Out of the Shadows // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Thirty

*Warning: This chapter contains themes of mental health crises and recovery, emotionally heavy.*

I could feel the cold, stone floor against my face. The chill of the place seeping into my very bones. I was becoming one with the darkness and desolation of my new home.

My friend Lucy was back, sucking and rasping at all my happy memories... And suddenly he was there. He was with me!

I reached out to him but he started to look wispy around the edges... flowing backwards slowly.

Lucy was sucking him up!

"Stop, Lucy. NO! Bad Lucy. You can't have him."

But he kept falling away, faster and faster into Lucy's gaping maw of a mouth. Lucy was looking satisfied as his form was disappearing.

"No! You can't take him! STOOOP! NOOOOO!"

He was gone. I was alone. Deadly alone. Just me. And Lucy.

--

"NOOOO!" I screamed and bolted upright. Breathing hard. My body felt sticky with sweat. I was tangled in a bed. A bed with sheets, blankets, and pillows. And there was the form of a person next to me sleeping in the dark.

I jumped out of the bed, the chill in the air outside of the covers was comforting. It was what I was used to. I found a corner and slipped down into it.

I put my hands to my head again, feeling my skull and hair. My hair was soft again. That can't be right. It must not be real. The bed. The body in it. The warmness. The lovely smell of ocean and smoky musk. It's not real. It can't be real.

"It's not real. It's not real. It's not real." I repeated. This is all a delusion. It's a gift from the gods for me before I finally die in this prison. A detailed delusion to attempt to ease my pain. It can't be real. It can't be.

"It's not real. It's not real. It's not real." I repeated. Until I could finally feel exhaustion taking over, my head slumped against the wall and I fell asleep, tucked in the corner, comforted by my usual sleeping position.

--

Sebastian's Perspective

I awoke to the soft morning light streaming through my window. The yellow streaks in the air bathing the room and bed in a morning glow. I reached out to grasp onto Rachel, but she wasn't there.

I sat upright immediately. "Rachel?" I called, looking around.

She was curled up in the corner by the dresser. I could only see her small, cracked feet sticking out. She was so small now.

I got up out of bed and walked over slowly to her. She was asleep. Her head against the wall. Her knees pulled up and her arms tucked in between them and her chest. Fresh tear streaks were down her face. There were little pieces of hair still stuck to her fingers. She was pulling it out.

"Rach. Let's get you back into bed." I reached out and softly tapped her knee to let her know I was going to pick her up.

She jarred awake quickly. "NO! You're not real. You're not real. You're not real. Don't touch me. Get out get out get out. They'll come!" She was screeching and thrashing.

"Please Rach, let me help you. Please!" I was begging. She accidentally scratched my arms as she was fighting to get away from me and the hot pressure of oncoming tears threatened to spill out of my eyes.

"I don't know you! You're not him! You're not real. IT'S NOT REAL IT'S NOT REAL IT'S NOT REAL!" She was screaming like a banshee and clawing at me to get away from her.