COURAGE/LIMITS (MewGulf) || Completed✓

11. Hallucination...??

"Why is everyone looking at me like that Phi?" Gulf asks Mew, as they walk hand in hand to their room.

"How are they looking at you?" Mew asks, fishing the key to their room from his pocket.

"Weirdly. Like I have grown two heads or something." Gulf says and scrunches his nose.

Mew laughs and boops Gulf's nose. "Let's get inside." Mew says and takes the luggage from Gulf. He enters the room with Gulf behind him. "The furnishing is nice, isn't it?" Mew asks Gulf, while looking around the room. Gulf hums in appreciation and his eyes fall on the mattress. How can two people fit on it? Gulf thinks and blushes as a thought brushes his mind. Shut out your pervy thoughts, Gulf. He rebukes himself. "Close the door behind you." Mew says and goes to keep their luggage on the cupboard.

Gulf turns to close the wooden door of their room, when his eyes fall on a person standing with his back turned towards him, at the deck of the floating raft in front of theirs. Gulf's breathing flares, and his eyes widen with utter shock as he recognises the person. Holy fuck. It's Dan! How did he get here?! Gulf's face becomes pale with fear and he starts sweating profusely, as he notices the tattoo on that person's arms. It's really Dan! Gulf shuts the door violently, startling Mew. "What-" Mew starts to say but stops when he sees Gulf's condition. He runs over to him and engulfs him in his arms and rocks him gently. "What's wrong? Hey, hey are you crying?!" Mew holds Gulf tightly as Gulf slumps down on the floor. "Gulf, what's wrong?" Mew asks, despair and concern lacing his voice.

"Phi, he's here." Gulf says, his voice feeble.

"Who's here Gulf? Tell me!"

"He's here. I'm sure he's followed us here!" Gulf says, hyperventilating.

"For fuck's sake Gulf, who the hell is here?!"

"He....Dan." Gulf says and crashes himself on Mew. "Listen Phi, I saw him amongst the crowd today. Now he's in the raft in front of ours! He's followed us here.... What if he's here to harm you?! Ohh God!" Gulf says as fresh tears spill from his eyes.

"Listen to me, Gulf." Mew cups Gulf's face and wipes away his tears. "There's no way P'Dan can follow us here. There's no way he knows that we're here, hmm?" Mew says, trying to figure out a way to calm Gulf down.

"No Phi! He's here! Believe me-"

"Gulf, Gulf, Gulf listen to me. You have been thinking about him too much. You have been asking about him a lot and worrying unnecessarily about him and me these days. Maybe this is the reason you're seeing things? Hmm?" Mew tries to explain.

"But Phi-"

"On the neighbouring raft, you said? I will go and check out who's booked a room there." Mew frowns. "Because, I think we have booked almost all of the rafts lining along this side of the bank. But still, Nong Gulf, I will go and check, okay?" Mew gets up from the floor and starts to leave, when Gulf holds his hand.

"Don't leave me alone, P'Mew." Gulf says and looks at Mew. Fresh tears spill from his eyes. Mew sighs and sits on his knees. "Nong Gulf, let's not bring up Dan. Let's enjoy this moment. These three days, are entirely ours, ain't they?" Mew says and holds Gulf's hands. Gulf looks at Mew through the veil of his tears but smiles. He nods shyly, which tugs at Mew's heart. "C'mon. Get up from the floor." Mew holds Gulf's waist and helps him get up. "Now, I am going to open the door, okay? I want to show you something." Mew says and smiles.

"Phi, what if he's still there?" Gulf asks, panicking again.

"Gulf, so what if he's there? He cannot harm you until I am with you. Please be brave." Mew says gently. "Then, I will open the door now. Let's go stand at the deck." Mew opens the door. He holds Gulf's hands and leads him to the deck. "Don't be paranoid." Mew reassures Gulf as he sees him checking the raft in front of theirs. As they reach the end of the raft, they can see the river in front of them. The rafts lining up the river bank, with the scenic beauty, makes it look like a painting. A picturesque. Mew puts his arm around Gulf's shoulder and says, "Just look there." Mew points his finger at the other end of the river. "Wait and watch. I hope you'll like it."