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geekyglimpses-nest · 8 days

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7. The Day Everything Changed

Warnings: +18 minor don't interact, slow burn, graphic language, humor, sexual content, physical trauma, blood (gore), bodies/corpses, death, drug use, guns, murder (atempted), PTSD, violence, english is not my first language.

Summary: Delaney eagerly awaits a dinner date with Layla, reflecting on their relationship. However, a terrifying nightmare shakes her, triggering memories of past trauma. As they try to enjoy their evening, chaos erupts, plunging the city into panic. Delaney's primary concern is protecting Layla, but amidst the chaos, she experiences a devastating loss, leaving her shattered and questioning the nature of sacrifice.

Word Count: 1123 words (10 min. max)

“Hello, I think the person is already inside, her name is Layla Milfred”

The hostess smiles and tells me to follow her. The place has a very homely vibe, it’s relatively small and the light is almost non existent if not for the occasional candles and low light that illuminates the restaurant. The place screams Layla’s taste and personality. The restaurant has a terrace and that’s where the hostess takes me. Unlike this morning, the evening sky is beautifully bathed by orange and purple rays, the air is fresh but not to the point of being cold. Layla knows I hate the heat, she must have felt the temperature was just right and decided to book a table outside. I smile at her sweet gesture.

I can see her figure a couple feet away so I thank the hostess and start walking towards her, she has her back to me so I cover her eyes and lean on her left ear.

“Excuse me miss, is this seat taken?” I ask teasingly

“In fact, it is, I’m waiting for my beautiful girlfriend, who seems to be a bit late”

“How rude of her to leave you here all alone. Actually, what a coincidence, I’m also waiting for my girlfriend, would you mind if I sit while I wait?”

“It would be an honor” she giggles when I give her a kiss on the back of her ear. She squirms and I take the chance to give her another kiss in the cheek and I sit in front of her.

“Nice place, it reminds me of you”

“If you like the place, wait till you try their food. I’ve heard it’s amazing” she grabs the menu and skims through it “They say the desserts are heavenly”

“Really?” I say “Because I’m already seeing my dessert in front of me, and I’m loving it” Layla pulls her gaze abruptly from the menu to stare at me, her skin is flushed and she gets nervous, she looks around us to make sure no one has listened what I said and she grins at me. Our waiter returns and Layla is the one that orders for us.

The people that surrounds us are engaged in their own small worlds. They all laugh, smile, eat and drink. There are a couple tables that are occupied by large groups of people, in others there are couples, friends and even some people that enjoy their own company. No worry in their faces. They’re just enjoying the current moment. The waiter leaves and I return my attention to Layla.

“How was your day?” I ask

“I got some very exiting news… The credit to open my own studio has been approved, I’ll receive the money by the end of the month” she says with a big smile

“Oh my god, Layla! Those are great news. I take the presentation went well”

“Well do you remember that at first I’d been denied because there was some papers that I didn’t include that were important for them to give the approval. Well about three months ago I started the paperwork from scratch and I asked Miles to help me because you remember how he…”

Am I willing to give this up? her. She’ll have questions that I won’t know how to answer. Even I myself have questions about why haven’t been totally honest about my past with her. The questions echo in my mind, accompanied by a torrent of doubts and fears. Layla deserves honesty, yet I can’t bring myself to confront the truth. How could I explain the turmoil in my heart, the conflicting desires pulling me in opposite directions?

I cannot continue down this path of half-truths and hidden motives. I need to stop this before it becomes into something irreversible. I do not want to let her go, but I can’t be this selfish. I know what being lead on fro years feels like. I know how much it hurts to realize that that person never actually felt the same deepness of care and love you did. I refuse to do the same. I won’t follow the pattern. He broke me. I gave him everything of me, everything there was to give, and he took it to then tell me I wasn’t the one for him. That I didn’t understand the realness and deepness of his darkness. It was lie he liked to tell himself to make himself feel better about not feeling the same. I did understand because I had been right next to him when it happened. He broke me once, shattered my illusions of love with callous disregard. I refuse to inflict that same pain upon another. My mom never really loved my dad, she was with him because she had nothing else, nowhere else to go. No one before my dad had shown her what true love was. She had no example to follow or teach. That was my example of love. Love for me was to be satisfied with what you have in front of you. Even if it didn’t felt right.

