Florian has always had the same dream since he was a young boy. It's never changed, and he can never tell when he will have it. It's sickly spontaneous like that. So even after going through a very normal and uneventful day, he realizes he is having the very same dream he absolutely hates.
As the dream begins to take hold of his subconscious he tries to let his body relax as much as possible, because once it's started he can't stop the dream from continuing. Though, as much as he tries to feign calmness he can't help the way fear begins to grip his heart. He knows what's going to happen, he can't change it, and he knows the feelings he's ultimately going to be left with in the morning.
At first, Florian is surrounded by a deep darkness. A void of emptiness. The sound of multiple people shouting over one another slowly becomes noticeable. There are pleading sobs and screams of terror amidst loud crashing noises. It sounds distant and distorted, like Florian is in another room while an awful argument is happening under the same roof. As always, he notices he can't see and can't move. All he can do is sit and listen to the sound of the home being destroyed.
Florian wanted to curl up and cover his ears as the sound grew overwhelmingly loud. He could feel his body trembling even in his dream, and knew this was when he would helplessly call out in fear. Florian knew he shouldn't, he really didn't want to, he knew what would come next. Alas, against his will Florian is forced to open his mouth and cry out for help, his wailing akin to a terrified baby in distress…..
After his call a sudden eerie quietness takes over and Florian deeply regrets calling out. His body is tense even as he shakes in anticipation for the upcoming onslaught. For a few seconds he can only hear his pounding heartbeat and short raspy breaths before the quiet lull ends as quickly as it came.
A woman's gut-wrenching cry cuts through the quiet, followed by the sounds of struggling and screams of rebuttal.
"No! No! Winifred, don't!" The only intelligible words that Florian was able to understand have always been this, someone's desperate begging to stop.
Florian's panic is at it's height as thunderous footsteps begin to head in his direction. In his mind it always seemed as if the entire house shook with each step, his world shaking as he helplessly begins to wail again. The steps are fast-paced, booming towards him with menacing determination, and he doesn't have time to prepare himself anymore before a gust of freezing cold wind hits him like a brick wall, causing what little breaths he was taking in to stutter even more.
Waves of feelings that aren't his own crash into Florian and he shivers from the freezing air combined with his utter fear. A loneliness so sharp it ached deep into his soul. Longing that felt misplaced, like reaching for something that had never been his. Jealousy, bitter, corrosive, and sick. Regret so deep it made his chest feel hollow and empty.
He's frozen in place, he doesn't know what to do, doesn't know how to save himself. Florian is forced to accept that this ice cold unknown will consume him.
It slowly creeps into his bones as a dark shadow consumes his blurred vision. He's always tried to escape or at least turn away, but it was no use. He was forced to face this overwhelming darkness. Every time this dream consumed his consciousness he was convinced that this was it, that the darkness would finally take what it always threatened to.
And then, softly and suddenly… Warmth.
As soon as the cold had hit him, it's gone. His senses are overwhelmed with a blinding white light and the smell of honeyed chamomile. Warmth envelops him from head to toe, fighting away the ache of ice in his bones. Florian's entire being fills with relief, taking it in with heaving breaths to steady himself.
This new figure holds him close to their body, and it somehow always feels… familiar. He tries with hands that can't feel, to clench tightly onto this person knowing he is safe with them.
With his senses relaxed, he doesn't fight the natural progression of the dream anymore. Florian whines softly, the sound akin to an infant's coo. He is shushed gently by the glowing figure in front of him, feels a warm hand brushing his hair away from his face. He is sure this figure is his saviour, his angel in some way.
The thunderous sounds of what seems to be an intense fight is still heard in the background, but Florian is only focused on the soothing whispers of his saviour. Florian has tried with all his might to listen, to hear any familiar words, but his saviour's quiet words are always unintelligible. He finds that he doesn't mind, because with every word spoken Florian is filled with more and more warmth and comfort.
When his saviour is done speaking, Florian is so full of overwhelming warmth that he can't help but describe it as unyielding love. He tries with everything in him to hold on to this feeling before what he knows is coming next.
An ear-piercing, enraged shriek breaks Florian out of his comfortable cocoon. He doesn't understand anything except the fact that the dark figure has escaped the barrier of people and was quickly approaching.
His last moment's with the loving angel was a simple kiss to his forehead before he was pushed into someone else's arms as she was unceremoniously ripped away. His wailing cries were heard again, a testament to how much he doesn't want to be separated from his saviour.
While in the strangers arms, Florian was faced with the ice cold darkness he had experienced before, though warmth was still lingering where a healing kiss had been placed.
With a deafening boom, bright blue lightning suddenly strikes, jagged and spontaneous. It hits right where his saviour was standing, the sparks of electricity seeming to light up her body from the inside before she collapses. The scream of her agony dies along with the lingering rumbles of thunder. In the short silence Florian is left stunned, still, and hollow.
After a beat, an awful combination of dark laughter and weeping cries follows.
Florian feels like weeping too.
He numbly follows the flow of his dream, clinging onto the stranger as they either escape or fight. He doesn't know, nor does he care and listens with closed eyes to the loud arguing and pleading protests.
It all slowly begins to fizzle out as Florian starts to wake from his dream. He is alone again, achingly alone and numb. Though… instead of him jolting awake as usual, he is left in an oddly quiet setting.
Normally when Florian wakes up he is left feeling like a piece of him is missing until morning. But for some reason, he is held up by something.
He notices he can see clearly. Although, there's no sign of anything around him in this darkness. He finds it strange to be able to see but also not see. Was he still even in his dream anymore?
He didn't care, all Florian knows is that he was not as cold as he used to be and the dark void was not so deep anymore. He notices that he can even move freely.
Sensing that it was not yet time to wake up from this dream, he takes his first step and slowly ventures further. Nervous but curious, a small smile finds its way on his face. He can't help but be a little excited to finally be in control for once.