Rowan woke up to silence.
Not darkness.
Silence.
"Count," a voice said calmly.
Rowan frowned. "Count what?"
The light flickered once.
"Your breaths."
Rowan swallowed. "Why?"
A pause.
"Because you always stop at the same number."
Rowan's jaw tightened. "Who are you?"
The voice didn't answer.
Rowan inhaled.
One.
Two.
Three—
The air felt heavier at four.
His chest tightened.
"Again," the voice said gently.
Rowan exhaled sharply.
"I don't—"
"You do," the voice interrupted.
"Every time you think of her."
Rowan froze.
"…Her who?"
Silence.
Then—
"You sleep badly," the voice continued, almost conversational.
"You wake up at 3:17 AM.
You tell yourself it's stress."
A soft laugh.
"It isn't."
Rowan clenched his fists. "Stop playing games."
The light flickered again.
"Tell me," the voice said, "what do you see when you close your eyes?"
Rowan shut them despite himself.
"Don't," he whispered.
"Ah," the voice said softly. "There it is."
Rowan's breathing grew uneven.
"You promised you'd protect her," the voice went on.
"You promised you'd never let her remember."
Rowan snapped, "I don't know what you're talking about!"
Silence.
Then—
"That's the most painful part," the voice murmured.
"You believe that."
Rowan's head throbbed.
"Why does it hurt?" he asked through clenched teeth.
A pause.
"Because something inside you is lying."
Rowan gasped, gripping the chair.
The voice lowered.
"Don't worry," it said kindly.
"I won't touch her."
Rowan looked up sharply. "Don't say her name."
A soft chuckle.
"I don't need to."
The light went out.
Darkness swallowed him.
The last thing he heard—
"Next time," the voice whispered,
"we'll talk about what you forgot.".....