A Heart's Thoughts

Day 20 - Part 1

"Cecilia, please just try to come outside," Eden yelled through the closed door in front of him.

"No! The moment I leave this room, they'll get me again."

Eden was about to reply but Anthony grabbed hold of his shoulder, "Eden, it's been three days since you finished healing her. This can't go on any longer, they're getting onto our track. Please just remove that memory and get it over with."

"I told you, I won't force anything like that on Cecilia. If you're still willing to do so, you might want to reconsider your position as her boyfriend."

Eden's remarks aggravated Anthony and he turned Eden around before harshly pushing his friend's back against the door, pinning him in place with his arm.

"I am saying this exactly because I am her boyfriend. She isn't herself and is being held back by fears and instead of helping her recover you're letting her suffer unnecessarily! She won't even remember you doing anything, so why are you holding back? What's stopping you?!"

Eden glared at Anthony and pushed him off him, "Cecilia is able to function. She can eat, speak and move around. She can even be stubborn like this. Fine, she experienced something awful, and I agree that she doesn't deserve to suffer because of this, but don't forget that your experiences make who you are. My power to erase harmful memories will only be for the better if otherwise that person wouldn't be able to function. You don't know Cecilia as well as I do. That girl is too stubborn to be pulled down by this, so be patient. She'll be back before you know it."

Anthony was about to reply when the door behind Eden opened, and Cecilia stood at the doorstep. Eden turned around in surprise and Cecilia hugged him, burying her face in his shoulder, "please don't erase my memories. Please."

Eden looked over his shoulder at Anthony, giving him an 'I-said-so' look as he softly stroked Cecilia's back.

"I won't, don't worry. More importantly, you managed to walk on your own. Good, very good. It means you're making progress."

Cecilia let go of Eden and took a step back, making sure she was still in the room.

"You have new clothes," she shift her gaze to Anthony and looked him up and down before looking back at Eden, "both of you. Are those fighting clothes?"

Eden chuckled and took a step into the room, immediately resulting in Cecilia also taking a step back. His expression saddened for a moment, but he quickly recovered it with a smile, "you're sharp as ever. Francis made these clothes for when we leave this city, since we don't know who or what's out there."

"Wait, we're leaving this city?"

Cecilia looked shocked and turned her attention back to Anthony, "did you tell them to do so?"

Anthony raised both his hands in the air with a look of innocence on his face, "look, I wasn't involved in this one. It seems everyone outside just agreed to it. We have an outfit for you, too, if you want to try it."

"I want it."

"Wait, Cecilia. Your skin is still very sore and these clothes aren't the loosest, or softest for that matter. Maybe it would be better to stay in these clothes for a few more days until we're sure your skin can handle the extra friction."

Cecilia stared at Eden as she considered his words and then nodded before sitting on her bed, "then can I at least see it?"

Eden nodded at Anthony, who went to the other room and came back a while later holding nicely- folded, black clothes. He carefully stepped into the room, eyeing Cecilia to make sure she wouldn't get startled by his movements, and placed the clothes at the end of her bed.