An Imploding Star

Chapter Two

Isabella woke up the next morning wrapped in Sam's arms. She untangled herself and went through to the kitchen, where she put to coffee machine on. While waiting for her coffee to pour, she recollected the evening before. Finally telling Sam the truth, her dream. It all seemed so weird, after finally admitting to Sam what she knew, this dream? None of it made sense. But maybe it wasn't meant to. 

Once her coffee brewed, she began to make the pancakes she had promised Sam the night before. She made the mixture and put the hob on, as she was cooking the pancakes, she burnt herself, she yelped in pain, as the lights above her flickered. 

"Weird" she said to herself as she ran her finger under cold water. After hearing the yelp from the kitchen, Sam woke up, and strolled into the room, asking if Isabella was alright. 

"Yeah, I'm good, I just burnt my finger on the hob." she replied, still slightly distracted.

"Ok, good. So pancakes are still on the table, right?"

"Sam, I'm still making pancakes, don't worry, thanks for your concern, loser" she mocked him harmlessly

"haha, funny, Bells." 

"oh, by the way, I think we need to get the electricity checked. The lights flickered after I burnt myself." 

"Wait, hang on, so they flickered after you burnt yourself? Last night they flickered while you were having your nightmare. This is so weird. I'll call the landlord, and get him to come and check the electrics." 

Sam reflected on the events of the evening before while he waited for the pancakes his best friend was cooking. They sat at the kitchen island together, in silence, eating their breakfast. 

"So, uh, are you excited for work" she asked trying to break the unfamiliar silence

"Yeah, I guess? I think I'm going to go for a run before, haven't been for a while." 

"oh, cool, cool, cool. Have fun, I'd love to join you, but you know, I'm stuck in th-"

"Woah, Bells, you hate running, I wouldn't ask you to join, even if you were allowed out"

"Oh thank god! Sam, you know me too well." she said, relieved.

With that, he washed their plates and went to get ready for his run. 

"Alright Bella, I'll see you later!" he yelled as he left the apartment.

Now sat alone in the apartment, Isabella kept reflecting on her dream from the night before, who was the man? Why did her memories start coming back now? and why did the electrics keep failing in their apartment? 

"On your Left!" said the mystery man who had now overtaken Sam five times. 

"uh huh, on my left, got it" said Sam, figuring out who the man was.

He carried on with his run, and was continuously passed by the man.

"Don't say it. Don't you say it" he remarked frustrated

"On your Left" replied the man

"Come on!"

Back at the apartment Isabella was getting dressed for the day, ready to do absolutely nothing, like she had been for what felt like months. Since she wasn't going anywhere, she chucked on a pair of leggings, a sports bra and a zip up hoodie along with her glasses. This was her regular outfit now, she was getting to the point where she was wondering how she never ran out of leggings. She sat down on her bed, with her laptop ready to search for a new job. This was something she hadn't felt ready to do for the whole month she had been locked in, but somehow, today felt slightly different.