"Don't let go!," Aiden yelled sprinting with everything he had.
His companion struggled to keep up behind him along the riverbank. Her shorter strides sank into the soft mud. Their interlocked fingers, the only link keeping her chained to his pace.
Suddenly, in the fading light, her hand slipped from his grasp.
Aiden spun the second her hand left his. A jolt of panic shot through his veins. He lunged forward, catching her wrist before she could vanish down the undercut bank into the rushing stream.
He hauled her back from the edge. Their meager leather boots sank into the damp forest mud. Aiden caught her against his chest and held her there. The trembling in his hands slowly eased with hers.
Aiden steadied her by the shoulders.
"Hey," he said, catching her eyes. "Just a little farther."
She nodded but said nothing. They continued on, pushing deeper beneath the thick canopy. Every breath felt like he was drowning. His legs grew heavier with every step, yet he knew stopping meant losing her forever.
However, when he took a second to think about it what was he even running from.
The forest suddenly opened into a small clearing.
Aiden bent over with his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. After a few seconds he glanced back the way they had come.
Relief washed over him. Nothing followed them.
"I think..." he said, taking another deep breath. "I think this is far enough. We got away."
The girl looked at him, her shoulders finally beginning to relax.
Aiden smiled wiping the sweat from his brow.
Then frowned.
"...Wait."
He looked around the clearing.
The towering oak trees.
The frost from his breath dissipating into the cold winter night.
The strange weight pressing against his chest.
A familiar feeling washed over him.
"Where are we?"
He looked back toward the forest.
"What were we even running from?"
The question knawing at his nerves for a moment before the answer quietly found him.
"...Oh."
His shoulders relaxed, almost disappointed with himself.
"I forgot."
He rubbed the back of his neck and gave the girl an apologetic smile.
"I fell asleep again."
She stared at him tilting her head in pure confusion.
Aiden chuckled softly.
"Sorry."
"I always forget at the beginning." He stared into her face, his smile slowly fading. "It's good to see you again..."
Only then did he really try to take in her appearance. The details were always the same.
She had long golden hair that swayed gently in the breeze, but every time he tried to focus on her face it refused to come into focus. He could make out the shape of her eyes and the curve of her smile, yet the details slipped away before he could recognize them.
It had always been like that.
He'd never been able to remember her face. It was the one thing this dream never let him have.
A twig snapped somewhere beyond the clearing.
Aiden's smile disappeared. He could feel the color draining from his face.
"...No not again."
He knew that sound.
The dream was ending.
The girl turned toward the trees while he said the words he knew all to well.
"What was..."
"LOOK OUT!"
She shoved him with everything she had.
Aiden hit the ground hard, rolling across the grass. His eyes catching a glimpse of something bursting from the trees .
A flash of steel followed by a deafening squelch.
He looked up just in time to see the girl stagger backwards.
"...No!"
She collapsed into his arms before she ever reached the ground.
His hands immediately pressed against the wound across her back, trying to stop the blood.
"No... please..."
He looked toward the trees with eyes full of rage and regret.
Just like the girl, there stood a dark figure. Every time he tried to focus on it, it blurred just like the same.
He looked back down at the motionless girl in his arms.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
He brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face.
"In this life..." He managed with a rasp in his voice. He knew the sword behind him was prepared to end him next.
He closed his eyes pulling her in tighter. "...or the next...I'll find you no matter what."
The alarm exploded beside him just as the sword swung down.
Aiden jerked awake in his chair, nearly falling onto the floor. It felt like something inside him had been violently yanked back into place.
Morning Light seeping through the blackout curtain he left ajar by mistake the night prior.
For a long moment he just sat there, staring at his hand.
His cheeks were wet with either drool or tears it was hard to tell.
He wiped away the mysterious liquid with the back of his hand before looking at the clock.
8:15.
"Just a dream," he muttered, running a hand over his face. "It was just a dream."
The alarm continued to blare, and Aiden groaned, reaching over to shut it off. He had just enough time to get ready and meet Lila if he hurried.
Shaking off the remnants of the nightmare, he shuffled into the bathroom, splashing cold water on his face. The reflection in the mirror looked tired, his eyes a bit puffy and dark, but at least he was getting to take a break for once.
By 8:45, Aiden was dressed and ready to leave. He grabbed his jacket, keys, and wallet before heading for the door. As he reached for the handle, something nagged at the back of his mind.
