Crazy In Love | Buggy

s i x t y f o u r

I cried for what felt like an eternity after Dilly left. Somehow, I felt more scared without her here with me. I was alone. I felt so vulnerable, like at any moment someone might jump out at me.

Eventually, exhaustion took over me. I hadn't wanted to fall asleep - I was scared of leaving myself more vulnerable than I already was. But I couldn't fight the tiredness anymore.

Sleep proved to be less comforting than being awake. I ended up in an endless loop of dreams, then nightmares, then dreams.

The first dream I had was a simple one: I was back home in my town, eating breakfast with my family.

We were talking, laughing, having a great time. I had done everything in my ability to deny how much I had been missing my family, but having this dream brought all of those feelings to the surface.

When I looked at their faces, they were blurry. I could see their rough features, but nothing in detail. Had I really forgotten what they looked like? That didn't seem possible.

And yet, I couldn't seem to put full faces to them.

"Do you want more orange juice?" My mother asked, not waiting for my response before she started pouring more into my glass.

My glass, however, was already full. When I tried to express that, she didn't listen. The cup quickly overfilled, began to spill out onto the table, staining the cloth.

"Mo -"

Everything turned black. This was the night dream - or perhaps I should say nightmare. It was me, lost in the darkness, alone. No matter how long I searched for help, for anybody else here with me, I couldn't find a single soul.

The next couple of dreams and nightmares happened: me lost at sea, me in my town library, the books chasing me - silly things.

The last dream was the worst of them all.

I was in bed, with Buggy, back in his cabin. When I saw him, lying there with his shirt unbuttoned and open, with his eyes closed. I didn't hesitate.

He made an 'oh' noise when I jumped on top of him. I wrapped my arms tightly around his torso, clinging onto him for dear life. He felt so real, even though I knew he wasn't.

"Well, hello there, Boop."

"Oh, Bugs," I said, in a choked sob. I couldn't help but cry against him. "Where are you?"

"What do you mean? I'm right here."

"No, you're not. I wish you were, but you're not."

I pulled back, staring down into his ocean eyes. They didn't look quite right. It was as if the light was missing from them. They were empty.

"Don't cry," He told me, his husky voice distorting slightly.

He placed his hand against the side of my face, then it lowered down, down my neck.

It broke my heart because his hand didn't feel right. His skin wasn't warm or soft, which it always was in real life. Instead, it was as hard and as cold as marble.

"B-bugs," I sobbed. "You need to come find me. I need you. You need to save me."

His hand was holding something. When I looked down, I saw it was the necklace that he had given me. Was I still wearing that? Surely the pirates had taken it off me. Or, had they?

"Don't tell me what to do."

His voice had been joking, but it really did sound like something he would say. I laughed through my tears.

He added, "But of course I'll save you." He continued to play with the necklace.

"I hope so." The necklace made a sound, like a rattling sound, as he played with it. "Wait, is there something inside of it?"