Tobi awoke as darkness consumed all around him, an infinite void that held him tight.
Tobi's hand sizzled as fire carved a path through the suffocating darkness. The world around him was warped beyond reason; its every surface reflected his image. At first, the reflections mirrored him perfectly, but the farther he walked, the more they multiplied each one twisting, distorting, and unravelling into something less and less like him.
Then, he stopped.
Before him stood a reflection unlike the others, no longer his own but a sombre shadow with dead, white eyes staring coldly ahead. Chains coiled around its arms, their weight dragging against the void, and in its grasp, it held a wilted lily.
What is this?
Tobi awoke to a distorted world, his vision hazy as he took an unsteady step. It felt like a dream. Everything was blurred and surreal. A woman took his hand, her voice as sweet as caramel. She pulled him close, and warmth enveloped him. It was loving and safe, a sanctuary. He felt so small in her embrace.
How long ago was this? He wasn't sure. He couldn't remember. Had this all been a dream? The fog in his mind made it hard to tell.
Then, he awoke again.
Sunlight streamed down as he blinked, adjusting to his surroundings. This time, he found a woman nestled in his arms. But she wasn't the same woman from before; no, he was an adult now. His long, spiky black hair fell over his face, his dark skin warm beneath the covers.
"What a strange dream," he murmured.
The woman beside him stirred, pulling him back under the sheets with her. "Is something wrong?" she asked softly, her voice angelic.
Her eyes were a mix of blue and white sightless. Long, golden hair cascaded over her shoulders as she reached for his face, her touch tender. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever known. His angel. His wife. His love.
"It's nothing," he reassured her.
"Are you sure?" she asked, snuggling closer.
"Yes."
"Hmm. Okay," she murmured lazily, content to rest against him again. Peaceful. Everything was perfect.
"I want tea," she mumbled, half-asleep.
He smiled. "Alright."
Sliding out of bed, he looked around their bedroom: a king-sized bed, two dressers, and a closet filled with their things. The house was modern, warm, and lived-in. Portraits adorned the walls, memories of him with his mother and with friends. But one portrait confused him. A man he didn't recognize. Had they ever met? He couldn't recall, but he dismissed the thought and continued downstairs.
In the kitchen, he set the kettle to boil, preparing two mugs. One white tea bag for her, one black tea bag for himself. He added honey, stirring as steam curled into the air.
Footsteps approached. Arms wrapped around him from behind, and she buried her face in his back. "Did you make white tea for me?" she asked.
"I did. Don't worry."
She nuzzled into the crook of his shoulder. "What should we do today?"
"Whatever you want," he said, content.
"Can we just take the day off?"
"Of course." He handed her the tea. "Here."
"Thanks," she said, taking a sip. She frowned. "It's bitter."
He blinked, realizing he had given her the wrong mug. Swapping them quickly, he smiled. "There. That should be better."
She took another sip and hummed in satisfaction. "Mmm. Much better."
He chuckled, lifting his own mug only to freeze. Staring back at him from the reflection in the tea were two cold, white eyes. A shiver ran down his spine. The mug slipped from his grasp, shattering in the sink. Hot liquid splattered, the sound making his wife yelp softly.
"D-Did something happen?" she asked, startled.
Tobi shook his head, forcing a calm smile. "Nothing. I just dropped my mug."
"Are you hurt?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.
"No. Don't worry."
She nodded, setting her tea down before wrapping her arms around him in a hug. "It's ok, I'm here."
"Thank you." He chuckled as he returned the embrace, though unease settled in his chest. Something felt wrong. Deeply wrong.
But he didn't want to name it.
Tobi stood in silence.
"Is something wrong, Tobi?"
"No, nothing..."
Her name... I don't remember. Why can't I?
"Is something wrong?" she repeated, worried.
"No, nothing. Just feeling weird," he admitted.
"Then we can spend the rest of the day cuddling and watching TV," she offered.
He nodded. "That would be nice... though you can't watch it, can you?"
"That's fine. I like just being with you," she said sincerely.
They moved to the living room, where a long black couch faced a TV, a mat placed in the centre of the room. As they sat down, she plopped beside him, and they reclined the couch back. Tobi grabbed the remote and turned on the tv to whatever was playing in this moment; it was a horror movie. As the eerie sounds filled the room, she flinched at the jumpscares, instinctively clinging to him. It was cute and endearing, even.
"Do you want me to change the movie?" he offered.
She shook her head. "It's fine."
It was a generic horror-action flick, nothing too remarkable. However, one of the characters looked oddly familiar. Tobi furrowed his brow. Had he seen him before? His mind flashed to the portrait on the wall, the one that had confused him. Was this actor someone he knew? He wasn't sure, and for now, he didn't care. This moment was too peaceful to be disturbed by odd thoughts.
"Do you have work tomorrow?" she asked.
"I don't think so," he replied honestly.
"Then let's go out and enjoy the day," she said happily.
"We can do that," he agreed, taking her hand.
"Do you want to bring your cane?" he asked, but she shook her head. He nodded, accepting her choice.
At the front door, he carefully lifted her down the three steps before setting her gently on the ground.
"You could have told me," she murmured happily.
"Didn't want to," he said honestly as they walked, her arm clinging to his.
He took in their surroundings. Their home stood nestled in the wilderness, a two-story cottage tucked away from the world. A lake stretched behind the house, shimmering in the daylight, and ahead of them lay a vast field of lilies. Taking her hand, he led her forward, carefully guiding her through the flowers.
"Am I too slow?" she asked softly.
"Not at all," he reassured her.
They reached the heart of the field, where the lilies swayed in the breeze, endless and beautiful. But amidst the sea of white, Tobi's eyes landed on a single wilted lily. His chest tightened as he crouched to inspect it.
"Did you find something?" she asked curiously, tilting her head toward him.
"Yeah."
"What is it?" she asked, crouching beside him.
"A lily," he said simply.
"Oh, so we're in the field, then?" she mused, smiling.
"Yep."
"They've always been my favourite flowers. That's why you chose this place, after all," she said warmly.
He nodded, lying back in the field and pulling her down beside him. She giggled as she nestled close, but even as he held her, his thoughts remained on that single wilted flower.
He had forgotten something important, hadn't he? He wasn't sure.
Or maybe… he just didn't want to remember.