pinched my arm to wake up.

"You're not real!" I chanted. "You're not real."

"Gwen." He spoke as he pulled my hand away from pinching myself. "I'm real. I'm here. This is real." He said urgently.