A Distant Reverie

Chapter 44

"Relax."

Something cold prickled the surface of his skin. Slowly, the edge of the metal blade sunk in. Vesper could feel it. A slight pressure. A prick of pain as his skin was easily teared apart, then numbed by the dull buzzing at the point of entry. Something hot soon ruptured outwards, bursting from the open wound.

Blood. His own.

"Stay calm. You don't want me to make a mess out of it, do ya?"

The deep baritone voice boomed in his ears. The gentle words wormed into his head, slithering down his spine like crawlies in the dark. Vesper squirmed. The discomfort was unbearable. The mismatch between his captor's smooth, silky voice and his horrific actions made it all the more terrifying.

The knife went deeper. He could feel his insides screaming at the foreign object invading beneath the folds of his flesh. It pried and pried, intent to expose whatever secrets laid within.

Stop it. Vesper wanted to cry and beg for mercy, but his mouth had been stitched shut. Relentless, the knife went even deeper, carving through the fleshy folds and violating the insides that weren't meant to be touched.

"Look at that."

Thump. Thump. Thump.

A warped rhythm echoed in his head. Vesper looked down. In his captor's hands was a large, red pulsating mass. It looked grotesque, with veins and tendrils sprouting from—

His chest.

The realization dawned on him.

"Your heart."

Before he could move, his captor squeezed.

-----

Vesper shot up. His hands instinctively moved to his chest, grasping at the area right above his heart. Incessant thumping reverberated through his sweaty hands. His heart was still intact. Confused, he looked around. Wooden ceiling. A soft cushioned bed. He was no longer imprisoned in the horrific dungeon of that madman.

A nightmare.

His eyes fell upon an unexpected visitor. They had striking crimson hair. Pensive eyes, one covered by an eyepatch. A petite frame that betrayed her unfathomable martial prowess.

Marine.

She was seated beside his bed, staring at him with a bewildered look.

"Mr. Noir. Are you alright?"

Being addressed by his family name would have usually irked him, but right now, he didn't care. Vesper instantly relaxed, overwhelmed by a rush of relief. Her voice. The confident soprano that was often accompanied by a haughty and mischievous tone.

He didn't realize how much he missed her.

"Y-yeah, I mean. No. Not really," he muttered. His vision suddenly grew blurry. The edge of his eyes grew wet. An airy rasp escaped his chest, threatening to erupt.

"Sorry, I—"

"It's okay. There's no shame. You went through something terrible. Something horrific that no one deserves to experience. It's alright," Marine said, placing a hand on his shoulder, "I'm just glad you're awake."

His heart felt like it was about to burst. Unable to contain it any longer, Vesper wept.

-----

After a minute of letting himself cry, Vesper took a deep breath to regain his composure. The experience was cathartic, yet he couldn't help but feel embarrassed at his unsightliness.