I didn’t understand it but now, I also know how dark the feeling of loneliness is and what it can do to someone. But Layla… She embodies everything I once yearned for, everything I thought I wanted. Yet, I am no longer the same person who longed for love’s embrace. Everything has changed, including me. It’s actually ironic, for years I waited for the wrong person to feel the same way I did and it never happened. And when I finally meet the person that is willing to give me just what I thought I was looking for, I’m not in the same place as her.

Mrs. Durmaz’s words echo in my mind, a sobering reminder of the truth I do not dare to confront. If Layla were truly the one, doubts and fears would not plague my thoughts. I would be able to talk about them with her to fix them. I don’t think I want to fix them. I cannot shake the feeling of unease that gnaws at my soul. Then again, I could have fooled myself into believing I felt something when in reality I might just be as dead as I was when I got here. I am little more than a hollow shell, numb to the warmth of affection. The truth lies somewhere between the depths of my past and the uncertainty of my future.

─━─━─━─「✦」─━─━─━─

I wake up screaming. A crushing pain in my leg wakes me. The pain grips me like a vise, a phantom agony that sends shivers down my spine. Instinctively, I reach for my leg

It’s not there.

My leg is not there. I lost it, I lost my leg.

Panic surges through me, my heart pounding in my chest. In the darkness, I am alone, surrounded by the suffocating weight of my own fear. The room feels oppressively small, the walls closing in around me. I struggle to push back the rising tide of despair, but it threatens to consume me whole.

I look up and I see a black pair of cargo boots. He came back. The Winter Soldier. His presence a chilling specter in the night. His mask obscures his features, but his eyes burn with an intensity that pierces through the darkness. I know why he’s here, what he wants from me.

He’s back to finish the job and take me to HYDRA.

“Please,” I whisper, my voice barely more than a trembling plea. “Please don’t do this.” The ghost feeling of a pair of gloved hands touch my skin and it’s as if I’m burning. I recoil, the sensation unbearable. I close my eyes, willing myself to wake from this nightmare, but the pain persists, relentless and unyielding. I can feel the darkness closing in around me, suffocating me with its malevolent embrace.

And then… Nothing happens. As suddenly as it began, the nightmare ends. I am left trembling, bathed in a cold sweat, my heart still racing in my chest. But my leg is intact, the phantom pain fading into the recesses of my mind. He’s gone too.

I finally hear the phone ringing. With difficulty I get up and slowly reach the phone.

“Dr. Kingsley, the alarm in your apartment went off. You okey? Do you need elements to be send to your apartment?” says the voice of a man

“Who is this? What happened?” I answer as I rub my face with the palm of my hand

“Probably just a bad dream doctor. Would you mind turning your alarm off?” I hesitate “It’s next to the light switch, you just need to put your code in to deactivate it” I take the phone with me and turn the alarm off, I slide down the wall to the floor.

“My leg… I woke up and my… leg…” I whisper

“When the Triskelion attack happened you took a deep hit to your leg, it was shattered, almost completely destroyed. Your were brought in unconscious and in a critical condition, in the verge of dead. Doctors almost decided to cut your leg off because there was no emergency contact listed on your file. They decided against it to let you and your body decide. Couple hours after the infection was controlled and you woke up. It’s PTSD doctor”

“You said there was an option if I ever wanted to leave”

“I did ma’am. You interested?”

“I might, yes”

“Then I might recommend Enumclaw, Washington doctor. They say it’s beautiful during this season, great place to recover and keep up with your research. I’m pretty sure that due to your loyal service they would agree to fond your research elsewhere”

“Send me the papers” I answer without thinking

“Will do doctor, need anything else from me?”

“No”

“Try to rest. I’ll be in touch”

He hangs the call. I breath. I become more aware of the sweat that runs through my face and spine. A light knock on my door makes me tense again.

“It’s Mrs. Durmaz dear. I heard screaming, I just wanted to make sure if you were okey or If you had someone in there with you”

“I’m good Mrs. Durmaz, just a bad dream. Go back to rest, I’ll see you tomorrow” I answer

“Okey, I have hot tea in my apartment if you need it” she says, I whisper a thank you. A couple seconds later I see her shadow disappear from the crack in my door.

─━─━─━─「✦」─━─━─━─

♪The Thing About Trust - Dan Romer♪

The atmosphere in the restaurant shifts, tension crackling in the air like static electricity. Conversations falter, laughter fading into uneasy murmurs as patrons exchange worried glances. I suddenly feel inside a dream. A pain that almost crushes my chest makes itself present, I feel like my lungs are not getting enough air. Layla’s voice fades into the background as my attention is drawn to the chaos unfolding around us. People clutch their phones tightly, eyes glued to screens displaying images of destruction and despair. I try my best to listen to her conversation, but there’s too much noise and distraction happening that I can’t seem to focus on her anymore

“Hey, can you turn the news on!” screams a person behind us. Layla interrupts herself and we both turn to the t.v. too.

