If an Immortal Died- More snippet.

“Alaric.” I whisper. “What’s going on? I’m so confused.” So, I head back inside, trying to focus on this beautiful day that suddenly turned sour. Why? Why? Something in my head keeps asking, over and over.Why? “Alaric.” I say to the wind, hoping beyond false hope, hoping beyond desperation, that he can hear me, that he's not somehow not dead. “Alaric. Where are you?”

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I take a deep breath and clip my hair up, trying to stop my shaking hands. I look over my face in the mirror, making sure my makeup is perfect and my hair not out of place.

“Alright.” I say, turning around and picking up my coat. I have a date tonight. I wasn’t lying when I said I had left Alaric behind. I left the God behind for something slower, something more simple. A man called Jake, he works in the cubicle next to me at the newspaper. HYe works in development, me on page layout. We’re very different, but he’s a very caring man. “Don’t think about Alaric tonight,” I say to my face in the mirror. “Just enjoy your time with Jake.” I sigh and put my coat on, slipping into my shoes and walking towards the door of my apartment, trying to ignore the tears that appeared at the edges of my lashes, daring me to let them spill out into my face. I sigh and open the door, walking down the steps briskly to my car, getting in and turning on, and pulling out of the parking lot. It’s only about a five minute drive to the restaurant we’re eating at, but my mind is spinning the entire time. how come she didn’t even tell me how? How come she wasn’t completely broken, as he should’ have been in a case like this? Does she know? Why would he tell her? Unless he was in danger, or she was. I gasp a little to myself and slam on the breaks, realizing the red light quickly. But if she was in danger, she would tell me, right? I’m her best friend. In the world. I’m one of her only friends, really. Why would... I stop. “No.” I say out loud. “You promised you wouldn’t talk or think about him. At all.” I sigh and pull into the parking lot, and my phone makes a noise. I sigh and type in the pin, seeing the picture of Alaric and I. I close my eyes and purse my lips, feeling around for the home screen button. a text appears and I tap on it. It’s from Jake.

Hey Viti,  Won’t be able to make it. Have to work late suddenly. Sorry. I’ll make it up to you next week. Kisses. <3 I sigh and turn the car back on, backing out of the parking lot.

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Back in my apartment, I change into pajamas and flop into my favorite reading chair, too exhausted to pick up my book. I close my eyes and let the insecure thoughts come. What if something’s wrong with her, and she made this up? What if I’m supposed to be doing something, and this was code, or maybe she is sleep deprived from praying last night. She was out late and came back intoxicated, and... I take a deep breath and sip from the glass of water that’s always by my reading chair. Just ask her when she gets home tonight, it’ll all be clear then. I stand and begin to pace the living room. Or maybe it’s best to wait until morning. No, you’re just avoiding it. I sigh, once again, and press my lips into a very thin line. it hurts a little, and I stop after a moment. Just forget it. She was probably drunk. It’s not a big deal. Heather gets drunk. Finally, after debating with myself for half an hour, and Heather still isn’t home, I give up and go to bed, agreeing to deal with it in the morning. But I don’t. Because the dreams change whatever decision I might have made.

For once I feel the dream coming on. It feels odd, knowing what’s about to come, feeling it coming towards me. It’s spinning, twirling around, I feel my body take a deep breath, and then, the dream hits.

I see him. I see Alaric. He’s screaming something at me, and his face is full of horror. I feel my dream begin to spin around, and Alaric’s image flickers, as if there’s a connection problem with my dream. I put my hands at my sides to try and steady myself, but there’s nothing to hold onto. I try to close my eyes, wait the dream out, but it’s as if my eyes are being pulled open by an invisible force. Alaric’s face is in dismay when I can see it, and I feel myself trying to scream, but no sound comes out,. Alaric reaches out for m hand, and he manages to make one word out, and another.

“Don't--” Garbled speech comes next. “Heather.” And then, I wake up.

I’m gasping, turning around and standing at the same time, my eyes darting all over my bedroom for a glass of water, because I’m covered in sweat and the stench of desperation. I go over to my dresser and choke down the entire glass of used-to-be-fizzy lemon water.Then I fall down in the carpet, gasping, my mind looking for something to hold onto, something to bring be back to earth. I wobble over to the bed, my head throbbing.

“Alaric.” Is all I can say, even though I know I shouldn’t. “Where are you?” And I fall back on my bed, asleep once again. But that doesn’t mean I can forget all these troubles. Even in my sleep, I’m wondering where Alaric is, why Heather won’t tell me everything, and why my head hurts so much. And I can’t even begin to wonder what the answer is.