Chapter 76About Erratic Explenations

He continued sofly. "I just had the strangest vision. I saw you, all divided up. All kinds of parts that didn't make sense. I couldn't grasp any of them, all my senses overloaded. Like standing next to the sun. You can't feel the heat or see the light. It'd be too much."

His voice helped me focus and realise he had almost seen the same of me as I did of him. But did he realize that?

Wait. He had seen the same.

Did he know how I felt now?

It would be nice if he told me if he did. Although, I tried to keep the connection, I felt he was speaking the truth. It was so much for him he couldn't really see anything. I probably wouldn't be able to if I was just human. Some things may have changed for the better I guess. I had to say something.

"I think I know what you mean. But couldn't you, like, feel anything? Discern anything in the chaos?" I was really interested and hoped it didn't show too much.

He looked thoughtful. "Well, I could feel it was you. But so much of you it was hard to tell. Flashes so bright I couldn't see them or remember them now. It was... Strange." He was speaking honestly.

He looked extremely tired though, I drained him too much. "You look exhausted though. Don't you want to sleep?" It was probably close to midnight anyway.

I wondered if he would still feel very groggy in the morning. I took much more blood than I should have. And I hated myself for doing it to Hitori. It wasn't the time and place to feel guilty though. I had to get him to bed. To sleep.

"I'm alright." His eyes almost closing.

I wanted to try something. I focused my senses on him and let them flow like honey. Calming him down. "It's alright." I touched his cheek gently with my fingertips and felt his face relaxing. His eyes closed slowly and he almost immediatly drifted away to sleep. The couch wasn't very comfortable though. I decided to stand up and open the door to the bedroom, moving as silent as a summer breeze. What I saw there shocked me intensely. There was a girl asleep in the bed.

A girl.

In his bed.

She was fast asleep and hadn't heard me. I closed the door silently and walked to the other room. Beyond the 'studio' there was another bedroom, this one with a very basic guest bed, all made up, and a desk with a computer on it. There was a drawing desk too with an unfinished drawing of a church on it. I saw it only for a moment but if he had done it himself, which I supposed he had, he wasn't bad at drawing. Not at all.

I pulled the sheets off so I could carry him to the guest bed. All set I supposed so I walked back to the living room and picked him up. He was heavier than Valerie but not that heavy, I supposed my strength had something to do with that. Gentle movements and no sound made was important though and I managed to put him in bed never making a sound louder than a soft whisper. I left his clothes as they were, he wasn't wearing any shoes anyway. The sheets were probably too warm combined with his clothing so I didn't drape them over him completely. Leaving his body some room to cool a little.

Like a thief in the night I walked through his house. Should I take the drawing? Yes. I walked outside, closing both doors gently but firmly behind me before and after I went down the stairs. Outside I took a deep breath and looked around. No one here anyway. I walked to the small cafe on the corner where Valerie would be waiting and took another deep breath before I headed in.

Inside there was just some background music and simple lighting. It wasn't dark so you'd have trouble seeing everyone, but it wasn't so bright you'd feel exposed. Just a local cafe where people would go after work or such. Not many people... Well, not anyone my age or close except Valerie. There was just a general buzz of conversation in here that consisted of all kinds of personal things. It confirmed my feelings that everyone here knew eachother. We would be outsiders but that didn't matter. As long as we didn't do anything wrong we were welcome in their midst.

Valerie was sitting alone on a table near the window, holding a cup of hot-chocolate. She welcomed me with a smile and I smiled back. I sat down next to her wondering about so many things. Like if she wasn't bothered here, why she was sitting alone or how the hot chocolate felt. None of which were really important.

"How was your evening?" She spoke softly so no one else but me could hear her.

"A very unique experience." And I told her everything that had happened, showing the tube and telling her she'd see the drawing another time. About drinking Hitori almost dry and seeing him truly. I didn't tell her he loved me but I probably didn't need to. As a sort of respect to Hitori, however, I didn't want to be the one to tell her. I didn't tell her about the girl I'd seen either. I didn't know what she was nor did I want anyone else's opinion to cloud mine.

Valerie just sat there, listening, nodding and asking some clarification here and there. Then, when I was finished, she spoke. "There is something about this that scares me a little. But I'm not sure I should tell you."

Knowledge or ignorance again. I chose to know, even if it was bad. "Tell me."

Valerie nodded in acknowledgement. "I had the same experience as you once."

Wide-eyed I looked at her. "When?"

"You don't want to know." She looked at me intensely.

I wanted to know. "Please tell me."

Valerie hesitated for a moment. "My parents."