Leo opened his eyes, jerking upright to take in his surroundings. "Relax. You've been asleep for an hour. Nothing crazy has happened," Echo said, noticing Leo's heavy breathing and sweat-drenched brow.
"Are you okay, Leo? Bad dream?"
Leo took a moment to gather himself. "I always have bad dreams," he replied, tossing a stick into the distance.
"I feel that. You and me both, Leo."
"What do you dream about?"
"The deaths I've caused," Echo sighed, turning to face Leo. "Don't ever be ashamed of your past, Leo. Embrace it. Hold onto those feelings. Learn from them. It's okay to fail—no matter how terrible the failure was," he said with a warm smile.
"I try, Echo. I really do," Leo said, turning to gaze at the stars. "It was… about your family?" Echo asked.
"Yes, sir. My wife loved to look up at the night sky. She said it made her feel comfort and freedom," Leo explained, a faint breeze tousling his hair.
Echo looked up at the stars as well. "Yeah, I can see why she felt that way. It would be nice to just… leave this place, huh, Leo? Explore the galaxy and see if there are aliens or something." Echo laughed.
Leo chuckled softly. Echo stopped and glared at him. "Why exactly do you think something happened to your family, Leo? I'd like to know. I'm only asking because it seems like you believe you were at fault."
A heavy silence fell between them. "The next time you ask, I'll have your answer. Trust me," Leo replied.
"Hmm… I'll hold you to that. You never know; there probably won't be a next time. I might die!" Leo joked.
"Don't joke like that!" Echo said, rolling his eyes. "I'm just playing, Leo," Echo laughed.
The two men spent an extra hour talking.
"I don't think it's coming back. We should give Sasha a call," Echo suggested.
"You might be right. I'll see what she's up to. Sorry about the terrible plan."
"Just buy me a drink, and we'll call it even."
******
Sasha sat at a restaurant, looking around. (For some strange reason, I was drawn to this place. It feels like a sensation at the back of my neck or something.)
A waitress approached, pen and paper in hand. She was a beautiful woman with short pink hair.
"Oh, I love your color!" Sasha said with a bright smile. "Thank you?"
"What? You're not used to compliments? You're a woman; I would think you get plenty about your hair," Sasha chuckled.
"Not much. I do appreciate it," the woman replied in a dry, bored tone. "I'm sorry… I'm just tired. Would you like something to drink?"
"Water."
"Got it."
"I have another question, Miss." Sasha glanced around and pulled out $300. "Would you mind answering a quick question?"
The woman side-eyed her. "No ma'am. Just place your order, and someone else will bring your food."
******
Sasha received her food from a tall, muscular man.
"Oh, hey there!" Sasha said, fixing her hair. "And you are?"
"Who? Me?!" he asked in surprise. "Yes, sir."
"Uhh… I'm John. Nice to meet you!" the waiter said, extending his hand. "Sit down, John. I have an important favor to ask," Sasha said.
John looked around, hesitated, then sat down. Sasha pulled out $300. "Take this as an extra tip, okay? I just have one question."
"Oh my gosh… th-thank you! What's the question?"
Sasha looked around and smirked. "Be honest with me, John. Have you seen anything weird with animals in the area? Maybe even in this restaurant—"
"Well, I've noticed a lot of dogs and cats around here. Not just strays either. They all have collars and even pop up on the news a couple of days later."
Sasha quickly jotted down notes. "I see. What about insects? Mice?"
"Lots of them throughout the city. More than usual during the daytime," John replied.
Sasha was focused, her brow furrowing in concentration. "Okay, I see. My last question… is there a way I could go in—"
A loud thud echoed against the window beside her. She looked out to see a little puppy and a cat play-fighting.
"These guys are always messing around," John said, annoyance creeping into his voice. He got up and stormed outside, with Sasha quickly following. John picked up a glass beer bottle and tossed it at the two animals. The dog and cat bolted in the same direction. "You didn't have to do that," Sasha said, running after them.
******
Leo huffed in frustration. "She's not answering," he sighed.
"Well, that sucks," Echo replied, poking at the fire.
Leo gazed up at the stars, feeling a strong breeze sweep past him. "I don't know what it is, but something powerful is coming," Leo said.
Echo slowly turned his head, a hint of unease creeping in. "What are you talking about?!"
Leo raised a hand and placed it on his forehead. "Echo, I'm gonna tell you something. It's… about what's going on at home. I keep—"
"GUYS!!! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT I HAVE!!" Sasha practically screamed. Echo turned his head and checked his phone. "Waste of time," he muttered under his breath.
(What I'll need to do is check the wooded areas throughout the town. That creature… it had the same black goo that I keep seeing. Are these things… somehow connected?)
******
Leo and Echo opened the car door. In the backseat were a pit bull with black fur and a white underside, and an orange cat with darker spots and beautiful green eyes.
"Oh, hell no!" Echo yelled. "We are not taking those in—"
Moments later, Echo and Leo sat in the car, arms crossed and pouting. Sasha drove with a big smile on her face.
"So… how was it?!" Sasha chuckled. "Just look at them! They're adorable!!" she said, swerving the car to avoid the animals.
"Jesus, keep your eyes on the road!" Echo yelled. Leo scolded the animals. "They stink. You need to wash them, Sasha."
"Ooohhhh," Sasha said, giving Leo a side-eye. "What does that mean?" Echo asked.
