>Venzrich
"Finally done." I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding and stretched my neck until it loosened. I pressed the power button on my tablet, watched the screen fade to black, then placed it on the glass table with a soft thud.
Today was a ss. So much happened that I had to skip work entirely. It’s inconvenient and always throws off schedule.
Even right now, I can still feel the tension in my chest. I hate when this happens.
I ran my hands through my face, my body sinking into the cushion, eyes fixed at the ceiling.
Then I turned my head, my eyes drifted toward the couch where my wife had fallen asleep sitting up, her head leaning to the side, her hair falling forward in soft waves. She held her son close, her arms wrapped around him even in her sleep.
She looks like if peace personified.
’As long as you keep getting what you want, you won’t have to feel that pain again.’
It’s that voices again. I sat sideways, my head resting on my arms, carefully observing her. The sight made sothing inside ease—just a little.
She looked peaceful when she’s sleeping. She doesn’t carry the usual look on her face that made her look utterly broken. The eyes that often look completely dead but still manages to smile.
She kept reminding of that person when she looked like that. I can’t help but want to keep her by my side, so no one could make her feel like that again.
She shifted slightly, hugging herself closer as she turned in her sleep. I couldn’t help but smile, feeling an involuntary warmth spread across my chest. Slowly, I stood and padded to the bedroom, grabbed a blanket, and returned. Moving deliberately, I draped it over her shoulders. She stirred slightly at the warmth, murmuring, but didn’t wake.
I stayed there, watching her, letting my eyes linger on her serene face a little longer. Without thinking, my hand reached out and brushed a stray strand of hair from her cheek.
Monts like this remind why I hold her so close. Her presence alone could calm the raging feeling inside .
Being near her keeps steady.
I don’t understand why but I didn’t really need reason.
I just sat next to her watching her breath.
I’ve always had this condition—this fixation on things that look abandoned, forgotten, or broken. I was like this even as a child. If I saw sothing left behind, sothing that felt unwanted, I needed to take it. It didn’t matter if soone else already claid ownership. If it caught my interest, I had to bring it into my hands, or the pressure in my chest would grow until it hurt.
That heaviness... that sinking feeling... it cos from that night. The night everything fell apart. The mory still clings to like cold water no matter how many tis I tried to forget about it.
So yes, I cling to very things that keep alive. Especially people who carry that sa abandoned look in their eyes.
My gaze fell to Serena when I felt her in my ankle. She purred and rubbed herself against my feet before leaping into my lap, curling into a tight little ball. Her warmth radiated through . Even Selene—Serena’s mother—had been forced into my hands when her previous owner abandoned her.
I can still clearly rember my little hands clutching the weak creature in my dirty hand, barely breathing, it was cold and the rain won’t stop. But I kept waiting for her owner to co back, to no avail.
I gently ran my hand on her fur, her breath vibrating against my palm, her body emitting warmth.
I took Serena because I couldn’t bear the idea of losing sothing precious again. She was a living mory of Selene, fragile and small, a tether to what I had treasured and lost.
’The only way to stop the pain is to be powerful and rciful enough that no one can say a word if you took away their things.’
She doesn’t need to know that I only treat her well not because I’m generous or kind—but because she calms that voices inside . Because keeping her safe, keeping her close, silences the fear I’ve carried since that night.
I know as long as I had the power, she can never leave my side. I just had to make sure she had no one to turn to but .
That’s what I thought.
So when I ca ho earlier and she wasn’t here, sothing inside froze. My body went cold at the sight of an empty house, my chest tightened until I felt like I couldn’t breathe. For a brief, terrifying mont, I was dragged back into that night—the panic, the helplessness, the choking fear—almost swallowing whole.
As long as she’s within my reach, I don’t have to feel that sinking feeling again.
I glanced at her as she stirred, blinking sleep from her eyes and rubbing them with small, fumbling motions, trying to shake off the haze. Just as she shifted, her body half-limp and half-alert, she suddenly jolted upright, startling both her and the kid in her arms.
The movent sent Serena leaping out of my lap, and quickly settled on the other side the couch instead.
"I’m sorry, Sweetheart." she quickly apologized to the kid with a gentle whisper. Patting him back to sleep. Then, she reached out to her phone, turning it on until it flashed the lock screen.
"Oh my god! It’s already this late?! I haven’t made dinner yet!" she exclaid, her voice a mix of panic and self-reproach. She looked at , guilt written across her face a hint of frustration simring as she pinched the bridge of her nose.
I was about to open my mouth but I decided to close it and sigh. She always makes a big deal out of sothing small.
But then again, that’s also her charm.
I straightened and reached out a hand to steady myself, brushing the soft fur remnants from my pants. "Rest more. I’ll cook our dinner," I said firmly, rising to my feet.
But before I could move toward the kitchen, she grabbed my arms with surprising strength, her fingers pressing into my wrist. My brows furrowed, my eyes shifting to her.
"That can’t do! I will cook dinner today. You’ve done enough already." she stated, she gave the look that she won’t be taking no for an answer.
But I want her to feel indebted to .
Her eyes flicked toward the kid, who was slowly settling back into slumber, eyelids fluttering shut.
"Are you sure?" I questioned, mouthing the kid in her arms.
"Well then... can you hold him at least?" she muttered awkwardly, hesitating as if asking a favor of required a small act of diplomacy.
I chuckled in amusent, before carefully lifting the child into my arms. His tiny head rested gently against my shoulder, and I felt the subtle rise and fall of his chest, slow and even as he drifted toward sleep once more.
She rose to her feet, ruffling his soft hair with practiced tenderness before turning to , a small, grateful smile curving her lips. "Thank you," she mouthed silently, her eyes lingering on mine before walking to the kitchen, my gaze following her.
I settled back on the seat, careful not to move too much so I wouldn’t wake the kid in my arms. The little weight against my chest was comforting, but it also made even more aware of every small movent.
He stirred, making murmuring noises. My body froze unsure what to do. So, I repeated what she always does and gently pat his back. His head sinking deeper to my shoulder.
How can soone so fragile exist?
The clinking from the kitchen echoed softly in the background, stretching through the quiet room in a serene and peaceful hum.
I leaned my head back against the sofa, letting my body sink into the cushions. The kid shifted slightly in my arms, and I adjusted my hold, careful not to jostle them. My breath evened out, slowly and steadily, and before I knew it, my eyelids grew heavy. They fluttered shut, and sleep started to take .
A hand suddenly grabbed my shoulders startled as I jerked awake, out of instinct I grabbed the hand and pulled it sharply with full strength.
"Oh! I’m sorry!" a voice snapped laced with panicked. Her brows were knitted together, eyes wide with confusion and fear, she hesitated, her body freezing in place, unsure what to do next. I snapped awake.
"Uh... can you let go of my wrist? It hurts," she whimpered. I flinched and imdiately released her from my grip as we were both caught off guard with my actions.
"Next ti, wake up using my na," I warned, a sinking feeling settling at my chest.
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