Desolation [manxman] DRAFT

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I was having a nightmare again. It wasn't one of those torturing ones that replayed the past over and over again. No, this one was different. Was it better? Kinda, to be honest. I was just floating in the middle of a black nowhere that seemed to extent into infinity. At least it was better until I got bored. And then I got really bored. I didn't know what I was supposed to do with all the nothing. It was so eerily silent, the only thing I could hear was the blood rushing through my veins and the air brushing past my lips as I took a breath.

I got the feeling of being watched after I almost started talking to the nothingness just to see what would happen. So instead I talked to what might be out there, watching me because that was always a smart thing to do and defintively didn't get you killed. Not.

"Hello?" I shouted, before burrying my head in my hands. "Wait, no, I take that back. That was stupid. This is how people get murdered. I don't want to get killed. At least not like this."

My idiotic monologue did absolutely nothing and everything remained as it was. I frowned, hoping this would end soon as I couldn't stand doing nothing. If I didn't do something, anything that occupied my mind and hands, my mind started to drift and this was never a good idea. I started counting the hairs on my arm after a while to have at least something to busy myself with, then switched to the other arm and repeated the procedure. I had a lot of hairs, let me tell you.

I woke up after an eternity of boredom, glad I didn't have to endure that further. What a weird dream. My brain sure enjoyed finding new ways to torture me and drive me insane. I squirmed and writhed to get myself out of the blanket that had wrapped around me like a constrictor, breathing heavily. I should really get some more exercise since the only one I was doing currently was running away from my own feelings.

I got up from the couch to look at the clock that was hanging in the kitchen. It was half past six in the morning which made me want to crawl back under the covers and fall asleep again but I didn't feel like experiencing another nightmare so I made my way to the bathroom. As I passed my own room I tried eavesdropping on Alexios but all I got was silence. He was probably asleep like any normal being would be at this time. I debated spying on him but I didn't want him to catch me being a creep and continued down the hallway to enter the bath.

I stripped down and stepped into the shower. I let the hot water run down my vessel and soak me completely, wet locks of hair sticking to my face before scrubbing at my skin until I deemed myself clean. I stepped outside the shower to catch a glimpse of myself in the steamy mirror. A little butt wiggle for self-appreciation never hurt anyone, I decided, showing it off to myself before getting a towel, drying off and tying it around my hip.

I scuffled to the kitchen, turning on the coffee machine and opening the fridge. I could hear footsteps leaving my room and coming towards. I got a mischievous kick out of it, knowing I had probably woken him up and I didn't have to be the only one being awake at this ungodly hour. I closed the fridge and turned around to greet him, ready to grin at him being grumpy early in the morning but he seemed perfectly content being awake.

"Good morning. Why are you up this early?" He greeted, brushing through his hair.

I shrugged not wanting him to know that nightmares plagued my sleep and lying just didn't feel right. I wanted to at least try and be less of a piece of shit towards him. I went to grab a cup to pour me a cup of coffee but decided against it, loading it with artificial sweetener and just chugged it straight out the pot which made him snort.

"I take it you are not a morning person, am I right?" He laughed.

"I'm barely even a person." I scoffed, setting the pot down and preparing a second round.