The image of the reporter is shaky, she wears the armies protection gear, explosions and shots being fired happen behind her “That’s right Fred, at the moment I find myself on Wakanda, a country located at the north of Tanzania. There has been reports letting us know about a lot of alien activity happening in the African country. We’ve also been notified of the presence the Avengers within King T’Challa’s Kingdom. Actually, if you see right behind me you can see the active battle field. Wakanda’s greatest warriors, the Dora Milaje have been seen all over the land trying to put their people out of danger. We don’t have all the details yet but signs of alien like life form have been detected ever since that attack on New York City early this morning. The wakandian army is doing everything to fight against this creatures of unknown origin" the resporter pauses for a seconds and put her hand to her ear, she looks into the camera "We just lost visual with some of the Avengers but we know for sure all of the Avengers are present during this battle” The image is shifted to the battle that unravels in Wakanda. Creatures that almost look like animals run towards the wakandian warriors and some of the Avengers. I turn to look at Layla and her eyes are glued to the screen of her phone. She looks at me and gives me her phone, I take it and I see a video of live transmission of the president in the White House.

“We don’t know exactly what is happening on Wakanda, but be assured that the Avengers are doing everything to protect our planet and our safety”

“Sir! Do you know how severe is the situation?” asks a reporter

“Is the planet in any danger?” asks another reporter

“Shouldn’t this be a world wide alert?” screams another reporter

“We’re handling the situation as best as we can” answers the president trying to remain composed and calm in front of the press. A man comes forward and whispers something into his ear, the president leaves with him “The conference is over. You’ll have to wait for further news” says a woman

“Layla, we should go home. Will be safe there” I say, urgency lacing my words as I grasp Layla’s hand tightly, she grabs her purse. Through the screens we see an explosion happen behind the reporter, the expansive wave knocks her and the camera down, last thing that is seen before the signal dies is ashes. People gasp in surprise and they all start looking at each other and around them. An explosion is heard near us.

The world outside descends into madness, a symphony of screams and sirens filling the air. People start to run and push others to get out of the restaurant, soon enough the main entrance is packed with people. I look to my side and see the handrail of the terrace facing the street, a few people jump it. By instinct I take Layla’s hand and pull her. I jump first and then help her jump over it, she scratches her leg “Honey take the shoes off, we need to run” she does, leaving the heels on the sidewalk.

Together, we navigate the panicked crowd, dodging frantic bodies in a desperate bid to reach safety. The street outside is a scene of utter chaos, cars careening out of control, their drivers vanished without a trace. What the fuck? I see people disappear and leave a trace of black ashes behind them.

“What’s happening?” Layla’s voice trembles with fear as she clings to my side, her eyes wide with disbelief. I have no answers, only a sinking sense of dread as reality unravels before us. We run, each footfall echoing like a drumbeat in the chaos, the world around us a blur of motion and noise. Smoke billows in the distance, flames licking at the sky as the city burns. And then, in an instant, everything changes.

To my left side I see a gas truck crash against a concrete wall on the other side of the road. I push Layla and myself into an alley, Layla kneels and I do too, my body shielding hers with the intention of protecting her of the blast, she shakes and cries in silence. The blast comes not soon after that, she screams, other do too. Debris rains down around us, I take her face in my hands.

“Baby, breath, I need you to breath, we have a long way to get home and I need you present for any danger. I will get us safely home” she nods and hides against my body, I hug her close, my hand travels across her back to sooth her.

“Let me make sure we’re clear to move” with difficulty she separates herself from me, I stand and walk to the corner of the alley that leads to the main street. I see my car is still were I left it, mostly intact.

I turn to tell Layla is time to move but I’m surprised to her not being where I left her.

My heart sinks to my stomach. Ashes are flying where Layla used to be.

No. Whats happening?

What is this?

She was just here, I just turned to make sure we were safe!

Where is she?

I held her hand! WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE? No. Please God, this can’t be happening.

“LAYLAAA!” I scream in hopes of hearing her “LAYLA! WHERE ARE YOU?”

