Blue Fire (Edited)

Chapter 23: Mourning a Loss

Elaine found herself suddenly oblivious to the passage of time. She adhered to designated meal times, followed Sandy's lead in daily exercise, and assumed Philip's role in training everyone in the padded room. Though she understood his sense of responsibility for everyone, she steadfastly refused to engage in conversation with anyone. It felt as if she had become a robot operating on autopilot.

She had a lingering sense that the week had passed, expecting Rutherford to return for her. However, he never came, and she lacked the energy to provide him with a response. Even in the quiet of night, she sought Phillip in her dreams, a habit she had developed over many nights. She attributed it to muscle memory, acknowledging the impossibility of the scenario. In her dreams, all she could discern were blurry figures, a towering glass building, the sensation of a car ride, weariness, or sometimes, nothing at all. None of these elements alleviated her emotional pain or eased her sadness.

"Elaine, you need to break free from this. Talk to me. It's been a month since Phillip passed," Sandy implored.

"Really? Has it been that long?" Elaine wondered aloud, feeling as if her world had been torn away just yesterday. The hollow ache within her was something she hadn't come to terms with. Despite their brief acquaintance of only a few months, being with Philip made her feel safe, loved, and cherished. They had envisioned a future together, a perfect fit that now felt like a lost part of herself.

"He would want you to live your life, to smile again, to talk again," Sandy continued, her words echoing in Elaine's ears.

Elaine heard her, but the energy required for a response eluded her. Sandy sighed in defeat.

"Alright, time for our daily exercise routine," she declared, standing up. As they put away their food trays, they made their way towards the staircase when the main door to the facility swung open abruptly, and Daniel sauntered through.

"Daniel!" Sandy shrieked, rushing towards him and embracing him so tightly that Elaine feared he might suffocate. Elaine remained where she stood, uncertain about the significance of his return. She exercised caution, considering the possibility that he could be working for Rutherford or, worse, the individuals Rutherford answered to. The depth of the situation was unclear to her. When Daniel looked her way and offered a beaming smile, Elaine simply stared. Observing Sandy whispering to him, she presumed a recap of recent events was underway. Averting her gaze to avoid the potential pain or pity in his eyes, Elaine decided to head back to her room. She wasn't sure if he knew that his friend had died and she detested the way everyone tiptoed around her, as if walking on eggshells. She had no desire for sympathy; all her feelings and emotions had died with Phillip.

After changing, she made her way directly to the gym, completed her exercise routine, and then entered the padded room. A line of people had already formed, patiently waiting for her to take her spot. Since the day they ambushed Philip, they all carried a sense of guilt, feeling somehow responsible for his demise. Yet, this guilt did not overpower the hope they clung to—hope that they might eventually escape this place. So, they were sure to come at her one at a time. Blocking them was a simple and effortless task, until Daniel stepped in front of her.

His arms immediately burst into the blue flames she had witnessed before, transforming into fiery swords as he launched a more focused and potent assault than the others. Blocking his attacks proved increasingly challenging.

"Elaine, snap out of it!" Daniel shouted, unleashing death bolts in her direction. The frequency and intensity of his attacks surged. In response, she instinctively erected a force field around herself. He scrutinized her with intense eyes, trying to convey something, but she couldn't grasp it. His strength had grown significantly since his departure, showcasing astounding abilities. She lowered her force field and abruptly left the room, heading to her quarters. There, she donned the ugly jumpsuit and resolved to confront Daniel in the study. Seating herself in Philip's favorite chair, she immersed herself in the memories of his presence.

"I knew I'd get through to you. Remember how we first met here?" Daniel said cheerily.

"Who sent you?" she asked solemnly, locking eyes with him.

"Elaine, it's me. Come on. Nobody sent me. I got captured. Do you think I would ever willingly come back here? I enjoyed my freedom too much," Daniel countered.

"Why were you captured? I thought you were on a mission," she replied with cold detachment.

"I'm not allowed to share any details, I'm sorry. But I hope you believe me. I told you how I felt about you before leaving Lai," he argued, looking earnestly into her eyes but realizing he wasn't making headway. "Fine, even if you don't believe me, know that I will seek you in my dreams," he added, giving her a short nod before leaving.

Was he attempting to sway her by using her nickname? Philip was the only one she had ever said it to, although they might have heard him use it a few times. But they weren't close enough for Daniel to use it, unless he was trying to convey something. What did he mean by 'I will seek you in my dreams'? Was he alluding to her ability to dream walk? He couldn't know about it; she only ever met up with Philip in her dreams. This was too confusing, but she had to get to the bottom of it—for everyone's safety.

Dinner proceeded as usual, with Daniel and Sandy engaged in casual conversation about the outside world. Elaine observed that Daniel kept everything superficial, aware that their every word was likely being monitored. She picked at her food, then quietly excused herself and headed for her room, a routine she had adopted. She didn't want to raise any flags but needed to unravel this mystery. Sitting in her room, she read one of the many textbooks until she felt several hours had passed and assumed Daniel might be sleeping.

She climbed into bed, concentrating on thoughts of Daniel. It seemed to be the method that worked during her previous attempts with Philip. It felt like an eternity ago that she had successfully reached Philip in their dreams. Why was she thinking of Philip now? It wouldn't do her any good. Daniel, Daniel, Daniel...she trailed off into sleep.

No matter how hard she tried to focus on Daniel, her heart continued to call out to Phillip.

She found herself walking between shadows on a dark road, and to her surprise, Phillip appeared in the distance. It was the first time since his passing that she wasn't met with emptiness, but why now?

"Philip!" she yelled, sprinting towards him. He stood in a dark alleyway that she couldn't recognize. When he spun to face her, he couldn't see her. Dressed entirely in black, his handsome face hidden by a ski mask, only his familiar bright blue eyes were visible. The rest of him seemed to meld with the darkness around him. Others were with him, staking out a place. He promptly turned back to face a distant building. She cautiously approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He raised his own hand to cover hers. "Lai?" he whispered.

His voice tugged at her heart. She was so tired of the ache and hurt, desperately wanting this to be real, not just a dream. But she couldn't hold on any longer; fatigue overcame her. She hadn't eaten a proper meal in so long, and using her energy drained her.

"Rest, I'm coming," were the last words he uttered before she got pulled into the darkness of her mind. When she woke up, it wasn't in her own room. The surroundings were unfamiliar—a deep red bedroom with a king-sized bed, and she could only make out a shadow in the corner. She sat up abruptly.

"Where am I?" she asked hesitantly.

"Finally!" came Daniel's voice as he walked over from the corner of the room. "Philip told me you can appear in dreams, but he failed to mention how boring it is to wait. Did you know how hard it was forcing myself to go to sleep?"

"Where am I? And when did Philip tell you this?" she asked, getting out of the giant bed, suddenly feeling vulnerable.

"Relax, Elaine. He's not dead! Whatever you did was perfect. Everyone thought he was dead, and they even placed him in the morgue to be cremated. But he escaped. Rutherford and his men have been looking for him ever since. I work for the council; they sent me. Well, Philip sent me. He's the chief enforcer now," Daniel mumbled short pieces of information.

It wasn't making any sense, but she believed him. Philip was the only one who knew of her ability to dreamwalk, and he could have told Daniel how to get in touch with her.

"Daniel, slow down, sit down, and tell me everything from the very beginning since you left BioOrg."

Daniel obeyed the command and began recounting all the events that had transpired.