SAFE (mxm)

Chapter 25. Dark Waters (David)

   (Present time; the first part of the chapter is David's dream)

***

   Water. Endless, dark water around me. No land, no light, no hope.

   Cold. It is soaking into my skin and reaching my bones, making my fragile body shake uncontrollably. It bites like a shark, painfully and terrifyingly.

   Waves. I see the ink-colored surface rising in the distance, rippling, crawling to me. I am sure it will engulf me, drowning me deep in its pitch-black folds. No one will find me there. 

   Scream. I scream to the top of my lungs, as loud as my exhaustion allows. There is no sound. No one can hear me. I am lost in an ocean of fear. There is no one to save me.

   Guilt. It is tearing my soul to pieces. I am not alone. The weak body in my arms does not move. It is limp, almost like dead, but I know life has not left him yet by the almost undetectable breath, warming my fingers.

   I am holding his chin above the abyss. My legs are hurting. The efforts make my muscles burn, but I keep kicking in scissoring motions. I will never let go. Never.

   My eyes raise to the sky. It soothes me. The enormous moon is glowing in golden illumination, as if touching the rippled surface, drawing a bright path through the night. The stars are like beautiful swarms of fireflies. I am gazing at them. 

   Maybe, if I count the starts, I will save him. The idea is absurd. But is it? Granny told me that. If one does something extraordinary and brave, God will see them and send help when needed. This is how miracles happen all the time. 

   I can do it. This is my prayer. One, two, three... one hundred... two hundred...

   The sound comes unexpectedly. It is horrifying. A horn, so loud that its vibrations trouble the water and resonate in my chest. It does not stop, seven following blasts. The silence lasts only for a while. My heart is pounding. It is too close. I turn in its direction, squeezing my eyes. The fear tightens my throat. Another blast comes, this time longer, making me open them abruptly.

   My mouth falls agape in utter shock upon seeing it. The monster. An enormous mountain of metal with hundreds of blazing eyes, obscuring the sky. 

   I am holding him close to me, kicking harder to keep us above the water. The monster can't take him from me. I might be like a speck of dust, compared to the huge, ugly beast, but I won't give up. I will fight it, if I have to. He will be safe.

   I scream, overwhelmed with horror. I scream because I am helpless. I scream to give myself courage, and scream, and scream...

***

   "Angel! Wake up!" Someone's soft hand is touching my face. "Everything is ok. You're having a nightmare. Come on, Ōkina neko. Open your eyes."

   I blink at the handsome face, hovering over me. Where am I? Who is this? It is definitely not my house. Did Sarah manage to drag me to another hotel? Why a naked man is lying in my bed? It is a blank space in my head. I am breathing unevenly, drenched in a cold sweat. My heart will fly out of my chest. My throat is tight. I am shaking, haunted with fear.

   "Angel, are you alright?" The deep voice is music to my ears. I recognize the exotic perfume. The dark, alluring gaze is pulling me towards the man whose hot body is spooning mine. "You are safe now. It was just a dream."

   "Ryo, you are here," I whisper and snuggle into him. My arms snake around his waist. I am suddenly so relieved, as if the weight of the world was lifted from my shoulders. I nuzzle his neck and smile on his warm skin. 

   "I told you I would be," he kisses my ear and starts stroking my hair. "Better? You were screaming something about a monster and sounded downright terrified. It must have been a really bad dream."

   "I am sorry I woke you up," I mumble, embarrassed by what he tells me I've done. I am not a child, afraid of the dark, and have never had nightmares before. Of course, I had to make a fool of myself right in front of him. I am not used to sleeping out. That must be it. My mind is not at peace when I am not in my own bedroom.

   "Do you want to talk about it?" Ryo asks, drawing circles on my back with a finger. "I am a good listener. It might help you relax."

   "There's nothing to tell really," I shake my head. "I don't remember a thing."

   "That's good," he answers thoughtfully. "Our brains play tricks on us sometimes. We don't need all that crap. Want to go back to sleep?"

   "No," I instantly respond, hiding my crimson face on his chest. "I don't feel tired at all."

   "I see," he chuckles. "You are too tense. I'll have to think of something to burn all that energy out then. What do you say?"

   "I have too much energy," I mutter, pushing my leg between his.

   "Me too," he laughs and slaps my butt. "I just got a great idea. Do you like toys?"

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A/N

Hello everyone at the end of chapter 25.

Thank you for reading and supporting! ❤❤❤

I am very curious what you think about this. 🤔

Did David have just a nightmare or it was something more?

Did you expect Ryo to be there?

Any clearer theories so far? 😀

Share your thoughts, ask questions and criticize, if you feel like.

And don't forget to vote, if you liked the chapter.

Thank you!

Love: Anny