𝙸𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 (wlw)

Chapter Twenty- Eight

Nori greeted the tall figure who appeared at the door with an ebullient aura accompanied by a cheeky grin that, if it was possible, would extend from ear to ear. The woman was so consumed with excitement and adulation for her muse that she didn't notice the girl's gloomy mood until they sat across from each other.

The questions had started to flow as per usual but with hesitance, Finn replied to them and it was only then that it dawned on the psychologist that this wasn't going to be a session filled with the recent niceties but of the former.

With Finn's gaze everywhere but to her, the doctor closed her notebook and then placed it down and scooted to the end of her chair. Her dark brows drew together, visualizing her concern for the girl who was unfazed and oblivious to it all.

"This question is off the record, what seems to be affecting you today?" The question resonated within the quiet room. The only thing that filled this space with its subtlety was the electricity that hummed and the clock on the grey walls.

"It's complicated," came a response after about a minute of silence and the doctor nodded. She didn't exactly feel content with the answer but it would have to suffice until they expounded on it she thought.

"Is it any of the things I've been aware of, like the nightmare?"

Finn almost forgot about the incessant nightmare and so a thought was birthed and she decided to use the dream as means to redirect their conversation because just how could she reveal that the reason for her mood was over the thought of a murder and violence she couldn't commit? Any utterance of that and she knew jail time would be her punishment or so she expected at least.

"The dream has persisted," Seraphina replied. She crossed her leg and the dress slack she wore lifted at the ankle revealing her plain, black sock that day which Nori noted.

"Each night it gets more and more vivid and aggressive and each night I'm still compelled to look at this mutilated reflection that isn't mine, although I know what's coming,"

Tilting her head, Nori thought of all possible reasons to explain and justify Finn's nightmare but somehow settled on it being the girl finding it perturbing to address and face her past. She couldn't see it any other way but that. Their conversations had probably invoked thoughts and feelings about the late woman that were repressed for so long and that could've explained the reoccurring nightmare.

"It's different every night, you said?"

"Yes. From the first time I dreamt of her to last night, there has been a huge difference. She'd either have blood oozing from every crevice of her face to her skin looking decayed, rotten. Then, the surrounding also changes too. I remember the first time how perfect everything around me was but now it's all out of order but I only see this in the reflection and it's almost as if things are only like that on her side."

"Do you think it has something to do with your familiarity with your grandmother?"

The girl frowned. She tried to decipher this on her own but couldn't. "I don't understand what you mean,"

"Do you think this dream is how you see things now or will begin to see and experience things in the coming days? Now that you've started deconstructing your past and the things that were perpetrated against you by Ms Gwen, do you think this dream signifies that eventually the parts of her that you still cling to will also rot and fade away?"

"Could it be that the scowl and the angry disposition represents your assumption of her distaste in the way you've turned out and is currently living your life?"

"I...." The young girl studied the words for what felt like an eternity to Nori and the woman didn't know whether or not the silence was a good thing or not but she waited.