Shards of Kairos

III - Waking Nightmare

"What the hell was that?" Evie managed in a low rush, pitching her voice quietly so that no one else would hear, especially not Katie and Riley back in the kitchen.

And Evie didn't care how insane she might sound. Julian had obviously experienced the same, terrifying thing. Terrifying because it wasn't rational or logical!

Julian took his hand away from hers (and it was honest to god shaking) - like it had been burned, voice just as low and urgent. It also sounded a bit strained. "Come with me. Now."

Evie immediately balked at the suggestion but what had just happened was mutually shared and entirely alien to her. She couldn't even begin to wrap her mind around or process what had just happened. It wasn't explainable in the slightest.

And Evie was smart enough to assume there was a lot in this world she didn't know of and that this, what had just happened... as much as her mind fought to reason with it, this was something else entirely.

This was whole galaxies different.

Evie realized she'd reflexively crumpled the two fives Julian had given her in a fist and pried her fingers apart. And forgetting his change entirely, she just jammed them into the drawer and slammed it closed. Julian was already leaving and she had to hurry to catch up, catching the door before it hit her in the face.

He certainly didn't bother to hold it out for her although the misplaced chivalry didn't exactly matter right now.

"I'm crazy." Evie said as soon as they were outside, the cool air not entirely unwelcome. It was almost enough to forget about the fog. "I'm crazy. And you have to be crazy, because you experienced that too!" Evie pointed a finger at Julian accusingly and almost right into the supple leather jacket zipped up tight against his chest.

Julian looked like he really didn't want to be having this conversation on the sidewalk or more or less in public. Right out in the middle of the street Evie abruptly realized with an embarrassed catch of her breath. Had he just walked right into the middle of the street? Just how blind was he?

Generally though, Julian didn't look to be happy at all at the moment. Least of all like he'd paying attention to his environment. "You know that wasn't normal." he said, tone a bit challenging. But it was a question too. And Evie decided she didn't like it.

"Yeah! Which means I've probably developed some sort of brain disease or tumor while I wasn't aware of it. Because that-"

"Doesn't happen in your reality." Julian's flat statement, fully confident in it's insanity, made Evie's mouth fall open the second time today and she stared at Julian like she really couldn't understand what was happening to the world as she'd known it. Because she couldn't.

"I'm dreaming." Evie decided stubbornly. For the sake of her sanity if nothing else.

Julian pinned her with a hard look, Evie struggling not to shift uncomfortably under those oppressively black sunglasses. She couldn't see his eyes through them, at all, and his height over her only made the sensation even more intimidating. And unnerving.

"Can you explain what just happened?" Julian demanded shortly.

"Yes. I'm dreaming." Evie declared. "And I dare you to prove otherwise. Either that or I'm having an argument with a figment of my imagination which is a whole lot better-"

"I don't have time for this." Julian said, letting out a breath that could only be called impatient. "Is your last name Brigger?"

Evie blinked in shock. It wasn't. But should she take it as a coincidence that it was her biological parents' last names? For the sake of her own personal safety, she imagined anyway, Evie decided not to let him in on that particular fact. "No and I'm not telling you my last name. I want to know what you felt when our hands touched. The real answer. Right now."