Passion's Instinct

Forty Four

Natalie

Oh. My. Goodness. Benjamin Millipied. He was the guy from my nightmare that was my husband.

I forced a smile, while still coming to the realization that my nightmare must've actually meant something. I pressed a hand to my forehead, laughing. "It's nice to meet you, Benjamin, but um... I'm so sorry, I don't feel well at all. I think I'm going to have to lay down for a second."

"Oh," he said, a worried look crossing his face. "Of course. Would you like me to help you?"

"No, no, it's alright..."

"I insist," he said.

I let out a nervous laugh. "Benjamin, I don't really know you..."

"Don't worry, you can trust me! Let me get you some water."

"Hold on --" I started, but he walked to the kitchen as if he knew the layout of the house by heart.

I ran after him and tapped his shoulder, where he was turned around, facing the counter. "You're not supposed to be in my house," I protested. "I barely know you."

He ignored me and turned around, with a full glass of water. I glared at him and snatched it from his hand, downing some. He pushed me towards the couch, and I started to protest again, but I began to feel dizzy and collapsed on the couch anyway.

"Oh, I'm really not feeling well now," I whispered, a wave of nausea coming over me.

"That's right," Benjamin said slowly, pushing me back on the couch. "Say night-night, Natalie..."

"Hey," I heard a second voice say sternly.

"Hayden?" I said, barely able to move my lips. I felt so extremely drowsy I could barely speak.

I heard some arguing, and a few minutes later, Hayden's silhouette appeared in front of me. All I could see was the blurry outline of his image.

"Nat, babe... are you alright?" He skimmed his finger over my cheek and kissed me. "Natalie," he said, his voice harder this time. When I wouldn't respond, he shook me and kissed me again. I didn't kiss him back. I couldn't.

Slowly, I felt like I was drifting away.

As Hayden got blurrier and blurrier and I could hear his voice less and less, he tried his best to get me to respond. I heard him speaking urgently on his phone. I felt him lift me. And just as I felt the last of his touch on my skin, everything turned pitch black.