Once Upon A Dream

Chapter 23 - The Resonating Nightmare

Ch. 23

I gazed at Aesc, and smiled. I reached for him, to grab his hand, but he stepped back. Aesc distanced himself from me as he returned the gaze, but his was an impassive, almost indifferent, one. He watched me as I tried to run to him, but couldn't.

'What's wrong?' I tried to ask, but mouth wouldn't even open. Aesc simply shook his head, and I wasn't sure why.

Suddenly, the dark atmosphere around us became reflective, and I turned. I saw myself and could see Aesc behind me. I noticed my features beginning to harden, to mature even more than they already had. This time it a because of experience and hard work, not because of puberty.

Next thing I knew, I was graduating but then I was acting on stage. As my face grew more stern, my hair lightened and started to turn white. My skin went from looking fresh to looking worn. And finally, I was sitting in a rocking chair, wrinkled and alone. All the while, Aesc had watched protectively over me with crossed arms and a grim expression. His features never changed.

My mind switched, turning away from that dream to face another. No doubt II had other dreams, but none of them I would recollect. So, for all I knew, all of them could of had something to do with Aesc, and yet, that dream would be the first thing in my mind the next morning. It was the one and only dream-more like nightmare-to resonate with me.

~

I woke up to the beeping of my phone, and the first thing that popped up in my mind was the worst. It was the nightmare. I couldn't help wanting to cry.

Aesc will live on. I'm going to grow old and die someday, just like every other human. Even if he changes his appearance to match mine, he'll live on until the end of time. He'll stay a youthful demon. I probably won't even make it to one hundred. With Ravus two steps a head, what if I don't even make it to my next birthday?

Sad, pessimism reality hit me harder than anything in life. I took a hot shower, hoping the thoughts and feeling would scorch out of my mind, if not wash away. I sobbed silently as the water slipped over me. When I got out of the shower, I put on some clean clothes consisting of an oversized sweater, leggings, and socks. I brushed my hair and teeth, but even after getting ready, I felt hollow and ill. I just wanted to curl up and vomit.

Stepping out of the bathroom, I saw Aesc tugging on a tight fitting, dark green shirt. He had put on some stonewashed jeans too. He still had bedhead, though. Grinning, Aesc strode over to me and went to kiss me.

I couldn't even look at him, so I turned. Frowning, he lightly pecked me on the cheek. "Kate, what's wrong?"

It told him everything. The nightmare. The truth. Even if we did survive this, there would be more demons sent after Aesc. He could die. Even if we survived it all, I would die, eventually. He never would, he couldn't. The world had just become even more screwed up than it already was.

Aesc tried to coax me, like usual. He tried to hold me. But I was sticking to it. There was nothing that could change the fact that I could grow old and die while Aesc would not.

"No more demons," I choked out, shaking my head as I pulled away from his warm, strong arms. "It doesn't matter how many we survive, we can't even grow old together."

"Yes, we can. I can-"

"No!" I yelled, surprising even myself. "I've hit reality this time, Aesc. You need to, too. You can change as many times as you want, and I can continue to lie to myself, but that fact will never, ever change...So, we'll never change."

Aesc smiled as if he was confused, as if he thought he misunderstood what I had said. "You're-no. No way, Kate. You wouldn't."

I sniffled, looking away as my eyes watered. I shut them tightly and leaned forward, droplets streaming down my cheeks.

It has to be done.

Aesc leaned forward, his hands reaching for my shoulder, but I leaped to my feet.

"Kate, you can't do this," he said, talking more to himself than to me now. "You wouldn't, couldn't. You're not sticking to this. It's just Ravus getting to you again-"

I couldn't listen to anymore, and darted out of the room crying loudly. I put one hand over my mouth to smother the noises, but there was no possible way of stopping the tears. I rushed down the hallway of rooms of the hotel, racing towards the elevator.

I pressed the button repeated, over and over and over, until the doors opened. It was early in the morning, so most people weren't up in the hotel just yet. I had the elevator all to myself.

~

Back in the hotel room, Aesc thrashed his arms wildly, knocking the hotel lamp onto the bed. Blaming his shoulder for the immense pain as his eyes watered, Aesc massaged his right shoulder. But it wasn't his shoulder that felt the pain. The hurtful tug came from a spot only a few inches lower than the shoulder.