Chasing Shadows | ✓

Part Two: Chapter Twenty-Five

"BECAUSE EACH TIME I MEET YOU, YOU DIE."

I took in Travis' dark hair that glowed in the evening sun, contrasting against his pale skin. His eyes were glued to mine by an invisible force of some kind, and I couldn't force myself to look away either. He leaned away from me a little, and crossed his arms over his chest, almost in a protective stance. As I stared into his fiery orbs, something deep and dark burned within -- but what exactly it was, I couldn't decipher. His shoulders were hunched over, and suddenly, I couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to be wrapped around them.

The more I gazed at the man before me, the more I couldn't ignore the intensifying feeling of nostalgia that settled inside of me. I gripped the side of my head when a small ache began to resonate, and my eyes squeezed shut -- only to see the flashing of a few images go by.

"Because you needed me. And I promised you I would be here for you if you needed me."

A light burning sensation surrounded me, like something was lighting me on fire from the inside out and small beads of sweat started to gather on my forehead. The deafening sound of my pounding heart filled my ears and I found it hard to even concentrate on what I was seeing anymore. I jerked forward in my seat when the hairs on my arms stood up straight and my eyes suddenly flickered open to see Travis staring at me with lips pursed, eyes dull and lifeless. He looked exhausted, as though he would drop to the ground any second.

"I offered you a room, not a million dollars."

I tugged on the collar of my black sweater, suddenly regretting dressing warmly in this weather. And then, without warning, an unfamiliar memory flashed before my eyes and I crumpled over. The image of a young Travis, with shorter hair pushed back neatly, a few strands flopping over his warm eyes popped up in front of me. He looked a lot happier, as an elegant smile crossed his lips and he lifted his hand in a friendly wave. His face looked a lot sharper, with defined cheekbones and a pink glow adorned his pale cheeks. I clutched the roots of my hair, desperate to get rid of the memory, but it kept playing on a loop. I was forced to watch as he started to walk closer -- presumably towards me -- and he fixed the edge of his black suit before extending a hand towards me with a large grin.

"Care to join me for the evening?"

It didn't make sense. Perhaps I really was losing my mind. Maybe I had been drugged and I was starting to hallucinate. Maybe I needed to go to a hospital and check myself in.

"Natalie," Travis' voice broke through my haze.

"Stop this," I whispered weakly, "I can't take it. Whatever you're doing, stop it."

"I'm not doing anything," he swallowed thickly, seemingly searching for the right words to say. But what could one even say in a situation like this?

Moonlight travelled through the night with graceful ease, lightening the rising path. The cloudy night was a million promise-notes of heaven's rain, each of them in graphite grey and etched upon the sky. From the corner, I hid and watched -- every night like clockwork, he would sneak out. He blended into the darkness of the shadows without a care of what might be lurking beneath.

I wasn't sure what drew me to him, but there was something about him that was hard to look away from. I watched as he glanced from left to right before making his way down the gnarly, twisted path. He always dressed in black and never made a single sound as he walked. However, on that one night, his eyes caught mine. From my hidden spot, I froze and suddenly, I didn't know what to do. The moonlight shone down on him, casting an eerily angelic glow over his porcelain skin. His eyes, the colour of melted caramel, melted my own as he stared, transfixed. He tilted his head to the side for a moment, analysing me. My breath caught in my throat, and I couldn't move a muscle, afraid I would scare him off. A scarf was wrapped around his neck, pulled up over his chin and mouth, so only a little more than half his face was visible.