sanctuary || d. wayne

ONE

She was in the storage unit again, the bright light in her face. Only this time, she wasn't tied to the table. She was simply sitting on it, the bright light shining in her face. She wraps her arms around herself in an attempt to keep warm, yet she still manages to shiver.

What am I doing here? Noelle questions herself before looking around the empty unit.

"What do you mean?" The feminine voice questions, making Noelle jump in surprise. Jade stands beside the table, head tilted in curiosity. "You brought yourself here."

"Wha—what are you talking about?" Noelle stutters as she shivers. Jade, who doesn't seem affected by the cold at all, rolls her eyes.

"Apparently your subconscious wants you to revisit this moment again," Jade notes before walking around. She inspects the room. "I don't know why considering you were here so many times during your little fear coma."

"What do you m-mean?" She tightens her hold around herself.

Jade gives an annoyed look. "You're dreaming, dummy." She tightens her ponytail with a tug. "Why don't you get it yet? You've been dreaming of this place since you got home."

"N-Nightmares," Noelle corrects before looking Jade in the eye. "T-Those are nightmares."

"And so is this." Jade gestures to the room, making Noelle frown. Did it get smaller? "It just hasn't started yet."

"You s-sure about that?" Noelle's eyes narrow. "You're h-here."

Jade smiles. "I'm your subconscious. Why you decided to use the root of this trauma as a representation of your subconscious is beyond me. I'm surprised you didn't chose a more comforting face, like Silas or your family or, I don't know, Damian?"

"G-G-Get out," Noelle spats out. The temperature was dropping somehow. Noelle looks at the storage unit again, it feeling even smaller.

Jade scoffs. "You're pathetic." She gestures to the scene. "I mean, you're not even gonna try to control this? Change me into someone better? Why is that?" Her eyes widen in realization and a smirk forms. "Is it because you don't want anyone knowing what you did on your 'vacation' over the summer? I mean, I'm not one to judge since I'm, well, you but still—"

"Shut up!" Noelle snaps, angry with her 'subconscious'.

Jade tilts her head. "I guess we're gonna visit that nightmare of a mess again." Her smirk forms again. "Good enough for me."

BEANZ CAFE
OCTOBER 29th
14:37 p.m.

In a sense, Noelle felt free.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Noelle was out of the apartment. Her family decided to keep her in the apartment for at least a week, keeping her from school and such to let her recover. Noelle was ready to go back to school Monday, the 24th, but her parents decided to wait until after Halloween.

Despite this newly regained freedom, the nightmare still managed to plague her thoughts. It's been nearly two years, shouldn't that be enough time to forget? 
No, of course not. No one could forget an experience like that. God, of course they managed to haunt her after this long. Maybe it was the fear toxin—Noelle shakes her head, erasing those thoughts from her head.

She blinks as the person in front of her steps ahead. It didn't take long to make it to her favorite, and closest, cafe. It almost felt normal again. And to celebrate the occasion, she allowed herself to dress normally. Her hair is in two buns with a few free strands to frame her face.