His sketchbook.
He turned back, spotting it on his desk, half-hidden beneath an empty pizza box. He hesitated for a moment, then grabbed it. Lila would never let him hear the end of it if he forgot.
Sketchbook in hand, Aiden stepped out into the warm morning spring air. The nightmare lingered in the corners of his mind, but he pushed it aside like usual. Today was about letting loose. No obligations outside of catching a glimpse of that cute little snort she does when shes really happy.
Or at least try to get her too.
The diner was warm and loud in a way Aiden's apartment deliberately never was. The sounds of Plates clinked by the dishwasher in the back. The not so pleasant auroma of stale coffee filled the air. Amongst the rest of the noise came a hyena cackle in a booth somewhere down the row. The TV above the counter murmured softly about troop movements and international negotiations.
The bell above the diner door chimed just as Lila slid into their booth first, taking off her jacket. Aiden followed suit unbuttoning his jacket. The motion above catching his attention. Aiden's eyes drifted up to the screen reading the generated captions.
"…analysts warn the margin for error is shrinking."
"Hey."
Lila quickly slid close to him and tapped the tabletop. "Eyes down here, sherlock."
He looked back at her. "Oh uh Sorry. It's just did you hear what they're saying? If those fleets actually move..."
She smiled, but her deadly aura was inescapable. "Nope. We are not doing that."
"Doing what?"
"Turning our breakfast into a rant about if we are all going to die or not." She reached across the table and nudged his hand with hers. "This is a date, Aiden. Cant we just lock in on us for once."
"I know, but this stuff matters."
"So do I." Her tone stayed light, but her eyes had a hint of sandness. "And right now, I would really like you to stop worrying about deadlines or the end of the world, and look at me for five minutes."
He hesitated, then gave a small, sheepish smile. "ugh i hate it when you're right, you know that?"
"I'm always right." She leaned back, satisfied. "That's why you keep me around."
The waitress appeared, tablet in hand. "Morning, Lila. The usual?"
"The usual with a Sugar-free Red Bull and a cherry Sprite this time," she said, not breaking eye contact with Aiden.
The waitress nodded and looked at him. "And you?"
"Ill have a Coffee Maggie," he said. "Black."
"Okay, youre usual too hun?"
"No not today, Ill have the irish Pancakes with over easy eggs and hashbrowns," aiden said immediately.
"Alright Ill be back with your drinks," said the waitress before smiling and walked off.
Aiden glanced back at the TV. The screen showing an emergency bulletin, while everyone else went about their day oblivious to the news usual negativity.
Lila reached across the table and gently turned his chin back toward her. "As I was saying jacob tried to spill the beans on us. Here I thought we were hiding it pretty well."
"Well I guess we should take a break get the folks off the scent" he teased.
"nice try." She smiled. "Nothings stopping me from dragging your cute butt out of that nasty sweaty man cave."
"My hero," He laughed softly, some of the tension easing out of his shoulders. "So whats in store for the day?
"Oh you know," she said. "give me a drawing lesson like you used to then well see after that."
"Drawing lessons?," he said pretending to not know that wasn't plan all along. He took a quick swig of his coffee before responding. "I thought I was getting a break."
"We dont have too, if you dont want to," she said, nudging his shin under the table with her foot. "It is your day off afterall."
He chocked almost spitting up the bitter black liquid. "No the park is fine!"
"Oh really," she said almost disappointed, wagging her fork. "Then the park it is."
As they finished their meal and headed out, Maggie called her usual goodbye after them. The pleasant shade of the diner gave way to the bright late-morning sun. The streets outside were quieter than usual. Perhaps church hadn't let up yet. Aiden shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, glancing at Lila as they walked.
"Thanks," he said quietly.
She arched an eyebrow. "For what?"
"For getting me out of my head," he said, giving her a small smile. "Even if it's just for a little while."
She grinned, nudging his shoulder. "Anytime. But don't think you're off the hook yet. You owe me at least two solid sketches today."
"Just go easy on me okay," he said,reaching for her hand intertwining her fingers with his.
"Not a chance."
The park came into view around the corner, its winding paths circling a glimmering lake with vendors scattered along the way. Aiden adjusted the sketchbook under his arm and let her pull him toward the entrance.