The Age of Forever | ✓

17 | Nightmare

  "Cause there is no guarantee that this life is easy"

~ When I Look At You (The Time of Our Lives)

LATE that night, after Harold left due to his headache getting too strong, I climbed into my bed with a head full of images I couldn't understand.

I didn't tell Harry about the little daydream situation that happened while he was in the kitchen. I mean, what was I supposed to say? I saw him and I dressed up like we were still in the twenties, holding hands like a couple that was beyond ready to say 'I do'.

What was worse was this undying feeling I had in the pit of my stomach, telling me that the dream, or whatever the hell it was, wasn't just a dream. That it was way more than that; like it had already happened.

Which was nearly impossible since I had no memory of Harold and me until three months ago when we got trapped in that elevator. There was no way I knew him before then. I had a recollection from all my days and Harry was in absolutely none of them.

I knew that if I kept wondering about this, I would most likely keep myself up all night, and possibly lead myself to do as much research as I can on how this all is possible and what it meant.

Meaning, I will drive myself crazy just like I did when I noticed that I wasn't aging.

So, I turned off the lights and quickly wrapped myself in my covers, drifting off into a deep sleep faster that I expected.

***

Where was I? And why does this look like the parties back in the twenties?

Am I dreaming?

God, I must be, because who dresses like this anymore?

Everyone was dressed in either flapper attire or strip suits that sparked a sense of homesickness in my heart. I loved the twenties; it was the absolute best decade of the 1900s and I don't care what anyone says.

My eyes roamed the room, noticing the masks everyone wore; it seemed like a requirement of attendance. Ah, I remember those parties. The mystery made the party so much better than it already was.

I caught a young man and a young girl who looked to be in their twenties staring at each other across the room, the hundreds of people in between that were flapping away not breaking their gaze. It seemed as though the world had stopped spinning for a minute, that everyone and everything in the room didn't exist. Only they existed and the smile the stretched their lips was proof that they were enticed with each other.

When their feet started to move towards each other's direction, I knew right then and there I had just witnessed the prologue of a wild love story.

The boy reached out his hand, they girl grasping back tightly as if she was afraid he'd melt away.

"I'm at lost for words," he spoke, his voice deep with a familiar tone that I couldn't put my finger on.

"For what?" The girl's smile brightened at the flirtatiousness of his voice. Although she couldn't see his face, she couldn't help but admire the mere beauty of his aura. I mean, I'm sure that's what she was doing because that's what I'm doing. Even without the affirmation of his face without the mask, he had such a pull to him that I couldn't deny.

What was going on?

"Well, I don't know about you, beautiful," he returned a smile, grasping her hand as tightly as she held his, "but, I've never seen a beauty such as yourself in my years on Earth. And I can't even see half your face."

Well, that wasn't cliche. But it is the twenties.

"I beg to differ," she laughed, taking a presumptuous step further closer to where the boy stood.

"Hmm, really?"

"Yeah."

They stared at each other for a while-which, honestly, made me feel a little uncomfortable-the world still a forgotten place.

In the end, curiosity must've killed the cat, because the boy cleared his throat and tugged on the girl's hand, knocking her out of her gaze that was locked on him.

Instantly, he invited the girl to a private room where they could indeed be alone and the two exited the charged crowd of the party, leaving me there wondering what the hell I was looking at.

Still curious, though, I followed the two into the room. They couldn't see me, anyway, so who would it hurt to be a fly on the wall?

Nonetheless, finally alone in the company of the white walls that enclosed a tasteful decor, the two sat facing the grand window that opened to the view of the beautiful New York City.

Wait. New York City?

What kind of a sick joke was this?

"You never told me your name, beautiful," the boy spoke for the first since they'd walked away from the party, knocking me out of my thoughts. His eyes wandering over the girl in pure adoration.

She didn't notice his eyes, as hers were doing the admiration of their own. "Adele."

"Hmm," he hummed, relaxing his arms over the headrest. "That's a beautiful name for a beautiful woman."

Aww, the twenties were such charmers. How adorable.

Adele laughed at that, utterly taken back by his unwarranted genuineness. "And yours?"

Oh my God, why does this feel so familiar? Did I have too much wine or something?

"Harold," he shrugged, "it's a bit outdated."

Excuse me, did he just say Harold?

"Oh stop it. It's a powerful name," Adele objected, lightly pushing him in a playful manner.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, how cute. But like, did she just say Harold?

"You think so?"

"Well of course I do," she smiled coyly, "its gorgeous name for a gorgeous man."

Her replication brought out a laughter from Harold. "Nice one, Elle," he'd started to say, but stopped quickly. "Is it okay if I called you Elle?"

Okay, what the hell was this? Harold and Elle? This is the worst nightmare. At least I understood what was going on in most nightmares.

Her smile softened at his question and she reached out to caress his arm in soothingly. "You can call me whatever you like."

Harold sighed in relief, sounding more in peace than ever as he rested his hand over hers.

Before either of them could say more, a bolt of lightning hit the room, causing me to shriek in fright as the room went all white for a whole second. Honestly, it felt like it lasted for years, but that could've been my mind playing tricks on me.

However, rather than catching on fire or falling apart, the room held together in its structure perfectly as the power from the lightning heated the room, causing both Adele and Harold to pass out.

Petrified, I rushed to their side, preparing to give CPR to any of them if needed.

But before I could do much, everything vanished.