Let Your Fantasies Unwind

Chapter 23

Sunday update! :D

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I wake up the next morning. Rain is pattering on the roof, and it's a gentle rain. Thunder rolls gently in the background, but enough to startle me. I wrap myself up in a blanket and wander around the house to make sure there aren't any leaks.

Not seeing any, I go over to the kitchen. I see Erik sitting at the table, with a newspaper in his hands and a cup of coffee resting on the table next to him. He looks up and sets the paper down on the table. His eyes are gentle.

"Good morning." He says.

"Good morning." I reply. "It's raining."

"Indeed it is." Thunder rolls loudly, and I squeem. "Are you alright?"

"I only like rain if it's going to be gentle. No thunder or lightning, just rain."

"Oh." He walks over to me and cautiously engulfs me into a hug. "Everything will be okay. It is just noise."

I nod in the hug, and we continue to stand here for a few minutes before he ends the hug. "Coffee?" he offers.

"Yes, thank you."

He prepares a cup and hands it to me. I taste it, and it's exactly how I like it.

"Oh, woah! Thank you! How did you know I like it this way?"

"I have watched you prepare your cup many times, and each time, I learned something new about your cup each time. I thought I would make it this time for you."

"Again, thank you." I take more sips of the coffee. "What are we going to do today?"

"Want to watch the Ballet rats practice for the new production?"

"Is Carlotta going to be in it?"

He laughs. "You should know better than that. Of course she's going to be in it."

I shake my head, in slight disapproval. "Sure, why not. Allow me to finish my cup of coffee and put on a new set of clothes though."

"Of course. Then after that, we shall go." With that, he swaggers out of the kitchen and to his room.

'I wonder what they're practicing today. It can't be Faust, not in this timeline, I guess. Maybe in a different timeline, they would have practiced Faust, but since I don't think this timeline is totally following the book, it must be Hannibal, then.' I stare at my cup for a few seconds, before chugging the rest of the coffee down, and then dash to my bedroom.

I change out of my old clothes, and into my comfortable clothes that I was carrying on me when I first traveled here, my black Doctor Who t-shirt, my grey Capri's, red high top converse, and pink socks. I swing my cloak around me, and then go out to the living room again.

Erik exits his room, fully dressed in his black attire, wide brimmed fedora hat, and big cloak. He's putting on his mask, tying the string around to the back of his head. He looks up at me.

"Did you see anything?" he asks darkly.

"No." I reply.

"Good." He mumbles. "Ready to head out?"

"Yes."

He goes out the front door, meaning we're going over by boat ride. I shiver but follow close behind, closing the door behind us too.

"Do you think you're up to another boat ride?" he calls over his shoulders.

"I think so."

He helps me onto the boat, and he rows the boat a few seconds later. I focus on breathing and not looking down at the water. I watch the pillars and the many ways that can lead you to death, or back at the start. The many false lead paths.