𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨 | 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟒 𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚

𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝

________________

| 1 4 |

6:56am

Michael didn't answer her questions, he just glanced down toward her chest and tilted his head, glaring with his dead eyes, "Why are your ribs fractured?" His tone cold and distant, he had changed drastically— it was like staring at a ghost. Rose avoided thinking about what happened with Richard and offered a sly smile, "I fell down while going out again, you know me and stairs.." she traced her hand over the nape of her neck while laughing quietly under her breath and casting her gaze down. "Do I really know you?" He snapped back in a condescending tone, "why bother lying and not tell me that you got your ribs kicked in? I can hear your thoughts." He slowly removed his blazer while taking her hand and guiding her back into her room. "Those pathetic witches thought they could get rid of me—" he scoffed wryly, Rose was even more confused now.

"Witches?" She asked under her breath as he reached underneath the fabric of her shirt and moved his warm hands toward her ribcage, softly he pressed against them. In a jolt, she could feel them all snap back into place. Staring up at Michael in disbelief, she took a deep breath and exhaled. "Thank you so much..I feel much better now." She didn't care if he was the antichrist, she didn't hesitate in wrapping her arms around him once more and breathing in his scent. He wasn't as affectionate as he once was, or as child-like. When they met, he seemed lost— looking for answers. It was as if he had found all the answers but probably had the rug pulled from beneath his feet. "You're welcome." Michael replied quietly, his arms didn't wrap around her— but she didn't mind. Looking up at him, she broke the hug and then guided him to the bed so they could sit down and talk. "Do you want anything? Water? Tea?" He shook his head, "No, that's alright."

Nodding, Rose tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear and stood up to get him a change of clothes. "Do you want to shower?" She assumed he might have wanted that, he was covered in dried blood in some areas. "Yes, would you mind running the bath water for me?" Rose gave him a thumbs up and disappeared into the bathroom, bending down she plugged up the drain hole and ran the water to where it was comfortably hot. Throwing in a few pumps of lavender bubble bath liquid, she stroked her hands into the water and stood up. Turning around, she nearly bumped into Michaels half naked figure. "Oh goodness.." she breathed out, "you scared the fuck out of me." A small laugh escaped her mouth, "Boo." Michael replied dryly but cracked a smile. Rose chuckled and stared down, "Well your water is ready— I'll get out of your hair." Just as she stepped out, she heard the small thump of the towel hitting the ground and then followed by Michael settling down into the water with an exhale. "Rose."

He called out in a warm tone, "Would you mind washing my back?" Looking back at him, Rose nodded. "Let me change really quick, give me a second." He nodded and began to get his hair wet. The girl quietly changed into some shorts and a baggy T-Shirt, before stepping back into the bathroom. Kneeling beside the tub, she grabbed her loofa and squeezed some body wash into the material before rubbing it in her hands. As she did this, Michael moved his hair out of the way and exposed his back. Humming underneath her breath, she moved forward and began to run the loofa over the surface of his back and up to his shoulders. She didn't utter a word, the only thing heard at that moment was the movement of the water trickling and falling back into the rest of the tub.

"I had everything laid out before me." Michael mumbled, "Everything had gone perfectly." He raked his fingers through his damp hair and pushed it back, staring at Rose. "Tell me about it, what happened?" She continued to wash his back until moving the loofa toward his shoulders and down his arms. The male caught her up on everything that happened to him, it began giving Rose a headache thinking about this weird chronological mess. "So you traveled from the present after that girl Mallory opened that portal to come back in time and kill you? Which we witnessed?" She thought of the girl driving the car from yesterday, how they had made eye contact for a brief second, Michael nodded and glanced into the water, his damp hair draped over his face.

"Regardless of what I do, they will always be a step ahead.." he sighed, tilting his head back and dipping himself into the tub. His figure submerged into the water and disappeared for a few seconds before he resurfaced with a soft exhale while running his hands over his face, quietly he cleaned himself up with the loofa. "It's okay Michael, you'll figure it out again— I say just take a break for now and find that guidance." Rose stood up, "Anyways, if you don't do anything..the earth will come to an end with irreversible damage in around eight years due to climate change." She shrugged with an awkward smile, which made Michael shake his head with a scoff and chuckle. "Your weirdly awkward and dark humor feels just like home." He reached for his towel and stood up, Rose turned and looked away to give him privacy.

A few momentary seconds passed by and he was all dried up and changed. "Was I with you? In the present?" She asked quietly, Michael shook his head. "No.." he pulled her up from the ground and guided her back to the bed, "I had killed you." He stroked her cheek and stared into her eyes, she didn't know what to say. How was she supposed to react to that? "After I sacrificed you, everything fell into place and I lost this soft spot." Michael paused and held her chin between his thumb and index finger, "You were and still are my Achilles heel."

_________
End of page 14