My body is hit with something hard, like someone crashed into me. I fall to the floor, my vision is blurry, my sight darkens. Acid and metal are the last thing that I remember.

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The titan finds himself in what seems to be heaven. Blood red water surrounds the dream like place. A little girl waits for him, her back to him.

“Daughter?” he asks, the girl turns

“Did you do it?”

“Yes.” he lowers his head

“What did it cost?”

“Everything”

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How dangerous… To finally have something worth loosing.

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• ───━━━━─ ● ─━━━━─── •

Notes: I couldn't prolongue this moment any longer. This will be a changing point in her life and story. I'd like to warn you that the chapters to come do become a bit sad and dark. Hope you like it, please don't forget to interact, I'd love to hear from you like I said I t helps me a lot.

Till next time, geekyglimpses-nest out 👋🏽

#bucky barnes fanfiction #marvel cinematic universe #marvel fanfiction #bucky barnes slow burn #bucky barnes x oc #bucky barnes x original female character #enemies to lovers #original character #slow burn #the winter soldier #Agent of Battle #The Child of the Damned Series

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geekyglimpses-nest · 10 days

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6. She's (Not) The One

Summary: Delaney finds herself on a rollercoaster of emotions and unexpected twists. As she grapples with some pretty tough challenges, she's also unsure about where she stands with Layla, making her question the strength of their bond. Delaney's visions hint at a future that's both intriguing and uncertainfor her and those around her.

Word Count: 4,352 words (26 minutes max)

Notes at the end of chapter

♪ The Ink From Books - Sleeping At Last♪

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“I’ve had a vision” says the asgardian “A whirlpool that sucks in all hope of life, and at it’s center is that” says as he points at his head

“What? the gem?” asks the scientific

“It’s the Mind Stone. It’s one of the six Infinity Stones, the greatest power of the universes unparalleled in its destructive capabilities.”

══════⊹⊱≼≽⊰⊹══════

“I looked in your head and saw annihilation”

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“Their powers, the horrors in our heads, Ultron himself they all come from the Mind Stone. And they’re nothing compared to what it can unleash.” Says the asgardian.

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The Nine Realms are not eternal. They had a dawn as they will have a dusk. But before that dawn the dark forces, The Dark Elves, reigned absolute and unchallenged” says the Asgardian God “Their leader Malekeith made a weapon out of that darkness and it was called the Aether. While the other relics often appear as stones the Aether is fluid and ever changing. It changes matter into dark matter. It seeks out host bodies, drawing strength from their life force. Malekith sought to use the Aether’s power to return the universe to one of darkness”

══════⊹⊱≼≽⊰⊹══════

“The Tesseract was the jewel of Odin’s treasure room. It is not something one buries” says Schmidt when he breaks the fake Tesseract “Yggdrasil. Tree of the world. Guardian of wisdom. And fate, also” he says as he takes the real Tesseract

“Fool! You cannot control the power you hold. You will burn!” says the old man as he is shot by Schmidt

“I have the power of the Gods in my hands”

══════⊹⊱≼≽⊰⊹══════

“At the dawn of the universe, there was nothing. Then… BOOM! The Big Bang sent six elemental crystals… hurtling across the virgin universe. These Infinity Stones each control an essential aspect of existence.” says the librarian

“Space. Reality. Power. Soul. Mind. And Time” says the Sourcer Supreme.

“Tell me his name again” asks the multimillionaire

“Thanos. He’s a plague Tony. He invades planets. He takes what he wants. He wipes put half the population. He sent Loki. The attack on New York, that��s him.” says the scientific desperate

“This is it” whispers the philanthropist “What’s our timeline?”

“No telling. He has the Power Stone and Space Stones. That already makes him the strongest creature in the whole universe. If he gets his hands on all six stones, Tony…”

“He could destroy life on a scale hitherto undreamed of.”

─━─━─━─「✦」─━─━─━─

1 year 4 months later (2018)…

The dreams are back, they invade my sleep every night. I haven’t slept for weeks now.

My body, my brain, something in me screams that something is wrong, horribly wrong. I wake up bathed in sweat, my body pulses and vibrates with an energy that accompanies me for the rest of my days, since I rise until I lay in bed. Only to stare at the ceiling as a terrible pressure installs on my body and endless headaches plague my sleep.

I haven’t seen Layla for the same reason. She’s been staying in her apartment the last week or so because she’s been preparing for a very important presentation to some investors to finally open her own design studio. We talk to each other when we both have free time, lately that seems to be more difficult to find.

