Mystic Garden

In the Car

Max and Marigold climbed into the car, the silence between them thick with unspoken words. Marigold's mind raced, replaying the events from The Gardens over and over, trying to make sense of the hallucination she had experienced. She could still feel the ghost of Max's touch on her skin, the memory vivid and confusing.

Max started the car, casting occasional glances at Marigold, who sat stiffly in the passenger seat. "You okay?" he asked, his tone gentle but probing.

"Yeah," Marigold replied quickly, too quickly. "Just... a lot on my mind."

Max nodded, sensing her discomfort but deciding not to push further. They drove in silence for a few minutes, the hum of the engine the only sound. Marigold stared out the window, trying to steady her breathing and calm her racing heart.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement in the back seat. She peaked furtively at the rear view mirror and saw the hallucination lounging casually, a smirk on his face. Her gaze snapped back to the road ahead. Her heart skipped a beat, and she gripped the edge of her seat tightly.

"You know he wants you," the hallucination said, his voice smooth and enticing. "All you have to do is make the first move."

Marigold squeezed her eyes shut, willing the hallucination to disappear. When she opened them and looked back at the mirror, he was still there, leaning forward slightly. Marigold swore she could feel a cool gust on her face as it spoke "Your skin felt so good," he continued, his tone almost a purr. "Max would enjoy it too."

Marigold squirmed in her seat, her discomfort obvious. Max, noticing her agitation, fiddled with the air conditioning and turned on the radio, trying to break the tension. "Is something else bothering you?" he asked, his concern genuine.

"No, just... tired," Marigold replied, her voice shaky. She couldn't bring herself to reveal the hallucination to Max. It was too bizarre, too unsettling.

The hallucination laughed softly. "You're lying to him," he said breathing in the hair just below her ear. He laughed as he breathed out, leaning back again. "But you don't have to. He wants you, Marigold. You can feel it, can't you?"

Marigold swallowed hard, fighting to keep her composure. She turned to Max, forcing a smile. "Can we talk about something else? How's work been?"

Max gave her a searching look before nodding. "Sure, work's been busy. We've got a new project coming up that's taking a lot of my time. What about you? How's everything going?"

Marigold grasped at the change in topic, grateful for the distraction. "Things are fine. Just, you know, the usual stuff at the office."

They continued talking about mundane things—work, favorite books, and plans for the weekend. Despite her efforts to stay engaged in the conversation, Marigold's mind kept drifting back to the hallucination in the back seat. He was watching her intently every time she dared a peak in the mirror, a predatory gleam in his eyes.

Max glanced at her again, his brow furrowing. "You sure you're okay? You seem a little out of it."

Marigold forced another smile. "I'm fine, really. Just tired, like I said."

"Alright," Max said, not entirely convinced. He turned his attention back to the road, but Marigold could tell he was still worried.

The hallucination leaned forward again, his voice a low whisper. "He's worried about you, Marigold. Maybe you should tell him the truth."

Marigold shook her head slightly, as if trying to dislodge the hallucination from her mind. She couldn't tell Max about this. He'd think she was crazy. But the hallucination's words lingered, making her question her own sanity.

As they neared Marigold's apartment, she glanced back at the hallucination, noting how identical he looked to Max—everything but those black eyes. The dark voids seemed to be a stark contrast to the bright blue ones that always warmed Marigold to the core.

Black Eyes grinned, sensing her thoughts. "You know he wants you," he repeated, his voice dripping with confidence.

Marigold turned back to Max, trying to focus on their conversation. "So, what about that new project?" she asked, desperate for a distraction.

Max filled her in on the details, his voice a comforting hum. As he talked, Marigold couldn't shake the feeling that Black Eyes was still watching her, his presence a dark shadow in the back seat.

They pulled up to Marigold's apartment building, and Max turned off the engine. "You need anything else?" he asked, his concern evident.

Marigold shook her head. "No, I'm good. Thanks for the ride."

Max gave her a small smile. "Anytime. Get some rest, okay?"

Marigold nodded, but as she stepped out of the car, she could still feel Black Eyes watching her, his words echoing in her mind. "You know he wants you. All you have to do is make the first move."

With a deep breath, Marigold walked up to her apartment, hoping that a night's sleep would bring her some clarity.