Friends with Benefits (Levi x OC)

Ch. 16: Horacio

Chapter 16: Horacio

'Hange?.. Hange??' I looked around desperately, my hair swinging with my sudden head movements. The darkness was so dense... It felt like I might be thrown about and ejected from this place entirely. I fell to my knees. Everywhere was black. It was so dark, I wasn't sure if my eyes were even open anymore. And I had been running for what felt like hours. My breathing was jagged. My eyes felt so tired from straining. Every time I moved, my eyes would see shapes like fireworks. Each time, they would get more real looking. At one point I thought I might even start hallucinating. This was torturous.

'Hange!? Please!' I screamed again, my voice raw. I sat down and slowly caught my breath. I focused on my breathing. 

In through the nose... out through the mouth...

...What if I'm stuck here forever... 

In through the nose... out through the mouth...

It was taking everything I had not to burst into tears.

...I'm going to be stuck here forever...

'Hello?' I called out again. The sound of my voice seemed to get devoured by the darkness. Suffocated by it. Almost as though this place was the size of a small carriage. But I knew it was endless... because I had been endlessly running.

I shut my eyes tight and screwed them up. On a count of three I opened them again. But still, I couldn't see a thing. I yelled in frustration before taking another deep breath. 

Okay... remember... what did you want to see... 

I want know the name and face of Hange's roommate. I want to know the name and face of Hange's current roommate. 

Hange's roommate... 

Hange's roommate...

I focused on those words for a little while. Then, I heard a crash. I opened my eyes wide, trying hard to find some kind of light. I started to doubt my own ears. Maybe I was imagining that crash... I looked over to my left, my eyes burning for something to see. I slowly got to my feet, shaking. 

'H-hello?' I cried out. A light! There was a little red light beeping on and off in the distance. Was I imagining this too?

'Hello??' I walked closer to it. The red light stayed on. I walked and walked but it got no bigger. I felt like I was tugging against something strong. I picked up my pace and stepped into a light jog. It felt like the air was sticking to me, trying to keep me back but I kept running. The darkness was pulling me away like I was running backwards on a treadmill. But still I kept going. I felt a sudden jolt of determination and ran at the small light with full force. All of a sudden the red light became white. From that fixed point, beams of light shot out around me, pulling me forwards into it. My eyes turned to a squint as the blinding light enveloped me. I didn't need to run anymore and the floor was... gone.

Am I... falling?

No...

I could see a room. 

Is this Hange's room...?

It was early in the morning. The room was messy, objects were cluttering surfaces, drawers were open, clothes spilled out onto the floor. Yet, it felt peaceful. Nothing bad happened here. There was a bunk bed, the top bed was unmade and empty.

I sank down into the room from the ceiling. I landed gently on my feet. I felt more real now.,. like I was a part of some kind of reality again. This place felt less like a dream. I checked the bottom bunk; it was empty.