Page 134 of Stitches

“Lay with me.”

He didn’t say another word. He simply lay on his back and stared up at the night sky through the trees. I lay beside him, our heads together.

“I’ve heard the universe is infinite too,” he said, holding my hand tightly. “I’ve heard you can manifest your destiny if you want it enough.”

“Do you believe that?”

He looked over at me, his whiskers tickling my face. “You’re here, aren’t you?”

“Is this real…Rabbit?”

“It is if you believe it to be. Everything in our heads is real if we choose to believe in it. So tell me, Sirena, what do you believe?”

I contemplated his words for a moment.

“I believe it’s all real, but it’s a nightmare.”

“Then wake up, pretty girl.”

“That’s the problem. I don’t think I want to.”

He chuckled softly and turned to look back at the sky. “Then it’s not a problem. It’s a solution. Stay with us crazies here in dreamworld and see what dreams may come.”

I looked back at the night sky.

For tonight, I’d stay.

And if I got lost, then maybe it was fate.

“Destiny,” he murmured.

The snow fell around us, leaving us with our nightmares in the dark as we stared up through the trees.

I was glad I’d came.

“Me too,” he said before going silent.

CHURCH

Iwas a good hunter. No one ever saw or heard me.

Tonight was no exception as I stared at my girl lying in the clearing holding hands with a fucking lunatic dressed in all black save for his white rabbit mask. A rustle in the trees let me know we weren’t alone.

The rabbit must have sensed it too because he got up and lifted her sleeping form into his arms, holding her against his chest. Then he hummed some song I’d heard her hum before.

Slowly, he made his way through the forest while I followed quietly behind him. One wrong move and he would die. That much was certain.

When he reached the edge of the woods, he roused her and placed her on her feet.

I couldn’t hear what he was saying to her, but she hugged him before leaving him to stand there to watch her go into our house. I followed his gaze as she disappeared safely inside, my fucking heart in my throat.

When I turned back to where he’d been, he was gone.

I straightened and peered into the night, not catching a single glimpse of him.

It didn’t matter.

I’d deal with him later. He was always on campus. I’d just kick his ass then. But her…

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