Presence: Paranormal Horror Romance by Mucching Pen

Author:Mucching, Pen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Azure Mucching Publishing
Published: 2024-06-06T00:00:00+00:00

14

Shards of Glass

Did I ever mention how much I hate being in the real world? I’m pretty sure I did. Well, now I hate it ten times more. This time, unlike before, I actually forgot how it feels to be here.

Gods, this fucking sucks…

Everything hurts. And when I say everything, I mean it. The tips of my fingers, the shells of my ears, the soles of my feet—everything aches.

It’s not a good pain, either. It’s the kind of pain car accident survivors feel when the meds wear off. An overwhelming, ever-present, shitty feeling.

I sit up from my couch, trembling from the cold, wrapping my arms around myself to stop the shivers. There’s a loud banging at my door, tripling my headache. I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping to soften the harsh light streaming in from the windows, but even my eyelids hurt. No help there.

Before my bare feet even touch the floor or the crumpled blanket on it, the banging echoes again.

“Just a moment,” I try to shout, but it comes out more like the raspy croak of a raging alcoholic. Except... I’m not an alcoholic, and I don’t have a hangover. I don’t actually have a death wish, despite what I sometimes tell myself. Sleeping pills and alcohol? Big no. Sleeping pills one day and alcohol another? That’s more like it. Last night was a sleeping pills kind of night.

As I stagger to the door, the pain intensifies with each step, like shards of glass pressing against my joints. I brace myself against the wall, feeling the cold plaster under my fingertips. I can’t remember the last time the transition from the dreamscape to reality felt this brutal. But, um… It might have something to do with the fact that I’ve spent more time sleeping than living these past two weeks.

Reaching the door, I pause, taking a slow, steadying breath before managing to pull it open. The hallway light is blinding, and I squint, my eyes watering as they adjust.

I shouldn’t be surprised to see Cam standing there, arms crossed over her chest, but somehow, I am. What does she want from me now?

“Where have you been for the past two weeks?” she demands, skipping any pleasantries. No ‘hello,’ no ‘how are you,’ not even a smile. I scowl as her voice echoes in my skull, amplifying my headache.

“What? I was here all the time…” I mumble. Well, that’s not entirely true since I’ve been hanging out with Echo in the dreamscape as much as I can, but technically, my body has been right here in my apartment the whole time. So... not really a lie. “Why would you...”

She storms past me, barging into my apartment without hearing me out, and shoves me aside when I inadvertently bump into her. Without pausing, she strides into my living room, her eyes sweeping over the chaos that my living space has become.

Empty water bottles, instant noodle packets, and used bowls are everywhere. My clothes are strewn all over, along with tissues, blankets, pillows, and sheets in disarray.

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