I have found that the possible reason for this… dreams is because of how much hours Elodie and I have been spending on the quantum and time traveling research and the multiverse theories.

These visions… or dreams seem to be too specific to be merely elaborated by a tired mind full of data and information. Everything about them feels too real to just be mere dreams. I’ve had this kind of very vivid dreams since I’ve had a memory, they’ve been with me most of my life but this time… they seem more intense. I’m conscious in them, my mind is aware that I’m dreaming but there’s a voice in the back of my head that says they’re not just dreams. They’re always short, very short. Just when I start to piece things together, or at least I think I am, It all ends and I wake up with nothing but fragments of this dreams. Voices. Must of them are…warnings of something.

Yesterday I ended up sleeping in one of the coaches in my office. As I stand an almost electric flow of energy runs through my body and I shake. The day hasn’t even started and a headache is splitting my head in two already, it usually happens when I sleep in a very uncomfortable position. I look at my phone and see I have two missed calls from Layla, I listen to the voicemail she leaves behind as I go to the bathroom to wash my face and teeth.

“Hey beautiful, I just got home and I hadn’t read the text of you staying in the lab tonight, so now I’m kinda of in a bad mood cause I really wanted to come home to you and I don’t know… watch a movie or something before tomorrow, but don’t worry, I know you didn’t do it on purpose. I know how important is this research for you. So I guess I’ll take this time to work on my own stuff before going to sleep. Anyway I just wanted to say I love you and I hope everything works fine over there and please for gods sake, don’t forget tomorrows date because I’m very exited about it. Love you and please rest, bye.”

Yeah, I definitely forgot and she knows it, that’s her subtle reminder to me, I sigh and exit the office. The first thing I see is Elodie’s slopped body on her desk, her glasses are long gone and her mouth is slightly open, gentle snoring coming out of it. I call for Brixton and his by my side in seconds, I grab his leash and we both walk outside. There’s a small coffee shop a few steps away from the lab, is not as good as the one Layla used to work at but it does the job to wake me and shake the bad mood off my body.

Today’s morning on Enumclaw is gray and windy, seems like rain is going to happen very soon. On my walk there I see people on their daily morning runs, some of them recognize me and they wave at me, I do the same with a bit less energy. I see mothers, fathers, sons and daughters walking to the school bus stop.

When I reach the small coffee shop, the cashier and bartender, Adam recognizes me.

“Doctor, good morning and hello to you too Brixton” Brixton barks once, Adam smiles at him “The usual?”

“Please, make it two” he nods and starts to work on my order. The T.V. in the cafeteria is on the news channel

“Hey Adam, would you mind turning up the volume of the T.V?” says the young lady who’s having coffee, she’s here every morning when I come for coffee too, her laptop prompt in front of her, she takes her glasses of and looks at the T.V. Adam does as he’s asked and also stares at the T.V. I do too out of curiosity.

“Good morning Washington. Today we were woken with the news that once again, New York City was visited and attacked by aliens. Jackson Norris is on the ground and has more details about this event, we’re listening to you Jackson”

“Good morning Will. We’re currently located in the W. 43rd St. We were told by witnesses here is where everything began. They say a circular spaceship came out of nowhere and that’s when fear and panic invaded the streets of New York once again. People started running and seeking for shelter of the terror that had begun on the streets. First responders were alerted to evacuate all citizens south of 43rd st. by the Iron Man” I tense. Shit, that’s part of Hell’s Kitchen “In the battle field that was left behind witness say the Iron Man, Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange and Wong were seen speaking with such aliens before they started to engage on a brutal fight that certainly left wreckage and destruction behind”

The image of Jackson Norris is interrupted to be replaced by a shaky video taken by someone inside one of the buildings. One of two alien like forms speak on one side of the street and Stark, Banner, Strange and Wong in the other. Winds of dust and trash travel through the streets, cars are on fire, fallen light stops, debris everywhere to be seen. Local shops have shattered windows, behind them frighten civilians hide from the streets.

“Hear me and rejoice” pronounces one of the aliens “You are about to die at the hands of The Children of Thanos. Be thankful that your meaningless lives are now contributing…”

“I’m sorry, Earth is closed today” interrupts Tony Stark “You better pack it up and get outta here.”

“Stonekeeper. Does this chattering animal speak for you?”

“Certainly not. I speak for myself. You’re trespassing in this city and on this planet.” Strange and Wong come forward and orange circles surround their fists.

