Dreams Outgrow Rooms Built From Other Peoples Fears by Niro Mason 215

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ARES 

My eyes fluttered open, everything too bright, too heavy, and distant. I tried to move at first, but it took a lot of strength. However, on the third try, I succeeded, and I felt a tight hold against my hand. I responded and gripped firmer, not wanting to lose that 

warmth. 

Catherine? 

She was saying something, but I couldn’t hear her, so I focused on grounding myself, trying to hold onto my senses and not let whatever had trapped me take control. My eyes gained focus, my ears started working, and the world became known to me. 

“Oh, thank God, you’re awake!” 

My eyes locked with Agatha’s mismatched ones. 

“I’ve been so worried,” she said in tears. “You’re okay now, don’t strain yourself.” 

I snatched my hand away from her grip, trying to sit up and understand what the fuck was going on. 

“Easy, sweetheart, you shouldn’t strain yourself. You’ve been in surgery.” 

Surgery? 

“The bullet missed your heart. Doctors called it a miracle.” 

Bullet? 

My face twisted in pain, along with a sharp buzz when I recalled the gunshot and the penetration through my chest. This wasn’t my first gunshot wound, yet for some reason, the pain felt like I had taken a bomb through the heart rather than a bullet. 

The size of it was so grave that it spread throughout my chest, in a strangling sensation. I gripped the spot, my nostrils flaring as the feeling amplified. 

“I need a doctor here, now!” 

I squeezed my eyes shut when everything spun, and felt like collapsing. 

“Look at me, sweetheart. It’s okay, you’re okay.” Agatha cupped my cheeks. 

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“Catherine…” I said through clenched teeth, forcing myself to speak. “Where. Is. My. Wife?” 

Agatha’s expression twisted in a frown, and just as easily as she had caressed me, she pulled away. 

I heaved, looking around, and then descending my gaze to the IV drip. Without batting an eye, I yanked it off and whatever else was hooked to me, that annoying beeping sound ringing rapidly, and fueling my attempts to leave. 

“Ares!” 

Agatha tried to stop me, but I pushed her off me, trying to get off the bed, but a pain growl vibrated from me as I collapsed. 

The doors barge open, my vision blurring so I couldn’t tell who it was. 

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!” 

Athena. 

“GET OUT!” 

I couldn’t tell what was happening next, but I heard more footsteps before I felt a needle prickled my neck, and everything went dark. 

~4~ 

When I opened my eyes again, I was more focused, more grounded, but the dull ache still lingered, like a weight was pushing down my chest. Breathing was harder enough. 

“Hey there…” 

I shifted my gaze to Athena, sitting on her couch, legs crossed and reading a magazine. 

“Rise and shine, sleepy head. I was wondering when you were gonna wake up.” She peered at me through her lashes. “You know… I have never seen you in a hospital, I mean, like this… lying on that bed like a shrimp. I used shrimp because there is no other way to describe it. You should thank me, despite everything, I’m still being nice to you.” 

She set down the magazine. “Look at you… Alive and breathing. I didn’t think that would be possible a few days ago.” 

A few days. That long. Then I’m wasting my time here. 

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I inhaled, reaching to take off the IV drip. 

“Do that, and I swear to God I’m gonna put you under some far stronger shit. This time you will wake up in the fucking future.” 

Despite her warning, I messed with it, and she shot to her feet, came towards me at speed, and slapped me across the cheek. 

The silence was loud between us before her voice stung my chest. 

“What’s the matter with you?!” she yelled, with teary eyes. “You’re lucky to be alive, you hear me? If you wanna risk your health, do it while I’m not watching, and spare me the grief, you bighead!” 

She heaved, glaring daggers at me. “If you wanna die, the least you can do is shoot yourself and die like a normal person. This is torture.” 

“Catherine…” I forced out. “I want to see her. I need to see her before I lose my goddamn mind.” 

Athena swallowed hard before she sat down. Her silence only unnerved me to the 

bones. 

I tried to sit up, but she pushed me back, and I grunted. 

“Talk to me, Athena,” I hissed, getting impatient. 

“She’s gone, Ares.” 

Gone. 

Agatha used that same word. 

“Explain…” I gritted out. 

“What part of gone do you not understand? Did the surgery mess up your brain or something?” 

My pulse raced, and the monitor must have picked it. 

“Shit! She’s not dead, you idiot!” Athena rushed her words. 

I released a heavy breath, but I was far from calm. 

“After what happened, you were rushed to surgery. You lost so much blood, and any delay would have…” Athena couldn’t finish, but then she smiled sadly. “How ironic that Cat beat me to it. Putting a bullet through your heart. I must say she has got a good 

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aim, I’d have messed up and shot you right in the skull.” 

“Athena…” 

She sighed heavily, unable to look at me anymore. 

“Talk to me.” 

“She left Midnight.” 

I sat up despite her protest. “Where’s my phone?” 

“A–Ares.” 

“Where’s my fucking phone?!” 

“What are you gonna do, call her? Do you think she’s gonna pick up your call after everything? She’s gone… she fucking left you and me! Let that stick in.” 

I won’t. I won’t let it stick in because this is bull. 

“I have men in Rosevale. If I reach them, they will find her…” My eyes kept scanning for the device like it was my only hope. 

“She’s not in Rosevale either.” 

I paused. 

Athena gave me a look, and she didn’t need to say anything else. 

“I’m sorry…” she mumbled faintly as if that was the only word she could offer me. 

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