Alexander's conversation with his mother ended in him getting pissed off.
On the other hand, Charlotte walked a long passage of darkness within her dream. This passage led her to the light. The sounds of birds chirping and cows mooing filled her ears. But what greeted her was the sight of a playground where thousands of red butterflies flutter on different kinds of flowers.
'Why am I standing in the garden? Most importantly, where are those cows and birds I've heard while walking? And what is this place?'
In the middle of this butterfly-filled garden, Charlotte felt familiar. The red butterflies were extraordinarily massive and beautiful, but it gave her the illusion that they were dangerous. 'Have I been here before?'
"Char, come here."
A soft feminine voice full of a motherly tone startled Charlotte. Then a girl not older than five happily ran, bypassing her, full of smile. 'There are people here!'
"Mom! They are beautiful!"
"Do you like Mom's present?"
"I love it, mom!"
The woman's voice was familiar to Charlotte, but she couldn't find the courage to turn around. She was standing stiffly, listening to the voice of the mother and her child. She did not know how long she stayed in her position until the voices disappeared.
'Are they just hallucinations or fragmented memories?'
-
Charlotte awakened in the heat of someone's embrace. The room was pitch black. She slowly started to panic, her heart beating so fast inside her chest, and her body began to shake. 'Why am I in a dark room?'
She couldn't stop herself from remembering the things that her ex-husband committed. 'Was everything just a dream? Did I truly die, or was what I experienced only my illusion to escape reality? How could this be? Where is Alexander? How about Louis?'
Charlotte's tears welled in her eyes.
She didn't want to make a sound.
"Wife, what's wrong?"
The lights in the room fluttered on, and Alexander's figure greeted her.
"Are you real?" was the only thing Charlotte could ask when she saw her husband. The tears blurred her eyes, and her heart felt heavy.
"I'm here. You're not dreaming." Alexander wiped Charlotte's tears and kissed her forehead. "You were having a nightmare... It was only a nightmare."
Charlotte hugged Alexander. She didn't know why Alexander could comfort her, but she felt safer with him.
"What date is today?" Charlotte whispered.
"June 20, 2026." Alexander rubbed Charlotte's back. "You've been sleeping for days, and the doctors couldn't determine why you never woke up even if all the vital signs were normal."
"I'm sorry I made you worry."
"You don't have to say sorry. Your health is more important than anything. What kind of nightmare did you have?" Alexander was curious. It was the second time Charlotte had acted this way, frightened. He knew she was afraid of loud, rough, or hoarse voices. But this time, he was awakened by her trembling body and eyes streaming with tears in the darkness.
"I feel suffocated when there are no lights."
"I'm sorry, I never knew. Let's sleep with the lights on tomorrow." Alexander mentioned. He knew his wife had changed a lot, but he never thought it would be to the extent that she would develop fears that abused people would likely have. 'Did she experience some kind of abuse when her soul left her body?'
Alexander and his wife have never slept in the same room since her soul was switched after giving birth. He usually busied himself on the company's and sometimesuis's affairs. But he was well informed that his wife liked to sleep alone and in the dark.
"I can't fall asleep again. Can you tell me a story?" Charlotte asked Alexander, even if she was unsure that the man would agree to her.
"What kind of story do you want to hear?"
"Red butterflies."
Alexander was shocked to hear that Charlotte wanted to listen to a story about red butterflies from him. Charlotte stared at Alexander's Adam's apple as it moved up and down.
Alexander cleared his throat and said, "A beautiful girl was standing in the middle of the hospital's garden. There were no flowers, no animals, but the field full of green grass refreshed her. The girl asked her mother why there were no beautiful things around her, and her mother answered that it takes time and effort to grow beautiful things."
Charlotte remembered her dream.
"The little girl was sick, and she needed to stay in the hospital to live. Her parents were doctors who tried every means to find a cure. One day, the little girl asked her mother to see a bed of flowers and butterflies. The little girl's wishes were not excessive, so her mother fulfilled her wishes."
Charlotte closed her eyes and listened to Alexander's story.
"The following day, the little saw different flowers planted around the garden. She ran everywhere and observed them like a child having a new toy. The child's mother asked if she was satisfied, but she only answered that she was thankful. So her mother decided to release a thousand red butterflies."
Charlotte could suddenly envision the face of the little girl who bypassed her.
"The child was delighted. She greeted the butterflies around her like new friends. But it did not last long. The child..." Alexander stopped talking.
Charlotte did not open her eyes, but she asked, "What happened next? Why did you stop?"
"What happened next..." Alexander found it hard to continue.
Charlotte opened her eyes. "Tell me." She could see the uneasiness in Alexander's eyes.
Alexander met her gaze. "The child vomited blood. Her mother was so anxious and wanted to save her child, but she also knew it was too late. The child could only live that same day."
Charlotte closed her eyes again. This time, she tried to recall what she heard while standing in the same garden with the mother and child.
Alexander continued, "The mother laid her daughter on the bed of flowers. The child smiled at her mother. Then the red butterflies engulfed the child."
"Mommy, thank you! Thank you for making me happy!"
"You're welcome, baby."
"Mommy, I love the flowers and the red butterflies."
"They love you too, baby."
"I love you, mommy!"
"I love you too, baby! Baby? Baby? Baby, wake up!"
The mother's wailing echoed where Charlotte was standing. All the butterflies flew toward the little girl sleeping on the bed of flowers. Doctors appeared in the area and dragged the woman mourning for her child.
Then, the red butterflies sucked the blood of the child.