“He means get lost, Squidward” says Stark

The other alien starts to run towards them and Tony Stark’s body is soon transformed and protected by the Iron Man suit. The alien seems is about to hit Iron Man but is surprised by one of his potent light beams, the video ends with the screams of the people behind the video. The image of Jackson Norris is back on the screen

“The fight then moved to a nearby park where the local superhero, Spider-man was also seen joining this fight. Not shortly after this, Stephen Strange and Spider-man where abducted by the spaceship and taken away from the atmosphere of our planet, the figure of Iron Man was seen flying behind them too. For all we know they’re all reported as MIA. The people of New York were saved from a possible tragic event that fortunately ended before it started. Nearby hospitals report there are no losses to be mourned, just a couple injured. The citizens of this city have developed yet another trauma related to alien invasions. Thankfully another of New York’s local heroes known as The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen has been spotted helping civilians get to their homes safe or to nearby hospitals to be treated. It’s been hours since the attack and the press hasn’t received any updates from the Avengers organization or the UN. A press conference will be held in couple hours in the White house where the president will address the nation and their latest concerns on regards this recent alien invasion. For WHiH World News this was Jackson Norris, back to you Will”

“Thank you Jackson. We will update you as soon as this press conference happens. For now let go with Mikael, for the latest report on the weather…”

“Well just another day on Earth right?” says Adam

“Yeah, let’s just hope it’s nothing serious” says the young lady who’s now returned to her laptop

“Your coffee’s doctor” says Adam and extends two hot cups at me. I take them and pay for them “Have a good day doctor, goodbye Brixton” he says with a smile.

I leave the cafeteria with a dream like feeling on me, my body feels like it’s floating. Once again, the echo of a voice makes me halt.

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“The entire time I knew Thanos, he only had one goal. To bring balance to the universe by wiping out half of all life. He used to kill people planet by planet, massacre by massacre. If he gets all six Infinity Stones, he can do it with the snap of his fingers like this”

══════⊹⊱≼≽⊰⊹══════

The sharp sound of a horn and barking wake me. I’m in the middle of the street. I turn and see a car that’s a few inches of hitting me, the driver keeps honking at me to get out of the way, Brixton pulls me so I walk. I cross the street and a woman stares at me as if I’m crazy.

Why did I cross the street like that? I don’t remember walking there. My heart pounds against my chest, my ears ring, my vision has black spots and I have to stop to breathe to stop myself from fainting from the adrenaline overload.

The lab is now in front of me. Once I regulate my myself and the adrenaline I go in.

As soon as I get in, the sound of music invades the space, the vocals of a woman are loud “Elodie?” I ask

“Yeah! I’m making breakfast, or at least I was trying” she says with her back turned to me. I see her in the kitchen.

“I brought coffee” I say

“Good! I burned the one we had in here, sorry. I’ll buy more.” she says “Looks like we're going to have to go with bagels, at least I didn’t burned them all” she says turning with a plate of 4 bagels, some of them with black spots “Well… they’re eatable. Oh… by the way, Layla was here earlier. She was hoping to see you before going to work. She asked me to tell you to please call her”

“I’ll call her after breakfast. I didn’t wake up with the best of moods and I haven’t had my coffee yet” I say as I sit in the breakfast counter where Elodie has displayed dishes and utensils.

“You heard about that whole thing about the alien invasion in New York City” she asks as she sips through her coffee.

I nod “Yeah, that might be part of the reason I’m in a bad mood” she hums

“I called my grandma to make sure she was alright you now? She lives in Hell’s Kitchen, you used to live there too right?” I nod

“Yeah, long time ago. We should get started, I’ll be leaving early today, I have a date with Layla, and… it is Friday, you should leave too, if you want to” she nods and wipes her mouth “Yeah, probably will, I have some sleep to catch on, besides my girlfriend is on leave anyway I want to spend some time with her too” I stand “Great, meet me in my office in half an hour for a meeting please, we’re so close to finish going through all the research” she walks to her space and powers up the systems.

I enter my office and first thing I do is call Layla

“Hey honey” she says with that sweet undertone of hers when picking up a call “I was in your office earlier but you weren’t there, everything okay?”

“Yeah, I went out for an early coffee run for me and Elodie”

“Oh! that’s okey. I just wanted to know if you had slept at all. Elodie told me you guys had a really long night”

“We did, but we actually made a lot of progress”

“Good, that’s good news. You sound tired, maybe we should cancel our date, order in and stay home tonight?”

