He raised an eyebrow, "For lunch?"
I nodded, "So?"
He silently returned the menu, ordering for the both of us after.
****
"Ma'am, here is your sandwich, and Sir, your coffee, your lunch will be served in a few minutes," she said to Shivay.
"Thank you," he replied and the air hostess moved forward.
I took a bite of my sandwich in haste, my belly roaring in hunger. Shivay sipped on his coffee, making weird slurping sounds, that itched me.
"Stop it," I said, taking another bite.
"What?" He asked.
"Stop making that noise."
"What noise?" He asked, his face incredulous.
"That- sipping- sound," I rolled my eyes.
His eyes narrowed, as he slurped on his coffee. He knows it annoys me, and yet.
I turned to face him, "You know you should go back. Back to your old seat."
"Rude," he said under his breath, but the next sip he took was quiet. No slurps.
I bit down on my sandwich, the cheese melting in my mouth.
My head though, tarted spinning.
I opened my eyes wider, keeping myself in the moment. But the pain just grew. I closed my eyes, pressing my fingers to my head. The smell of Shivay's coffee was getting to my head.
Something shining before my eyes.
Not a memory this time. But a picture.
So stagnant, such stillness in it that I press my head harder to look at it.
White. It's all white until the raw cocoa hit my nose again. And I see the dark stranger again. Drinking coffee and smirking, shadows covering his face.
But- but this time. Something is so different.....it looks wrong.
Because I'm sitting on the same table, across him, smiling.
With a cup of- a cup of tea in my hand- and the man- he's talking. To me.
But the picture stops rolling before I hear anything. Only a name plays in my head, as I pull myself back. My name. He's screaming it.
"Annika?"
I pull myself back to the present. Off-white walls hovering above me. Blue eyes stare right at me as I wince, straightening in my seat.
Shivay keeps staring at me as I do. The sandwich still in my hand, now a crushed mash. Both my hands tightened in a fist. I almost see Shivay's hands going towards them, but they stop, vanquish as if never there.
"Open them," Shivay blinks.
I try but cramps start running in and my head whirls again. I glance at Shivay's face, and I feel so helpless.
"Try harder," he continues, his eyes willing my hands to open.
But they don't move.
The next moment, he's on his feet striding to the nearest air hostess, who nods at his words.
My head itches again at the sight of the food lying on our tiny turn-table. I close my eyes again, ut don't see anything. Not the dark stranger. Not me. Not a thing. Just utter darkness. I hear voices- screams. But they aren't from within. I don't open my eyes.
Chapter 10 - The flight of daydreams and nightmares
Start from the beginning
