Ameles potamos

Chapter 20: Recover-Relapse

After a few days and one visit to Julianne she had told me to clear my mind from everything as she noticed that I was so confused, she didn't care to ask what was it, she probably knew I'd tell her, eventually I will… I guess?

She even asked me where was I at the Christmas celebration, but I didn't answer her question and she remained silent, still writing notes in her silly idiotic note pad.

It was mid day and I was walking through the maze, not thinking about anything in particular when I suddenly found Nickolas; his face looked as if he had seen a ghost,

"Nick?" I called out for him, twice but he seemed mesmerized by whatever that was, so I grabbed his arm and he yelped,

"Thank god Niala, thank god you're here" his face was emitting heat.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

He stared in amazement, "Can't you hear that voice?"

"What voice?" I looked around to check if anyone was close, thankfully no one was anywhere near.

"It stopped now… but it was just here, I swear" he spoke in a hurry as if someone was chasing him, he suddenly grabbed my arm and forced me to walk towards where he was, "Look Niala, it sounded like… I don't know, it sounded as if someone was inhaling dust?... that thing choked and started inhaling loudly and furiously" he was talking like a maniac, panicked and scared.

"Maybe it's one of the patients" I said patiently,

 "NO… No, it's… he kept inhaling in my ears as if he had some of a disease, I don't know…."

"There is nothing here Nickolas"

I was starting to be worried, "I know there's nothing now but…" he remained silent for a few seconds then trailed off "There was dust… a-ashes and dust and I thought it was smoke but no no it was dust and…"

"Calm down Nick" I interrupted and reached for him but he stepped back and refused to be touched, his eyes were screaming madness,

"No Listen to me, it was like a building just fell and its remnants were all over the place and the dust and ashes and everything"

"You saw a building fall?" I know that question was stupid but I asked it anyway, "No" he yelled, "I saw dust, you know like when buildings fall" he kept looking all around him, "I went for help but the sound was unearthly Nala, it wasn't human I was scared and… I was…" I waited for him to finish his sentence but he kept quiet, probably realizing what was going on, so I reached out for him again and this time he didn't resist, I held him close to me and pulled him to the ground as I hugged him. We said nothing until he broke the silence, "It's all in my head!"

I didn't know if that was a statement or a question, in both cases he already knew the answer and so I said nothing back and just held him for a little longer.

. . . . . 

Dylan and I were finally at his sister's house for her wedding which wasn't until two days ahead and it was such a beautiful day that you can feel people's hearts raging with happiness, I was wearing a blue short dress that wasn't very impressive but it gave me the sex appeal I needed.

We were going through all the pre-wedding preparations because rehearsal dinner was the following day. I was feeling so happy and easy going. His entire family was welcoming and light hearted, they embraced me as I talked and made silly jokes, and they even complemented me.

 It all went very well until it was time for us to sleep. It was so dark outside and quite as I expected.

I was having trouble sleeping in their guest's room because I wasn't really comfortable in any other bed other than my own, their house was big and consisted of two floors, the room I was sleeping in was in the 1st floor that was near the doorway and the stair case.

I kept tossing and turning until I finally fell asleep. I woke up at about three a.m. on the sound of things being broken, I told myself I shouldn't be too curious there must be someone in the kitchen but then I figured that the kitchen wasn't in the first floor.

I got up and turned my door knob to find Dylan kneeling outside my room with his head in his hand, I reached for him, "Dylan are you okay?" as I touched him I could feel him sweating, he shook his head and looked straight into my eyes, his nose was bleeding heavily.

I stared at him in surprise and started calling out for help, kept screaming for his sister; Samantha. As the blood drifted from his nose to my hands, I had no idea what to do and he looked as if he was about to faint,

"Get your hands off me" he said quietly, I pretended I didn't hear what he just said

"Please" he whispered again, I knelt beside him and yelled again for someone to come help me.

When Samantha's almost husband heard me he ran as quick as he could and we called the hospital, which came quicker than I expected.

On my way to the ambulance I found most of the furniture located outside on the garden and in the backyard, Samantha told me to stay home and not go to the hospital. I didn't want to be stubborn so I stayed with some of her other relatives, one which of whom told me to help her get the furniture, Dylan moved out, back inside, I agreed to help but didn't understand why would he move their furniture outside, anyway I didn't comment and I just did as they said.

"Niala, is everything okay?" Julianne asked as I was telling her what happened during my stay at his sister's

"Yeah, everything's okay"

"No I don't mean with your story… I meant right now, is everything okay?"

I refused to tell her what happened to Nickolas and I will not talk about it to her, she was just a tool for me, I needed her to achieve something. Even though I almost forgot what is it exactly that I was trying to achieve, like any normal human being who would forget their aim throughout the incidents.

"Yes, everything is perfectly fine" except that I think I'm in love with Nickolas and admitting that kills a little piece in me, and the fact that Nickolas is relapsing and probably the fact that I'm pretty sure I'm sick and at the same time I know and am definite that I'm not.

"Yes I'm fine" I repeated

"Okay, you want to continue?" she smiled

"Yes, but first I need to ask you something"

She nodded, "Do you have cameras in our rooms?" I asked

"Not necessarily, but if the case has some serious issues, we do"

I didn't say anything back, the fact that we're just 'cases' pissed me off, but then decided to ask her more appropriately, "What I meant is… do you have any cameras in my room?"

"No, do you have serious issues?"

I didn't respond

"Why Nia?"

The fact that she nicknames me kind of turns me off, "Nothing, I just wanted to know"

That was my answer but after thinking about it I thought I should tell her the truth so that she wouldn't think that I'm doing something suspicious, "Actually, it's just that one day I found one of the nurses knocking on my door and asking me if I was alright, and I was sleeping on the floor, as some kind of a change you know" I tried to make it sound completely normal

"So I just wondered if you had cameras…"

"Well no Niala we don't, I get reports of your nights as well. Did you know that?" I nodded

"So she probably thought you were screaming in your sleep…" I was about to object when she added "...Again"

Whatever she's trying to do or prove has an explanation, of course I scream while sleeping I have nightmares, any person who has nightmares screams in their nights.

However I didn't argue, I kept my logical explanation to myself.