“No, no, don’t cancel it. I’m fine, besides I know how exited you’re for that date. You even bought a dress, and I can’t wait to see you on it, I’ve been waiting since last week.”

“You sure?” she asks concerned

“100%” I assure her

“Alright. Well, I dropped off some fresh and clean clothes for you to change into, and I also left you your personal cleaning bag” I sigh

“Your an angel sweetheart, thank you.”

“Alright, I gotta go, meeting is about to start, they’re waiting for me” she says in a low voice

“Kick ass sweetheart. You worked very hard on that presentation” I say

“Always do. Love you” she says and she hangs up the phone.

After the call with Layla I call Mrs. Durmaz, she picks up immediately.

“My darling girl, hello, how are you?” with Turkish accent in her voice

“Hello Mrs. Durmaz. Well you know just checking in, how are you?”

“I just came home from our early run” she says

“How is Arturo?”

“Still here dear, he at his studio, working.”

“That reminds me, how was the moving? Did the guys I recommend any good?” I ask as I wait for my computer to boot up

“They were perfect dear, they stored and accommodated everything how I wanted”

“Good, they sure weren’t cheap”

“By the way, how much do I owe you?”

“Nothing, and that’s it on that matter”

“Okey, I won’t insist but I warn you I will return the favor. How are the plans for Christmas coming along?”

“Well. I already booked the hotel you wanted, since you refused to stay at my home, in which I could’ve accommodate you easily”

“Believe me darling, you don’t want us in there. You won’t be able to sleep”

“Yep, that’s enough information Mrs. Durmaz”

“How’s that girlfriend of yours? You putting a ring on that finger any time soon?”

“She’s fine, she’s about to fulfill a long time dream. And about the ring… I don’t know. I think it’s to early yet, we just moved in”

“Dear I’m going to be honest with you, I always have. Last time I asked you how you truly felt about Layla, you said everything you loved about her and how good she made you feel. Basically you told me you liked who you were around her, but I did notice you never actually told me you loved her. Have you thought… that…maybe she’s not the one dear and that’s why you feel like it’s rushed. I mean you guys have been dating for a while now. Dear I’m not saying this because traditionally marriage is what follow, I say it because Layla has said to me and you, she wants to take your relationship the next stage and to her… that’s marriage. Have you ever thought you’re with her just because it’s comfortable? Have you even say I love you back to her?” she asks.

It’s too damn early for this kind of conversation.

I’m grateful that she’s came into my life, and that after this long she hasn’t left. She’s everything I could’ve dreamed of, understanding, loving, caring, thoughtful and so much more. I was doomed and in a hole I thought I’d never get out of. Being with Layla feels so easy and… logical. She saved me. She held my hand when I needed it the most.

But love… What if Mrs. Durmaz is right, maybe she might not be the one for me, and the last thing I want to do is hurt her. I’d always noticed that she does experience this relationship far more intensely than I do. She says it constantly. She knows what she wants, I don’t. Is it fair to pretend to be right there with her but not really?

She deserves someone much better, in a better state of mind, healthy. She deserves what she’s giving. She’s given everything of her to me and I haven’t reciprocated and sometimes I think she pretends she’s okey with it, but I don’t think it’s fair. She needs someone who loves her just as intensely.

“Dear you must realize that this silence says everything I need to know. You must talk to her soon, don’t keep her next to you if you have no intentions of taking her seriously, at least the way she must be expecting you to. Believe me, by own experience, that hurts too much” I know “Just think about it dear. It’s okey to not be in the same place that she is, but it’s not okey for you not to tell her that. The final decision has to hers, not your. Don’t keep her there if you’re just going to break her heart tomorrow, or next month, or next year”

“I know… I’ve actually been thinking the same this last couple weeks. Now that we’ve moved in together, she’s starting to bring up subjects about our future and every time she brings them up it’s like my body goes completely tense”

“It’s a sign dear. Your own brain is telling you that your not ready to go into something so serious. Even though your heart wants to and even if you want to trick yourself into believing that she’s the one” she sighs and I can hear her shifting on the other side of the line “I married my husband not because I loved him, I married him because it was the only way I saw to get out of my country safely, start a new life and forget about my past. Mr. Durmaz was 13 years older than me, he was cold and distant because of the war, death and destruction he saw, but he was never cruel or violent. I cared for him and I was grateful because even after everything he always took care of me and our family, he was a good man and father. But I didn’t love him the way he would’ve wanted me to and that hurt and hunted him the rest of his life. He became bitter with time and then died. What I’m trying to say is don’t do force yourself to feel something that you don’t feel, safe her and yourself a worst pain”

“I’m scared”

“Why are you scared?” she asks

“Because after everything that went down on New York and D.C I thought I was dead, that I would never feel like that again. She gave me that. She gave me hope, she made me realize that I could still feel like that. What if I won’t find anyone again?”

