Haunting of Past and Present.

William in the bed tosses and turns as he is trapped in the clutches of a nightmare. The sheets are twisted and tangled around their body, a testament to their struggle against the imagined horrors that haunt their sleep. The room is shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by the dim glow of a nightlight that casts eerie shadows on the walls.

The only sound that can be heard is the person's erratic breathing, punctuated by the occasional whimper or gasp as he reacts to the imagined terrors of his dream.

The air is heavy with the musty scent of the old mattress and the faint aroma of lavender from a nearby diffuser, a futile attempt to calm their frayed nerves. Despite the room's peaceful decor, Williams's distress is palpable as he battles against the demons of his subconscious, longing for the release of morning light and the safety of waking life.

As William relives the nightmare of his past, he is transported back to the harrowing experience of being beaten and thrown out of his own home by his parents. From his perspective, the torture he received was relentless and inhumane.

He remembers the physical pain of the blows and the emotional anguish of being rejected and abandoned by the people who were supposed to love him the most. The fear, confusion, and sense of betrayal he felt as a child are still as vivid and haunting as they were on that fateful day.

For William, the memories of that traumatic event continue to inflict lasting scars, both visible and invisible, that have shaped his life ever since.

Philip woke up abruptly, startled by the muffled cries from his fiancé, William. As he looked over, he saw the sweat glistening on William's forehead, his body thrashing about in the bed. It was clear that he was having a nightmare, and Philip knew that he needed to intervene.

Gently, Philip placed a hand on William's shoulder, trying to rouse him from his nightmare. "William, wake up," he whispered, hoping his voice would break through the haze of his partner's dream.

Slowly, William's eyes opened, and he stared up at Philip, breathing heavily. It took a moment for him to realize where he was and that he was safe in his bed. Tears began to stream down his face, and he clung to Philip, his body shaking with sobs.

"Don't leave me," William cried, his voice barely audible through his tears.

Philip wrapped his arms around William, holding him tightly. He knew that his partner had been struggling with anxiety and depression, and he had seen the toll that it had taken on him. He knew that he needed to be there for William, to provide him with the love and support he needed to get through this difficult time.

"I'm not going anywhere," Philip whispered, holding William close. "I'm here for you, and I always will be."

They sat there for hours, with Philip holding William and whispering soothing words into his ear. Slowly but surely, William's sobs began to subside, and he was able to relax into Philip's embrace. Eventually, he drifted off to sleep, safe in the knowledge that Philip would always be there to protect him.

The next morning Philip woke up early and checked to see if William was alright. He sighed in relief after checking up on him and went to shower, the drops of water hitting his head as he thought, 'what was the nightmare about? He never had a nightmare as long as I was with him.'

But the question will always linger as to why William was having a nightmare. He was somewhat defeated that he couldn't do more for his beloved to soothe his suffering.

Philip changed his clothes and got ready for the office; before leaving, he checked on William again, ensuring he was alright, and kissed his forehead. He didn't want to leave him alone, but his position didn't allow him to be late.

WILLIAMS POV

I woke up to find that Philip had already left for the office. I got up, took a shower, and put on some new clothes. Philip's tendency to tear my clothes was extreme, and he didn't even wait to give me a few seconds to change.

Every day, new clothes raise questions, whether it be security personnel or a loved one. I had nightmares last night about my parents. I don't know what happened after that.

I always liked cute things, and being engaged gave me more options to dress up pretty. The look on Philip's face when he sees me wearing something cute always satisfies me. Whether I wore a cute top or a cute skirt, maybe he likes them because they are easy to remove.

I sat down on the couch and then ate some breakfast. I exchanged messages with my friends to see how they were doing. I also need to go and see how's Elly doing. She still hasn't regained consciousness. Turn out her boyfriend was already a convicted felon and had served three years of jail time.

My phone rang, and it was Philip who was calling me. I quickly answered the call, "Hello, baby."

"Hi, sweetie," said Philip, "How are you? Are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," confused I asked, "what happened? Why are you asking?"

He was silent for a second, then replied, "you had a pretty bad nightmare, so I thought I ask how are you doing?"

"Yes, I'm fine; listen, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later. Bye." Avoiding this, I quickly hung up the phone. My uncle told me to tell Philip about my parents before the wedding and that It'll be a good step forward when everything is black and white.

I decided to tell him about my parents tonight when he came home. My house was crowded with guests, so I'm living with Philip now, but I'll move out one day before the wedding. I like traditions like these when a groom can't see the bride before the wedding day.

...

In the dimly lit warehouse, a woman and a man stood huddled together, their eyes darting around the room as they plotted their next move. They had been planning this heist for weeks and thought they had covered all their bases. But now, it seemed that someone had caught wind of their plan.

"What's the next course of action?" The woman asked.

"We'll have to wait. The higher-ups are waiting for the right moment." He replied.

"Screw the higher-ups. We can do this on our own." She said angrily.

"You don't understand the police are looking for the car following him." The man said in a calm voice.

"Yeah, he called the chief of police in his office to meet him." The woman scoffs and continues, "I didn't know he would have this many connections."

"Lion isn't even dead, and the cub is starting to mature." The man said while crossing his arms.

"We can't rest until we rid these abominations from the earth. They belong to the devil." Said the woman.

"Yes, and I think we need to change the target to someone dear to him."

"To whom."

"We'll just have to figure it out."

...

PHILIPS POV

Concerning news about my brother came from the Dean's office. The Dean is a nice man and acknowledges the help my family has always provided them, but if the news or media get wind of this, they will surely make a big deal out of it. I'll call him home and then talk to him. It will be the best course of action because he'll get busy with the wedding and will be in a comfortable environment so I can talk to him.

I rang my brother up, and he answered, "Hello, brother, why are you calling?"

"I need you at home for the wedding."

"But the wedding still has some days left."

"I know you can help your sister with some chores."

"I can't. I have a lot of assignments to catch up on, and the university schedule has been too hectic for me."

He is lying through his teeth.

"Yes, I know about your assignment and your schedule. I have already talked to the Dean, who graciously granted you leave."

"You can not do that. If people find out about it, they'll make a scandal."

"No one will make a fucking scandal half of the students get the admission not because of the merit but because of how big their pockets are. I don't want to hear one more word out of your mouth. We'll talk about your so-called university assignment when you get home. I expect you'll pack and come when I hang up within an hour."

I hung up the call. Maybe I was a bit harsh, but with everything going on, his drinking habits are just the cherry on top of the cake. There's someone or some people behind these problems. Thanks to Henry I fixed the appointment with his brother-in-law regarding the security personnel and it'll be beneficial to have more people in the security, especially with the wedding day approaching fast.

To be continued...