UNFORGIVEN (FORSAKEN #1)

twisted tongue

I know this isn't happening.

Somewhere deep in my subconsciousness, a faint awareness whispers that this is all in my imagination. It's fleeting, almost imperceptible, but it's there. I can't snap out of it. The vividness of the moment is too real, and it consumes my every sense, holding me captive.

The sound of deafening bells echoes in my mind and reverberates through every inch of my body. It's like the sound is everywhere and nowhere, a chaotic symphony that completely overwhelms me.

It's a terrifying repeat of the first vision I had with Jaeyun. I'm on the ground once more, flames engulfing everything around me. The heat is unbearable, making breathing nearly impossible. My heart feels like it's being ripped apart again.

My body is lead, unable to move no matter how hard I try. Tears stream down my face, hot and salty, as I feel the heat of the flames licking at my skin.

Please wake up. Please wake up. Please wake up.

But then, from the corner of my eye, I see movement. A figure appears, cloaked in black, and my heart leaps with hope. With trembling hands, I reach out towards the figure, my voice barely above a whisper, "Help... me..."

To my surprise, the hooded figure extends a hand towards me, offering salvation from the flames. For a moment, I dare to hope that this nightmare will finally be over. But like a candle blown out, that glimmer of hope vanishes in an instant. A strong gust of wind blows, and the flames roar higher, hotter than ever before. The smoke thickens, making it difficult to breathe as I choke and tear up. The figure slowly retreats, and my hand falls back to the ground.

The incessant clang clang clang of the bells echoes in the background, intensifying my misery. Suddenly, another strong gust of wind comes in, pulling back the figure's hood and revealing his face. Despite the excruciating pain, a small gasp leaves my lips.

This is just a dream. Just a dream. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.

Jaeyun stands before me, his body shaking with sobs, tears rolling down his face. He's just as scared as I am. My heart feels as if it might burst out of my chest as I struggle to take in air.

With trembling lips, I call out to him in a voice that feels foreign to me. "Ja... kym." The name sends a jolt of confusion through me. Jakym? Who is that?

I try again, almost pleading, "Jakym..." but the syllables feel wrong, as if something has twisted my tongue. I can't understand why I am unable to say Jaeyun's name.

Despite my confusion, Jaeyun doesn't flinch. Instead, he starts walking towards me, stepping right into the flames. He reaches out his hand once more, hesitantly, as if unsure of what to do. But then, to my dismay, he stops and whispers, "I'm sorry."

Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.

"Don't... leave..." But it's too late. He takes his hand back, and despite my desperate pleas, he starts to back away from me.

"I'm sorry," he repeats.

I try to call out to him, but my mouth fails me, and nothing comes out. I beg him not to go, to come back to me, but it's no use. He continues to back away until he's nothing but a shadow in the flames. The pain in my chest grows stronger and stronger until I'm completely consumed by the blazing inferno.

I try to scream, but —

Horror rips my eyelids open. I jolt upright and immediately press my back against the headboard, desperate for some semblance of safety. In a fevered panic, I fumble for the bedside lamp, my trembling fingers flipping the switch. Soft, muted light fills the room, casting a hazy glow over everything. But even in the warm embrace of the gentle light, my body is still drenched in a cold sweat that clings to my skin like a second skin.

I clutch at the blankets, pulling them up to my chin as I try to steady my breathing. My chest aches with every inhale. "It was just a nightmare," I whisper, the words tasting like ash in my mouth. "A nightmare. Everything's okay. I'm safe now."

I shut my eyes tight, squeezing them shut until stars dance behind my eyelids. But when I open them again, I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the full-length mirror propped against the wall before me. My hair is a tangled mess, like a bird's nest on my head. My face is streaked with tears, and my skin is a deathly shade of pale. I look like I've seen a ghost.