The Mafia King's Obsession

Chapter 20- Dreams

The lacerations across Lusso's previously whole flesh sickens me. As a nursing school student, its hardly ever that I see a wound or illness that repulses me. But this... 

I suppose its not the physical blood that twists my insides into knots. The repulsion steams from my own inability to entirely neglect the undoubtable pain I know he's in it. Though buried even deeper in my mind lies something more sinister- the unignorably knowledge somebody did this to him, slowly and meticulously. But who could possibly overpower him?

Radical as it sounds, I suspect that Lusso allowed this. Everywhere except his arms are left untouched and clear of marks, showing no physical evidence of a struggle. There is no sign of chaffing around his wrists, meaning he was never tied. It really looks as if he just sat and allowed this. 

My mind drifts back to something he mentioned last night. The words are fuzzy, captured to memories just a moment before sleep. It was something about going somewhere this morning... Did he say where?

Hours passed before I was able to seal up every wound, Lusso passing out about half way through. Only when I was absolutely certain he would be okay did I decide to leave. Glancing back one last time, I haul a chair to the air vent and clamber up. 

After a few wrong turns, I find my vent and drop through. My room is pitch black, none of my lights on. I fumble around until I find one, tripping about five times in the process. When light is brought to my eyes, I find a change of clothes and jump into the heavy blankets of my bed. 

*****

I'm standing in grass. Each piece of glass has a little spur on the end, resembling wheat a bit. The earthy strands brush about my waist, my overly vivid clothing color an unnatural contrast. Why an I so tiny? 

A few small trees surround me, and a stone building sits behind me. In front of it, my mother sits at a weathered picnic table with another dark haired woman. The place is incredibly nostalgic. Warmness washes over me, almost as comforting as the sun. I never knew happiness could be so strong in a dream. 

My father used to come here for business meetings, and my mother would bring me here to play. I forgot how much I missed this place. 

I wade into higher and higher grass. Soon enough, its above my head and I'm not sure which way goes back to where I came. I can't see the building, the field, or my mother. Grass is thick and everywhere I turn. 

My eyes wash with tears. I'm scared, and lost. I spin frantically, expected for my mother to wave me down and call me back. 

I open my mouth to scream when I run into something. I don't remember ever starting to walk again. I fall back, the grass cushioning my fall. I can't see past the red strands of hair covering my eyes, so I paw roughly at my face with small hands. 

Above me stands Lusso. He smiles down at me. The sky turns suddenly from day to night, the grass beneath my hands becomes sand. I stand, and my view is much higher now. Staring down, I see my hands are mine again. 

Lusso still just stands. He stands perfectly still, the toothy smile on his face not budging an inch. I'm unexplainably overtaken with rage. I strike him, eager to watch the smile fall. 

My hand bounces off, worthless. He's entirely unaffected. I stagger back, anger vanishing to pain. Pain everywhere. He keeps smiling, but the look in his eyes becomes more readable. Pain. 

Blood floods down his arms. Then to his legs and chest, soaking the sand beneath him and the clothes sticking to his body. I shriek in horror. 

He collapses, then disintegrates into sand. 

*****

My numb mind fades from the morbid dream, and my heart longs for Lusso. Watching him die seemed far to real. So real, it feels silly to question it as a reality. 

A tight sadness collects in my throat, and I throw my hands on either side of me in search of his warmth. His bed feels different this morning. Less comfortable, less familiar. The smell of Lusso is missing. 

Wait. 

I went back to my room last night. What if Lusso really did die in his sleep. I flip my light on and check the clock. It's almost 8:00 AM. He'll be headed to breakfast this time, if he got up that is. But then, what am I supposed to be doing? Am I expected to be at breakfast? 

The sound of my stomach rumbling tells me it's been decided for me. 

After a moment to make myself decent, I'm flying down the hallway to the dinning room. A few people are sat down already, but most buzz around the table in small conversation. My chest tightens another knot when I can't see Lusso there. 

Nausea bubbles as I pull out my chair. I manage to smile at Cidney, who stuns me by talking to me. 

"Hey Annabell, it's good to see you again," her cheery personality is present even in the mornings, something I can't fathom. It's also the first time I've heard her say my name without the "a" at the end, and I like it. 

"Uh, hey Cidney," I smile timidly. Will I get scolded for talking? 

"So I was thinking," she shoves bacon in her mouth and chews, "Rixon, Neil, his girlfriend, and I are all hanging out later tonight. You should come." 

I sit silently for a moment, stunned to be honest. She's never invited me to hangout with then before. Finally I find my words. "Y-yes, I would love to!"

Just then my attention snaps to the door. Lusso walks in, clad in his dark leather. I love when he wears that. 

Relief is an understatement- I want to cry from happiness. I can't stop a sign of relief, and Lusso doesn't miss it as he pulls out his chair. I see a smirk pull at just the corner of his lips, and I want to slap him. "I was just worried about your wounds, I'm a doctor!" I scream at him in my mind. 

Breakfast is quiet, and I'm glad when its finally time for me to head to the clinic. I hand out a few prescriptions, something I'm still not certain if I'm licensed to do. 

The day flies by in moments, and soon the clock reveals its time for me to head to my room. I'm anxious to prepare for my meeting with Cidney and the others. I switch on the light to my room to find Lusso waiting there for me.