“Oh dear. You say that because you’re young, you feel like a breakup might be the end of the world, but it isn’t. The world is more complex than that, you will get through this. But you can’t keep this up anymore. I’m not saying do it right now, just think about it and see if this could be true”

“I will Mrs. Durmaz” I can hear someone saying her name in the background “That sounds like Arturo, I’ll let you go Mrs. Durmaz”

“Promise me you’ll think about what we talked about”

“Promise”

“Please take care dear. Don’t forget to eat, drink water and sleep. I love you”

“Take care too Mrs. Durmaz, I’ll talk to you soon”

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The light of the sun hits my closed eyes. I can hear birds singing and water running. The breeze weaves it’s way through the grass and flowers, conducting a symphony of whispers. I open my eyes, the sight is breathtaking. Above, the sky transitions through the tranquil depths of cobalt blue to the regal richness of purple, and finally, to the fiery embrace of orange. Each color seems to dance with the others, painting the heavens in a symphony of celestial beauty. It’s as if the sky itself is a grand theater, putting on a spectacular performance for all who care to look up and marvel at its splendor. The sun is setting in the background, waving it’s last goodbye. Next to the sun is a moon on a waning crescent, this one much bigger than ours. Closer too.

I’m barefoot, the tall grass under my feet is wet, it’s not unpleasant. A fresh breeze is present. The gentle caresses of each blade and petal inviting one to linger and lose oneself in the enchanting embrace of the meadow’s embrace. Tall green mountains stand in front of me, waterfalls run through them.

On the land stands a small wooden house.

The place feels like a place where you come to have a vacation from everything happening in the world. Peace and silence is everywhere, it’s the kind of a place where you retire to once your old enough. But it also feels lonely and deserted. There’s something dark about this place. The energy that surrounds it is good but the closer I get to the small house, a darker energy seems to rise, something pulls me away from it. It feels like I’m fighting against the wind.

I stop, someone is in the house. They’re tall, broad back and purple skin, half it’s body is burned. They turn, half their face is also burned. They look at me, I look at them, shivers run through my body. The darkness grows by the second. They wear a gauntlet with glowing stones, each different color and size, they’re broken. They have a particular energy running through them but the stones seem to potentiates the darkness in them. They suffer.

I see pain, I see loss, I see loneliness.

I try to walk towards them but they rise the golden gauntlet and snap their fingers.

An expansive wave hits my body and I fly through the air.

══════⊹⊱≼≽⊰⊹══════

Modern Big Bang theories predict that our local universe came into existence with an instant of inflation, in other words, a small fraction of a second after the Big Bang in which the universe expanded at a colossal exponential rate.

The observable part of our universe would then be just a kind of ‘cozy’ pocket universe, a region in which inflation has ended and stars, galaxies and planets, like our own, could form. The usual theory of eternal inflation predicts that, on a global scale, our universe is like an infinite fractal, with a mosaic of different pocket universes, separated by an inflationary ocean.

Elodie knocks on my glass door and I glance at her acknowledging her presence

“I’m leaving Dr. Kingsley, my girlfriend just got here. Isn’t your date suppose to be in like twenty minutes?” she says looking at her watch.

Oh… right.

I stand from my chair and turn the computer off “I left all the systems on so that if there’s any changes we can get notified, if it’s important of course” I continue to get ready to leave “Thank you Elodie, say hi to Jess for me please” she nods “I’ll see you Monday boss, have a great weekend” I smile at her, she leaves the lab and I see through the glass she gets into a car and head off.

I make sure all the systems are on and close the lab. I head off on to the address Layla has sent. I sent her a text

“On my way to you”

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Notes: I was gone for a bit but I think I'm back. This chapter is a long one, with the progression of the story the chapters will progresively get longer and more packed with info. We're getting there, just you wait.

Thank you for reading and please, if you can, interact with the story. Coment your thoughts, theories, etc. I'd love to talk to you. Share if you like it and you feel someone would be interested in reading it. The interaction really helps me so much.

With love, geekyglimpses-nest out 👋🏽

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