The known stranger

11. Night terrors

"My best dreams & worst nightmares have same people in them"
- Philippos Syrigos

Ella's POV:

"Just drink it child, it will end all your agony" said the woman in a hollow voice.

"But ..." I was hesitant, still yearning and pining, for something, someone, I didn't know.

"Drink it and forget everything, start anew" she sneered at me.

Her eyes were sinister, there was no doubt about it, I wanted to say no, but I couldn't, something at the back of my mind shouted and begged for me to not go through with it, but my hands moved on their own. I took the small bottle from her hands and gulped the contents of it, Soon enough, the world around me started going round, it felt like I was infiltrated by something horrible, air in my lungs rushed out, I felt as if I had no control left over my own self, a thunderous headache was seeping in and I was screaming for my life...

"Ella"

"Ella, wakeup"

I opened my eyes with a jerk only to realise it to be a nightmare, it felt too real but a wave of relief passed over me, I found Ethan hovering over me, my face was in his palms, my whole body covered in sweat and my heart breathing frantically.

"Eth..an" my voice came out hoarse.

He brought a glass of water to my lips and I gulped it down in one go.

"What happened Ella" he asked, his face clearly distorted in concern.

Tears flew out of my orbs, my heart was breaking for the girl in the dream, it was almost as if I could feel her sadness.

"It was..a ....bad" i broke down before, I could complete my sentence.

"Sshhhh.. it's okay sweetheart" Ethan raised me from the mattress and placed my cheeks on his chest, his hands rubbed my back, it felt much more comforting than it should have.

I inhaled his familiar scent and realised how much I actually missed him all these days.

I wanted to snuggle in his chest forever.

But he soon dropped his arms from my back and stepped back, I already felt a void envelope me.

He ran his fingers through my hair, making me visibly shiver.

"Arey you cold Ella" he said looking at me intently with those godforsaken eyes.

On the contrary his mere presence was setting my insides on fire.

"No..I..am okay" I tried to speak something coherent.

"What was it"  he said after a moment of silence.

"A lady, she looked...so evil Ethan, she..she forced me to drink something and, I was in so much pain after it, I could physically feel it" My heartbeat rose again.

He traced the side of my neck with his fingertips, I leaned into his touch subconsciously.

Get a grip, Ella.

"It was just a dream" he whispered, his fingers now moved over my lips, parting them slightly, to the edge of my jaw, and finally dropped to his sides.

I exhaled a breath, I didn't know I was holding.

"But it felt so real"  I said, his eyes were boring into mine and there was something behind them, I couldn't quite decipher.

"It's not real in this moment" he said after a pause.

The tension suddenly grew thick in the room.

"Its not" I gulped.