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Rebecca held my hand, her fingers intertwining with mine, offering a comforting squeeze. “It doesn’t matter where you were or what happened. We’re just glad you’re back.”
A whirlwind of emotions swirled within me.
There was relief, undoubtedly, but also confusion and a sense of loss so profound it was almost palpable.
I could still feel the texture of Ceara’s scales, hear the hum of the spaceships.
Were they just figments of a traumatized mind?
Or had I truly traveled to another world?
Tears welled up, blurring my vision.
Jamie handed me a soft tissue, and as I dabbed at my eyes, the tissue’s cool, soft texture brought forth more memories — of different textures and sensations from an alien world.
“We’re going to run some tests, just to be sure you’re okay,” Dr. Fields said, a note of concern in his voice. “Given the nature of your disappearance and sudden reappearance, we want to make sure there are no underlying issues.”
I nodded, the weight of everything pressing down on me.
The room felt both familiar and strange, the sensations both comforting and jarring.
After a few more moments of shared concern, hugs, and words of comfort, my co-workers left, giving me space to process and recover.
But as the door closed behind them, a deep sense of loneliness set in.
Resting back on the pillows, I stared at the ceiling, the fluorescent lights casting a soft glow.
The memories of my time away, whether real or imagined, were too vivid to be merely the products of a distressed mind.
But for now, the challenge was figuring out how to reconcile those memories with the reality of being back in my own world.
Hugging myself, I tried to take comfort in the familiar, yet the ache for something — someone — more lingered.
10
CEARA
The familiar metallic chill of the cell surrounded me, yet it felt so much colder, more isolating than ever before.
A stark difference from the last time I was here, where the presence of Ellie had lit the cold, gray room with a warm, golden hue.
I could still feel the phantom touch of her fingers as they had danced over my skin, stitching up my injuries.
Those moments of closeness, of shared vulnerability, were now replaced by a suffocating silence.
It was devoid of her soft, earthy fragrance.
The cell’s meager light, filtering in through the slight gap at the door, cast long, ominous shadows on the walls.
I took a deep breath, the air tasting stale and lacking the fresh vitality I’d grown accustomed to with Ellie by my side.
Each heartbeat echoed within me, a cruel reminder of the void she had left.
A surge of anger welled up.
Was this how the Supervisor played his cruel games?
By letting us bond, only to rip us apart, turning hope into despair?
