The Darkness We Share

After Shock

I looked up at Zak, tears streaming down my cheeks, and pondered the nature of what I had inadvertently drawn towards us. Zak, with a comforting embrace, shielded my tear-streaked face from Billy's view. The expression in his eyes betrayed a sense of profound apprehension.

"Was this right when I was concluding the investigation?" Zak inquired, gently running his fingers through my hair.

"Yes, just before you pressed 'stop' on the recorder," Billy clarified. "Throughout the entire night, there were no other voices, and then suddenly, this one emerged."

"Are you certain it says 'June,' or is it perhaps 'soon'?" Zak asked, attempting to soothe my trembling form. I couldn't face another encounter with a demon, not again—I felt utterly defenseless.

"When we're back home, and I can use better speakers, I'll scrutinize it more closely. But I'm quite convinced it mentions your name," Billy asserted with certainty.

"Hey, what's the commotion all about?" Aaron exclaimed as he entered the room, followed by Dakota and Jay. I gently pulled away from Zak's embrace, striving not to draw any more attention to myself than the previous night had.

"Dude, you and June make an excellent team for capturing evidence," Billy remarked to Aaron, displaying the video footage. Aaron looked at me, extending his hand for a high-five. I chuckled, reciprocating the gesture. Concealing my fear and despair was not new to me; I was adept at it. However, I knew I couldn't hide it from Zak, as our connection ran too deep. While the rest of the crew might assume I was fine and unaffected, Zak would discern the truth.

Once everyone had caught up on the evidence, Aaron and I received accolades. Zak hurriedly led me out of the room, avoiding arousing suspicion.

Approaching our door, I reached for my key card to unlock it. The door clicked, and Zak opened it. Suddenly, I felt the onset of a panic attack. I didn't want to break down in front of him; after all, our relationship was still in its early stages. So, I darted into the bathroom. My chest tightened, breathing became an ordeal, and the walls seemed to close in on me. I curled into a fetal position on the cold tile floor. Zak quickly swung the door open and sat beside me. I attempted to get him to leave, but he insisted on rubbing my back.

"It's alright, just breathe with me," he reassured, inhaling slowly, holding his breath, and then exhaling at a leisurely pace. It took a few attempts, but I gradually synchronized my breaths with his. "See, it's okay," Zak said, cradling me in his arms. He ran his fingertips down my arms, effectively soothing my frayed nerves. I felt utterly absurd.

"I'm sorry," I murmured, my voice barely audible.

"For what?" Zak inquired, now embracing me tightly from behind as I nestled myself between his legs.

"For everything you're about to endure because of me," I explained.

"I've been doing this for years, June. You couldn't introduce anything into my life that I haven't already encountered," Zak reassured me. However, he was still unaware.

"I mean this specific demon. It's been a constant presence in my life. I hide what I'm going through from everyone, but I can't hide it from you," I confessed, my voice trembling. I was about to open up to him about everything I had never shared with anyone, the reason I usually kept to myself, and the reason we had encountered the malevolent entity back at my apartment in Colorado. For the first time since this ordeal began, I was unveiling my innermost secrets. The secrets that would no longer remain solely mine.