The room is huge and very clean.
I'm actually impressed.
There's a double bed in the center, a small table with a flower vase, an old wood wardrobe, some empty bookshelves, an unsettling bright red carpet on the floor, and many spring scenes paintings on the walls.
The only disconnection is the 42-inch LED TV attached to the wall, facing the bed.
"Sweetie, the bathroom is through that door over there."
The lady points to a decorated door next to the wardrobe.
Then she leaves quietly.
Sinuhe grunts again.
'Are you uncomfortable?'
'I need to do something.'
He jumps from my arms after I open the jacket, walks through the door and disappears.
What if Sally sees him?
Although I know it's a little dangerous, I refrain from following him. I don't know why, it just flashes through my mind and then I relax again.
I need a really long bath.
I take off my clothes and enter the shower.
The sound of falling water is comforting.
As if nothing had changed and I was home again.
As if I were still the same as before.
As if everything that happened in the last four months was just a bad dream.
But I know it's not.
I know that everything that has happened is very real.
I know that time will not go back.
I know I'll never be home again.
I know I'm not the same anymore.
I spend about thirty minutes in the shower, just letting the water fall on me, looking at my toes, waiting to feel better.
I'm glad there's basic products in the bathroom because I bought none.
Old and recent memories mixed together as the water pours over my head.
After I finish, the tiredness of all this marathon falls upon me.
I'm so tired I just put on the robe and collapse on the bed.
The last thing I remember is Sinuhe licking my face and laying down his fluffy head next to me.
***
Snow falls on my hair.
The cold, damp wind clings to my skin like a wet cloth.
I would freeze if it wasn't for the huge, heavy winter coats I'm wearing.
The beaten snow softens my steps.
Around me there is only the white immensity.
I'm alone.
Arrows of memories stun my thoughts.
My life literally changed overnight.
I don't know how I'm putting up with so much.
The worst part is that my intuition tells me to hide as much as possible and be careful around Lucca.
I'm so confused that I don't notice a black shadow hovering above me.
Unfortunately, when I realize it, it's too late, his long, sharp claws latch onto my shoulders and lift me off the ground.
I try to scream, but my throat doesn't respond to my commands.
I feel a warm liquid running down my neck.
The stinging pain quickly spreads like a tide.
A large slit in my jugular expels hot liquid between the gaps of my fingers.
The claws come loose and I fall to the ground. I blink and then everything changes.
Many mirrors reflect the light around me.
I approach.
Through the cut in my neck I can see the muscles moving with my breathing.
My clothes are soaked all the way down to my feet.
But it's not from the snow, I'm soaked in my own blood.
An image appears in the mirror.
It's Theodore Emmerich.
He's behind me. His golden eyes sparkling in the dark.
***
My first reaction waking up is to check my neck.
Nothing.
No blood, no cut.
I look up and to the sides.
No shadows with claws or mirrors.
A drop of sweat runs down my spine, raising goosebumps on my warm skin. The room is at a perfect temperature but all I can feel is chilled to the bone.
Only then do I realize I'm drenched in cold sweat.
I run to the bathroom.
It was so real.
They say that some dreams are prophetic warnings.
I really don't want my nightmares to come true.
I stand still, impassive as the hot water pours down over my head for a long time again.
How I want to know what the future holds for me.
Sinuhe little body enters the bathroom and joins me, I finally have time to clean him up. The little guy is quite dirty, I pay more attention to his paws, after the blood is gone they look much better, not as raw as I saw before. I wish there was medicine in the store so I could put something to prevent any infections.
I use the face towel to dry his fur, now it's glossy and poofy.
After I finish with him I ask Sinuhe for the disposable underwear and put back my clothes.
I sit on the edge of the bed and recline against the headboard.
Sinuhe rests his furry head on my thigh.
He doesn't need to look me in the eyes for me to know what he's thinking.
We are connected. Much deeper than when I first saw him, like each minute makes him closer and closer to my soul.
'I'm scared' his tiny quiet voice rings in my mind.
'Me too.' I say.
'I don't think we should stay here, my instincts tell me it's too dangerous.'
'Why is that?'
'I don't know, but I feel a dark energy about this house.'
I instantly remember the shadow with claws.
My heart skips a beat and I head downstairs with Sinuhe snuggle in my arms again.
***
I sit down reluctantly at the table.
Oddly enough, I'm not hungry anymore.
The lady appears with a huge plate, and on it a chocolate cake of the same size.
It looks delicious. But a little too much for an early breakfast.
"Good morning, ma'am." I say.
"Good morning, darling, you can call me Sally. Did you have a good sleep?"
I remember the nightmare and shudder. I just hum softly in response.
"Well, I don't think I'll eat anything, I'm not really hungry so early."
"Oh, why, darling? I made it with so much love. You can't do that to me."
I just watch her face.
She looks harmless but…
Suddenly my hand moves and takes a slice of the cake, I watch in horror as my body moves despite my desperate attempts to control my limbs. Sinuhe whines and his head moves to look up but the rest of his body is still.
What is happening?
My mouth opens and I take the first bite, it tastes good but I can only feel anxiety right now. Then there's the second bite, the third, and before I know it, I've eaten it all.
My breath starts to falter.
I try to get up, but my legs won't hold me.
I fall and Sinuhe falls with me, whining.
My heartbeat is too slow.
My head pounds.
I vomit a dark red and black mixture.
I think it's my blood mixed with the cake.
I'm quickly bathed in a pool of my own blood.
And this time it's not a nightmare.
"Are you okay, darling?"
My vision is blurry. I see Sally squatting near me, her hand reaching out.
My eyelids drop, so heavy I can't bear.
But I know that if I sleep I may never wake up.
I feel someone stroking my hair.
Everything goes dark.