"Well, I can't take them with me. My place doesn't allow pets. And I want them, so… Leo, could you possibly hold onto them until I find a new place?"
Echo and Leo exchanged glances. Echo leaned back in his seat, laughing uncontrollably. Leo joined in, unable to contain himself.
"She wants ME to keep them! You hear this, Echo?" Leo laughed, his face turning red. Sasha stared at Leo with a faint smile. She looked at both men, and her smile turned into laughter as they drove down the long road.
"But, no seriously."
******
Leo kicked open his door, a habit he couldn't shake. He placed the two animals on a towel and stripped off his work clothes. "Need to give you two a bath," Leo sighed, the smell from the animals nearly making him gag.
"What was your name again? I forgot what Sasha said. Oh, you're Dakota," Leo said, pointing at the pit bull. Then he turned to the orange cat. "Hmm… she said Sophia, right?" Leo started a warm bath for the two animals. He rummaged around and found some shampoo. "This is for humans, but I guess it'll have to do." Leo applied some to his hands and began massaging it into their fur.
******
Leo sat downstairs in the living room, turning on the TV. About ten minutes passed before a loud crash echoed from the kitchen. Dakota stood up, growling toward the pitch-dark room. A chill ran down Leo's spine as he heard footsteps inside. (No, no, no… not you… again,) Leo thought. Suddenly, a woman's voice came from the kitchen. He was stunned. Slowly, he turned to hear his wife's voice calling out to him. "Hurry up… before it's too late," the creature said, her tone calm yet chilling. "You're not real!" Leo shouted. "Not… real?" There was a moment of silence. Leo cautiously moved the covers from his face to look around. Suddenly, a grotesque image of a woman with her throat sliced open appeared before him. "Look what you did!! LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID!!"
Leo fell off the couch and scrambled toward the wall. "YOU DID THIS TO ME!! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!!!"
"Sh-shut up! You're not real!!!" The silence returned, broken only by Sophia and Dakota hissing and barking.
Before Leo knew it, he could see a house. He stood outside a black house. "This is…."
"YES! This is when… it all took place. Open the door, Leo," the creature said in a serious tone. "No," Leo replied, backing away slowly. "Open… the fucking door! Open! Open! Open!!"
******
Leo opened his eyes, finding himself on the couch, cuddling with Sophia and Dakota. "Open up!" a voice yelled from outside. Leo looked around, confused. "A dream?" He jumped up and peered through the peephole. He saw Bella standing on the other side, waving. Leo quickly fixed his hair and opened the door, forcing a smile. "Bella… what brings you here?" he asked, a hint of worry in his voice.
Bella pushed past him, stepping into the house. "I heard you yelling. Is everything okay? I thought someone was killing you," Bella sighed, looking up at the ceiling.
"Damn," she said. "What is it?" Leo asked, puzzled by her behavior. "Bella, it's not a good time right—"
Bella pressed her finger to Leo's lips, silencing him. "Leo," she said, staring into his eyes. "Y-yes?"
"Where the hell are the snacks?" Bella sighed.
******
The two settled down and watched movies all night. Leo remained on edge, still rattled from earlier. Bella sat beside him, playing with Sophia. Leo leaned back, lost in thought. (This reminds me of my wife… for some strange reason,) he reflected.
*****
"That's pretty sad," Bella said, tears glistening in her eyes. Leo shot her a side-eye; he had never seen Bella cry before, not even when she heard about her grandfather's passing.Leo looked up at the TV just in time to see a man release a woman's hand. She plummeted into a pit of fire.
"How are you not crying?! Isn't that sad?" Bella sniffed, her eyes glistening.
"It is. Just hard for me to cry these days," Leo replied, his voice flat.
The two finished their movie night in silence. Bella hugged Leo tightly and kissed him gently on the head. "Woah," Leo said, taken aback as she shut the door behind her. "I… was kissed on the head?" He felt strangely numb, devoid of any real emotion.
******
Leo was fast asleep in his bed when the clock struck 3 AM. Suddenly, he heard something approaching his door. He had locked Sophia and Dakota away, so what could be walking toward him? Leo quickly sat up, pressing his back against the wooden headboard. "What the hell?" he whispered, straining to listen. The sound of footsteps echoed—an unsettling mix of paws and claws. Each step vibrated the bed, suggesting whatever was lurking outside was massive.
Panic gripped him as he froze in fear. The room was pitch black, but through the darkness, he caught a glimpse of a creature sitting at the end of the hallway. It resembled a sphinx, its imposing form towering over him while somehow managing to fit into the narrow space.
"What the hell?" Leo breathed, his voice trembling with dread. The creature lowered itself to the ground, moving with a predatory grace as it stalked toward him. Its eyes glowed faintly, reflecting the little light that seeped through the cracks in the door.
"Are you the thing that haunts me?" Leo asked, his voice barely above a whisper. The creature halted, rising to its full height, wings unfurling with a soft rustle that sent chills down his spine. The wings brushed against the walls, casting eerie shadows that danced around the room.
"What… do you want?" Leo managed to ask, his heart racing.
"A fun… little date," the creature replied, its voice a haunting blend of male and female, echoing in a way that felt impossibly close yet infinitely far away.
The darkness thickened around Leo, and he felt a cold sweat break out on his brow. The sphinx's eyes bore into him, a mix of curiosity and malice. Leo's breath quickened, and he realized he was trapped in a nightmare that had only just begun.
*****
chapter: The Date 2
Coming in 5 days