Lost In Love (vol. 1)

Where The Heart Is

"And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't wanna go home right now
And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
When sooner or later it's over
I just don't wanna miss you tonight."

- Iris, GOO GOO DOLLS

He was standing outside the dream...but somehow still inside. Detached from his dream self. Watching as he stood at the sink, made the trade and punched the mirror. As if in slow motion, the glass exploded in every direction, clinking loudly into the sink, large, sharp shards hitting the floor. Other pieces hit his dream self in the chest, leaving small cuts in his t-shirt then dropping away.

Blood seeped through the webbed cracks of the shattered mirror, dripped from his sliced knuckles, and splattered into the basin of the sink.

"No..." A low voice choked out the single word. "Stop...don't do this!"

Nate swallowed tightly, his brow pinching. He'd been alone in the bathroom. Why was there someone else in the dream?

Shadows pressed at the restroom from all sides. The voice came from within the shadows. He strained to see who spoke and a face appeared as the newcomer stepped closer. The light above the bathroom sink glinted off the tears rolling down that face.

A young man's face.

Nate's throat closed, tight. He gasped for a breath, tears burning. Kyle.

Why was Kyle here? He hadn't been there the first time...

Nate's face twisted with anguish, his chest crushing in on itself. Was it possible? Some people believed in out of body experiences.

Kyle moved closer, reached for dream Nate then froze as if he couldn't get any closer. His hands squeezed into tight fists as the dream Nate stared down into the sink – then picked up a long, thin sharp shard of glass from the blood splattered basin.

"No!" Kyle screamed and beat at an invisible barrier with his fists, tears streaking his face. "Nate! Don't! Please, baby – No!!"

A crushing pain clenched Nate's heart as he watched the scene. His chest heaved. His dream self touched the jagged tip of the shard to his wrist, crying, choking out - "I can't let you die...I won't..."

"Sto-op!" Kyle wailed, smashing his fists against the unseen wall.

Nate squeezed his eyes shut and turned his face away as his dream self sank the shard of glass into his right wrist then ripped it down his arm. He screamed and dropped to his knees, falling forward, catching himself with his free hand smacking against the cold floor. His injured arm shook as he held it close to his chest, blood draining out in a steady stream. His breath shuddered and staggered. He gasped hard, sat back on his heels and shoved the chunk of mirror into his right hand. The glass trembled in his weak grip as his fingers struggled to close around it.

"Nooo!" Kyle fell to his knees, crying, screaming. "Baby, no! Don't you fucking do this! I don't want this, god dammit!"

His heart racing, Nate stared at Kyle, the guy screaming in anguish and horror as Nate's dream self raked the glass down his left arm, a strangled scream erupting out of him as he fell to the floor.

"Nate!" Kyle choked on his cries, clawing his hair. "God! Nooo!!"

Turning away quick, Nate clutched the door frame, shoved his forehead against the frame and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to force out Kyle's wails.