[Drowning out his parents' fights, the screaming and slamming doors, had always been - well, not easy, but simpler. Loud music drowned it out in the moment; art became an escape from the memories that clung after the fact. He gained a reputation for stoicism that felt completely unearned. Felt fraudulent, no matter how much he tried to lean into it, to make it part of himself. Emotion didn't bounce off of him - he simply found ways to vent the worst of the pressure in private.
But this was too much. The dreams were still vivid - how often had his nightmares featured himself, back at the bonfire, realizing that his return to real life had simply been wishful thinking? How often had he closed his eyes just to see someone he'd come to consider a friend, impaled by black spiderlike legs ascending upward?
Two weeks after his return, a stranger had tapped his shoulder in an empty grocery store to ask him for help retrieving something from a high shelf, and for a second he'd been ready to throw his cart to the floor and run. It wasn't a healthy startle response.
Jeff splashes his face again, if only to try to mask some of the cold sweat with water, before he turns off the tap and shoves slightly trembling hands into his pocket. Doesn't speak, just swings his head to look at David, uncertain.]
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But this was too much. The dreams were still vivid - how often had his nightmares featured himself, back at the bonfire, realizing that his return to real life had simply been wishful thinking? How often had he closed his eyes just to see someone he'd come to consider a friend, impaled by black spiderlike legs ascending upward?
Two weeks after his return, a stranger had tapped his shoulder in an empty grocery store to ask him for help retrieving something from a high shelf, and for a second he'd been ready to throw his cart to the floor and run. It wasn't a healthy startle response.
Jeff splashes his face again, if only to try to mask some of the cold sweat with water, before he turns off the tap and shoves slightly trembling hands into his pocket. Doesn't speak, just swings his head to look at David, uncertain.]