dreams whisper through silence by mae 345

Chapter 345 

Ellie’s POV 

I spent the next few days mostly in bed, where Lucas brought me food that I barely touched and water that I only drank enough of to keep myself from passing out. He checked on me regularly, sometimes coming just to poke his head into the room and ask, “You alive?” 

I was alive. Physically speaking, at least. But my heart felt dead, like it had died at the same time as my mother, right there in the dirt and the grass with the sounds of my sobs echoing through the treetops. 

On the fourth day, Lucas came in without knocking. 

I was lying on my side, staring at the wall as I was wont to do as of late, when I heard the door open. Then footsteps. Then the rattle of the curtain hooks dragging across the metal rods. 

Sunlight flooded the room, bright and harsh and blinding. I groaned and pulled the blanket over my head. 

“Get up,” Lucas said. 

“Go away. 

“No.” He walked over and tugged the blanket off of me. “You’ve been in here for four days. The room smells like B.O. and the sheets need to be changed.” 

“I’ll change them,” I said. 

“No. You need to get out of this room for a while.” 

“I don’t want to.” 

“I don’t care.” He crossed his arms. “There’s a healer organization event today. I’m going, and you’re coming with me.” 

I squinted up at him. “I’m not going anywhere.” 

“Yes, you are.” 

“Please don’t make me.” 

“Ellie.” His expression softened a little as he sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at me. He put his hand on my leg through the blanket. “I know you’re grieving. I know everything feels impossible right now. But staying in this room isn’t going to help. You need to get out. Even if it’s just for a few hours.” 

I wanted to argue, but the truth was, he was right. I couldn’t stay in this room forever. And it really did smell like sweat and sleep and too many tears. 

“Fine,” I muttered. “Give me twenty minutes.” 

“Take thirty,” he said with a wry smile. “You could use a long shower.” 

With that, he left, closing the door behind him, and I forced myself to sit up. My body protested. My muscles were stiff from lying in bed for so long, and my head was pounding, but somehow, I managed to ignore it and drag myself to the bathroom to shower. 

By the time I was dressed and looking somewhat presentable in a pair of jeans and a sweater that was looser on me since the last time I’d worn it, Lucas was waiting by the front door with his keys in hand. 

172 

 

“Much better,” he said. “You look a little more like the Ellie I know and a little less like a goblin who stole her skin.” 

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t push it.” 

When we arrived at the organization headquarters, the parking lot was already full. Lucas parked near the back, and we walked inside together. The building was bustling with people. More than last time, that was for sure. 

“Dang.” I paused in the doorway, looking around. “There’s, ul… A lot more people here than I thought.” 

Lucas offered me a thin smile. “You don’t have to talk to anyone if you don’t want to. Just be here. He nodded his head toward the buffet table against the far wall. “Why don’t you get something to eat while I check us in?” 

Eating felt like the furthest thing from what I wanted to do right now, but I saw coffee, so I headed over while he signed us in at the front desk. I poured myself a cup and added a few of those little containers of creamer. I was stirring it in when a familiar voice called out, “Ellie?” 

I looked up to see Hanna approaching, holding a notebook against her chest. I forced a smile, but it felt too insincere for comfort, and it dropped quickly. 

“Hey,” I said. 

Hanna stopped in front of me. Her lips parted, and for a moment, she was quiet as if not sure what to say. Finally, she said quietly, “I heard the news. About your mother.” 

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