Sempiternal (Trilogy - Book 1)

Three - Dreams

"Here." Rin handed me a plate of soup.

We were outside in the hospital garden. It was fairly secluded from the entire hospital, which was exactly what I needed right now. Isolation.

I gave a dismissive wave. "I'm not hungry." I croaked. He looked exasperated and groaned.

"For Christ's sake, Corina! I'm not asking you!" he snapped. I looked at him, bewildered. As far as I know, this is the first time I've seen Rin lose his temper---especially towards me. He's mostly always so calm and collective. I was taken back.

He sighed. "I'm sorry," he murmured and sat beside me, the plate of soup on his other side. "You really need to eat, Cory. What you're doing to yourself isn't healthy." I kept quiet and tried to listen. "Starving yourself, living off caffeine...self harm--"

"You think I did this to myself," I cut him off, pointing at my patched up chest. I gaped at him, shocked that he would think so low of me.

"I'm not saying---Look, I'm just trying to help you, Corina. It's my job to make sure all my patients return to their sane and happy state of mind. Seeing you this...broken. It's really hard to just stand by and watch." His face grew softer, his eyes filled with worry...worry for me.

I never paid much attention to his features, now that I think about it. Dark, shaggy brown hair, deep grey eyes, cream skin, a muscular thin body and a crispy accent that I'm sure was from Liverpool. He was incredibly handsome in a conventional way, and young too. I remember Charlotte, my roommate, going on about him. I think he's twenty-three..twenty-four?

I breathed in the cold air, long and hard. "I didn't inflict pain on myself." I finally spoke. "It's----It's." Where should I even begin? "It all started that night---when I lost everything. I keep having these nightmares of this...man." I muttered, praying he didn't hear me. 

"Can you describe him?" Rin asked, his eyes penetrating. "He always looks different, in each dream. But somehow it's always him. In some twisted way I always know who he is." "Who is he, Cory?" Rin asked, his voice barely audible. "I--I," I stuttered, "I don't know." I whispered.

"Before I woke up, in my dream he killed me. I got stabbed right through my chest. Next thing you know, I'm bleeding."

The silence was maddening. Suddenly, a burst of chuckles slipped out of my lips and into the cold air. "Oh god, I'm going crazy." I laughed bitterly. Rin scooted closer and gently grabbed my hands, placing them on his lap. He slid his hand inside mine and laced my fingers with his. His skin was warm, and I felt my own skin tingle where he touched me. It startled me. They were nice and soft---like Danny's.

I suddenly felt a lump in my throat. I pushed back the unwanted thoughts immediately. "You're not crazy Cory." he muttered. I almost believed him. His eyes held so much warmth. I felt my heart melt in two. The way he looked at me---with so much compassion and---understanding?

This was all too overwhelming. Feeling his eyes on me like that made something flutter inside of me---which was stupid, of course. I shouldn't be feeling like this just because he was too good looking for his own good. After all, he is my psychologist.