Mirai

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The following day was hard, the day after even more so. We went to the beach, to the forest, to the library. We watched movies, we played games, we talked. But nothing held my attention.

I lost the concept of how much time I spent in visions and how much time I spent with Tamah. I thought I spent more time with her, but that time seemed to lessen. It felt like I spent longer and longer periods being stuck in visions.

I saw a woman with red hair and green eyes peek out from behind a tree and smile as her eyes fell on a man taking care of a flowerbed of lavender. She moved forward and as she did, the man straightened his back to look at her. His expression froze as he stared and stared and she just waited. Then he came back to himself and took slow steps towards her.

"I'm Noah," he said.

"I'm Oak," she answered.

Another man was in a bar. He took a sip from a glass of whiskey while his eyes rested on a group of women, a group of witches. One of them in particular held his attention. His eyes followed her every movement.

She got up and left the other witches. He decided to follow. She walked in the direction of the bathrooms and right outside, he took hold of her waist and spun her around.

For a second, she smiled wide, then her eyes dimmed.

"You're a vampire," she said.

"Yes," he answered.

"What's your name?"

"Lolek."

"I, Mary Evermore, reject you, Lolek, as my mate."

They both staggered back in pain, but he never accepted the rejection.

Yet another man watched another woman. He was surrounded by shadows while she held a basket of food that she handed over to an older woman in tattered clothes.

"Go talk to her," slithering voices that came from the shadows told the man.

"What if I'm not her mate?" the man answered.

"But what if you are?" the voices replied.

But before the man could work up the courage, the woman turned to look at him. Her eyes widened and a smile spread. They both walked forward and when they reached each other, he bent down and she went up on her toes so their lips could meet.

A man who was soon to be a father sat on a throne-like chair. He was deep in thought and though he didn't say a word, the decision he had to make echoed in the room. He knew what was the right choice to make, he knew what would serve the greater good. But his fatherly instincts told him to screw the greater good and focus on the happiness of his child.

The man and woman and the slithering voices were in a hospital room. They all wept as the pulse of a baby faded away.

A woman in a light purple dress, so light it was almost white, came into the room.

"Will you honor the deal?" the slithering voices asked her, and she smiled at them in return.

Mary sat with her back pressed against Lolek's chest in what was unmistakably a prison cell. He hugged her tight, nuzzled her neck. Let her scent calm his raging hunger.

The woman in a light purple dress appeared again. Lolek looked at her with eyes that shone red and growled.

"Don't worry," the woman said with a light smile. "I wouldn't ever dream of taking her away from you."

Oak held a hand over her stomach. Her eyes were closed, and a tear fell from them.

"I wish I could be there to watch you grow up," she whispered. "But I can't. I do know you will grow to become strong, however. Rheseis said all five of you will."

"Mirai!"

I came back to the present and looked into Tamah's eyes. She had tears in her eyes again, like she seemed to have most of the time nowadays.

"You were gone for a really long time," she told me in a weak voice.

"I'm sorry," I answered and pushed the other visions that threatened to come out of my mind.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" Tamah asked next, but I shook my head.

"Just being with me is enough."

"But I'm losing you!"

I couldn't say no, that would have been a lie. But I also couldn't bring myself to confirm it, so I just hugged her.

"The number on your neck is down to five," she mumbled against my shoulder, then pulled away to glare at me. "What does it mean? What happens when it reaches zero?"

Her question surprised me. She hadn't once mentioned the number. I hadn't even been sure if she had taken notice of it. Apparently, she had. But those questions were not ones I would answer. She didn't deserve that responsibility. No. It was better if she thought it was inevitable.

"It doesn't matter," I told her and kissed her temple lightly. "What matters is what's here and now."

"It matters to me, so why can't you tell me!" she shouted back.

I brushed a hand through her hair. "Trust that what is meant to be will be."

"Don't say that. Please, don't say that." She shook her head and a few tears flew from her eyes. "What can I do to help you? To stop it?"

"Nothing," I lied.

She sobbed, and I hugged her. Hushed her and whispered over and over again that she would be alright. That she was strong. So much stronger than she thought she was.

"I need you," she told me. 

"You only think so because you haven't tried to be without me," I answered. 

She opened her mouth to answer, but I would never hear her reply. Visions took over again. Visions of Tamah sitting next to our bed while I laid motionless on it while the different seasons passed by in the window.