Revelation

-Twenty One-

Raylea

For what seems like the thousandth time, I blink my eyes. Yet, the first wave of shock has not left my body. I stay frozen in place with my feet molted on the cold hard wood floor. My lips part slightly as I somehow manage to breath incredibly slowly. 

Inhale, pause for three seconds, and exhale: that seems to be my mantra at the moment and well, has been since I was born but that's beyond the point.

At least I can stray off topic in my mind. I guess I should consider myself lucky that I haven't lost my mind yet. 

Who am I kidding, I have totally lost it. 

Instinctively, I inhale sharply, allowing myself to regain control over my still body. I twitch all my fingers and lightly shake my arms to confirm that I'm, physically, no longer in a state of disbelief. Mentally, though, that's another story.

I gulp loudly, making the sound echo throughout the tiny entrance hallway as I stare wide eyed at the individual staring back at me.

One by one, questions begin to swirl around in my mind. How is this possible? What is going on? Where am I? 

Am I still dreaming?

"Raylea, say something." The words sore through the air, cutting the tension in the hallway in half. These words seem to bring me out of my rollercoaster inflated mind and back to the truth.

Still, with being back in the present time, I can't utter one word. The shock is still here, stronger than ever before. All I can do is shake my head. 

"Please, Raylea." I immediately take a step back when the individual attempts to come closer to me. At the moment and at the current state of my mind, it would be best for the both of us if there was some distance between us.

Preferably a lot of distance.

Cautiously, I walk backwards but with my frozen body, to the person in front of me, it appears more as if I stumbled my way back to the door that leads to the tiny room. Every single muscle in my body is telling me to lock myself in the bedroom. Maybe this is all a dream and if I lock myself in, I can wait the dream out and wake up back at Nat's place. 

What's occurring at this very moment, the insanity of it, it can't be real. I must be imagining this. The desperation and loneliness after being kicked out from my only home must have finally caught up with me. I must be on my final straw; on the verge of cracking. I can almost imagine the last strings of sanity in my head gradually ripping apart from too much strain.

One thing is for sure, I can't stay in place like this forever. It is time to make my move. Whether it be to lock myself in the foreign bedroom or respond back, I have to decide now.

I reach my left head to the back of me and tightly grip the door knob. I stare back into the eyes of what could most likely be a sign that I'm losing my mind and part my lips. "What sort of screwed up dark sorcery shit is this?"

It has come to my intention that I don't react well to situations that have me under pressure. 

We remain in silence until I am finally given a response. "Raylea, I want you to listen very carefully." I nod my head, knowing I have no other choice. "There is no hidden sorcery shit going on here. This is the real deal."

I let the words sink into my brain. I should feel relief that I am actually not losing my mind but instead, more dread overtakes me. "This isn't real," I say, shaking my head.

"Raylea, I'm standing right in front of you. What part of me is not real?"

"This can't be happening." I reply back.