Crowded (18+)

gnihctaw eb ll'i

Eli gazed into those deep, unconcerned eye, vast like a cold old ocean, yet familiar. He slowly lifting his hand up to his own cheeks, half expected to not feel anything. But the cold was there. Something built at the back of his throat. A strained repetitive sound left his lips and he tilted his head back. Laughter. Cold washed over his body as he laughed, louder and louder as tears rolled down his eyes. He fell to his knees as the laughter became strained, mixed with tears of his own demise. He wrapped his arms around himself as he stared at the tiled floor. "This has to be a joke" He mumbled softly. His replica quirked a brow, quietly. Eli looked up and nodded to himself, his eyes widening as he smiled through the wet stains on his cheeks. "This has to be a joke, right?" He lifted himself off the ground and looked around at the empty room. White walls scraped with newer paint. A window filling the room with soft ember light. "Nolah, Leo.. Come out..." Eli called out. They'd planned all of this and any second now, they'd come out from the wall and reveal the prank. "Eli.." Replica Eli muttered softly. Eli shook his head. He planted his cheeks in his hands, staring through the cracks at the muddied floor tiles. "No this is a joke.." His eyes flickered to Replica Eli. He slowly approached."Are you the producer?" He asked and leaned in. His costume looked very real. Down to the T, with the almost invisible scars on his lips from anxiety and pink marks scattered around his cheeks and lower jar. The lack of precision of his blond locks from a old toy-scissor he'd used. The replica was quiet as he looked at him. Really looked into those same sapphire blue eyes he'd spotted in the mirror. The same pale skin too. "Or..." He turned around. "Maybe I'm just that fucked up protagonist in the book" His eyes narrowed with something darker as he looked at you. "Maybe I'll get my happy ending when you close the page..?" His eyes looked almost pleading.Replica Eli quirked a brow and made a uhm sound, bringing Eli out of his trance to stare at what he'd assumed was a person, but was nothing but a white.. blank.. wall."Right.." He scoffed and rubbed his eyes. "That'd be funny though.." He looked back at the copy of him. Of a time where he looked worse then he felt. The lack of sleep was too obvious. "Maybe you should sit down for a minute?" Replica Eli suggested. Eli flinched, his eyes narrowing with distrust. "Right.." He mused and scoffed. "This is always how it starts.." He continued. His heart was beating fast."I see someone familiar.. I pray to the deepest part of my soul that they won't hurt me.. AGAIN... but" He clicked his tongue and shook his head, shaking his hand as he snapped. "THE MOMENT I LET MY GUARD DOWN IM STABBED IN THE BACK... AGAIN" The room was quiet. Too quiet. "I don't trust you" He sneered at the boy before him. A soft meow brought him out of his thoughts. He glanced down to see the black cat rub it's side against him and crouched down, softly running his hand down it's back. "How can I show that I'm on your side?" His words stabbed him in the stomach like a ice pick. He looked up. His eyes dark. Yet pleading. Was it really not a threat? "Tell me your intentions.." He snapped. Replica Eli nodded slowly, his eyes softening as he chose his words carefully. Thoughtful. "I came to relay a message.." He replied. Elis eyes narrowed. From Mother? From Father? Was he affiliated somehow to the reality Eli had become so sickeningly used to? "It's gonna be okay.." Replica Eli spoke softly. Eli waited. Waited for that cold feeling to run down his spine. To feel the heartache of his own shadow's betrayal. "Right now, it'll be hell.. you'll wish you were dead.." He spoke quietly, with a fierce hope Eli couldn't quite place. It was the only unfamiliar sight in the nauseating cacophony of deja vu. "But he's watching.. and he's gonna make sure you'll be okay..." Replica Eli nodded softly at the cat at Eli's feet. It was rolling around on the tiled floor, probably delighted at the attention it's given. Eli lowered his gaze to the fluffy creature. It looked back up at him and purred. Nolah? He reached down and put his hand on it's head. It's soft ears perk back as it closes it's eyes to lean into the touch. He'd read about reincarnation. But he didn't think it was real. Yet, what was at this point? he'd become so used to routine he never questioned these things. He never questioned the lingering presence of a person on his shoulders, watching but never interacting or speaking. But Nolah wasn't that presence. "If Nolah is really here, why can't he just prevent all of this?" Eli spoke, uncertainty lacing his voice."The dead can only do so much.." Replica Eli replied and shrugged. "Yet he can turn into a cat? why not choose something that can do more?" Eli asked and looked up. Replica Eli looked at him. Quiet. His eyes locked on something else behind him. "Eli?" A voice called out from the hallway. Eli quirked a brow, feeling his breath stuck in his chest. Leo? He looked back at Replica Eli to find the bed empty, neatly made like nothing had sat atop it. Okay.