Chapter 85 Lingering Shadows
\[Lilia\]
After I took my breakfast, Aya pushed me to the bathroom so I could clean up while she set everything before our departure, not without making fun of the fact that I was loud the night before.
It was very embarrassing to say the least. However, I've reached the point where I can no longer stand to listen to it, so I chose to ignore her until she finally gave up and changed the subject of roasting me to death. It seems to have worked, though. She never mentioned it right after I was done taking a bath.
While I was in the shower, she also brought me my clothes. Aya noticed that there was a small bruise right at the corner of my lips as she was applying some light makeup to my face. Then I remember Flavio slapping me across the face back at the basement where he had kept us. I don’t know if Kael has noticed it too, but he never mentions anything about it.
I hadn’t seen him since I woke up this morning, and Aya appeared genuinely serious that she really didn’t know where he might be right now. After everything that he said to me the other night, I have the impression that he genuinely cares about me. I didn't want to take his word for it; I wanted to see in his behavior that he was serious. The fact that I woke up without him is very disheartening. I shouldn't have had such high expectations of him.
“Lilia, are you okay? You’ve been quiet for a while now. Are you mad at me?” My trance was suddenly broken by Aya’s quizzical voice. We were winding our way along the corridor that led out of the villa and to the parking area where the vehicles were waiting for us.
I looked at her and saw that her worried gaze was fixed on me. She must have been thinking about her teasing and all to have asked me that. Now that she had brought it up, it came to my attention that the guards marching along with us never spread me a sideways glance. She’s right. Not everyone heard me last night.
“No...I, I was just thinking something,” I sigh, shaking my head and reaching for her arm, encircling mine with hers as we continued to walk.
Even though I already knew that Kael wasn’t here, my eyes still took a quick scan over the surroundings and hoped that somehow he would materialize out of nowhere.
“He might be busy over something, knowing that we are leaving,” she must have noticed my eyes wandering around the area for her to say that as she taps my hand clutching on her arms.
I resigned a long sigh and gave her a faint smile. “I know,” I softly said. However, it can’t only Kael had been occupying my head all this morning. The dream I had last night, or more likely a nightmare.
One thing I am for sure about is what has caused it. Trauma and exhaustion. That could be the only thing why I am having that dream, but what confuses me is that of all the dreams, why does it have to be that man? It’s been a while now since the hospital attack, and I almost have forgotten about him. I would have understood it better if it was Flavio that haunts me in my dreams soon as sleep took me, but no.
I don't often put much stock in premonitions that may be gleaned from dreams, but I'm at a loss to explain why this one is bothering me so much.
We nearly reached the end of the corridor, giving us the open space through the foyer, when I slowed down my tracks, dragging Aya along with my pace. She snaps her head on me, throwing her confused look with her brows arched quizzically.
“What is it?” She leaned in closer to my ears and spoke as though we were concocting yet another plot of escape, knowing full well that that would be the very least of the things that I would be thinking about at this particular time.
“Do you have nightmares?” I asked intriguingly while keeping my attention ahead of us.
Her brows lowered, and she straightened up her stance, walking at a slow pace. “Yes, numerous, actually.”
“How do you deal with them?” This time, I look at her interestingly. Aya and I have shared experiences in life. We both have gone through so much that one could ever comprehend.
Life and death situation at that.
She was silent for a bit, her mouth forming a tight line, and her eyes becoming increasingly distant.
“I keep myself busy, so I couldn’t think much all about it.”
“What dreams do you usually have?”
I don’t mean to probe deeper, knowing that it hurts to open up a wound that was just starting to heal. It might have been years that had passed, but the memories of what had taken place are still fresh. I knew the feeling well, starting with my father getting killed right in front of my eyes.
Aya drew a heavy sigh and shifted her attention to me as we trekked the corridor, following the guards that walked past us.
“Sometimes, I dreamed that I was back in the container van, and this time Sir Val and Master Kael didn’t save me. Why? Were you having some nightmares?”
“It was just a dream,” I animatedly shake my head in response to her following concern. Maybe it was just being silly, making a big deal out of a dream that had happened a long time before.
That man, he might have already forgotten everything about me. He might have said those things because Kael beat him in the auction and was pissed off big time.
Yeah, right. That could be it.
“They will eventually go away, or if not, they will just become a distant memory. It hurts and is scary, but we just have to deal with it. They were in our past, can’t do us harm in the present.” Aya took my hand that was gripping her arm and gave it a light squeeze.
She’s definitely right. None of those memories could hurt me now. Not even the images of Flavio splattering down the road with all of his body melted to mush.
The thought of it sent shudders to my spine, but I quickly ignored it and thought of happy days.
“I know. Thanks for answering. I know it’s not that easy,” I said, smiling broadly just as we walked through the foyer.
“It’s alright. It’ll ease the pain the more you talk about it.”
Our attention went to the Caretaker as he waved his hand at us and smiled as he opened the door, uttering his goodbyes. We responded respectfully and thanked him for everything. The digital camera we borrowed from him was recovered in the basement. Aya had seen it right before they made their escape. Unfortunately, it was already broken, saving only the memory.
I felt sorry about it, though Mr. Caretaker had been so kind and told us that it was okay. He even gave us the memory card containing our happy memories here in Italy. Immediately gave it to Aya for safekeeping, knowing that she would take good care of it.
Maybe Kael would be so kind if I request a new one, in replacement for the one we broke.
Now that I have to think of it, maybe he knows something about that strange man before the attack. I heard Val mention a name while I was still in that hospital bed. That could be connected, right?
But the thing is, where is Kael?