Behind His Weary Eyes (Novella) ✔️

4 ✙ Stalking Prey & Silent Predators

Night fell over the entryway like a silent predator, sucking away the patients with a slow but determined passion. Shadows from the recessed windows snuck across the floor. The air grew dry and chilled as though a crack opened to exhale the frigid winds that swept across the plains. Asa periodically balled her hands and placed them under her arms to keep them warm.

But her coworkers didn't mind.

The Two created Celests to adapt to any climate, including the void of space. At first, the medic marveled at this information. Working in the same place, however, made this become more of an annoyance. She didn't even have clearance to a third of the building because it was uninhabitable for her.

The only warmth came from the pair of Celests at the counter glued next to each other. As a result, Asa had the pleasure of watching them exchange glances and lean even closer to each other, no doubt exchanging telepathic banter.

The azure female rubbed the ashen male's arm. Shyly, the male turned away, but the growing, wispy gray spread across his face quickly. A giggle echoed softly from the main desk. The draconic female slid into the entryway.

"Watch the front desk for a bit. We need to go run an errand," she said. Exiting the room, she pulled the male with her. The medic rolled her eyes though she felt a pang of jealousy and longing.

Errand, sure.

Even though she wanted to complain, she would much rather have someone to run off and forget the day with. The face of her previous lover haunted her at night. His passionate eyes were lifeless when she came home that night. He knew what she had done without prying it from her. Perhaps it would have hurt less if he had cut her off than had her stay the night elsewhere.

Instead, she slept next to him. No words or touch besides the brief, cold brush of his scaled arm against her back as he pulled over the covers. The rejection seeped under her scales like the chill in the file room.

She remembered his words: "You can't go around killing others like that. You do realize that was someone's child Asa? Would you have done the same if it had been ours?"

A shiver ran through her body. Those were the words that transitioned her dream to a nightmare. In the nightmare, her belly became swollen. Her back strained with the new weight. Though her dream-self could no longer see the infant that had squirmed in her hands, she knew it was now inside of her.

Without realizing, Asa's lip began to quiver.

"I'm sorry, I had to," the medic whispered in her native tongue, covering her face. She repeated it over and over, hoping the image would erase itself.

"Do you mutter to yourself often?" a voice interrupted her.

Removing her hands from her face, the medic saw a gray cloud, sagging, violet-tinted wings, and silver eyes: Renvir.

Asa inhaled sharply, batting the tears out of her eyes. Not making much progress, she resorted to rubbing them.

"Do you listen in to people's personal conversations often?"

"Nice to see you, too..." he said, trailing off. The medic fidgeted with her fingers. Hesitation crept over her. There had to be a reason the two Celests were avoiding him, but a name couldn't hurt.

"Asa," she replied. The Celest grinned.

"Asa," he hummed, "Do you think you could find one of your coworkers again? I would like to go to the hatchery."

The medic's forehead furrowed. She remembered her coworkers mentioning he visited daily, but she assumed he came in for something different each time. One of those annoying patients who claimed to have every sickness under the suns or a close equivalent due to her coworker's extreme avoidance.