They sat side by side at a secluded corner table. Tyler lost count of how many cigarettes she smoked as they talked. He stared, studying her as she took drag after drag. He found something strangely attractive about the way she smoked. The calculated motion, the expressions as she inhaled, and the relief that could be seen through her whole body as she blew the smoke out had a hypnotic quality to it.
"What?" Morrigan asked, jarring him from his thoughts.
"Did I do something?" Tyler replied.
She stared ahead, unblinking. "I can practically feel you staring."
"Sorry," Tyler said. "Got lost there for a moment."
"Care to share what's on your mind?"
"You seem different," he replied. "More relaxed."
"You too," she added, turning her head to face him. "Why is that I wonder?" She tucked her legs up under her, her eyes narrowing.
Tyler shrugged, thinking quickly as he broke away from her vacant gaze, "I decided I was glad you called. A date really boosts the ego. What about you?"
"I just feel more relaxed today." She began, "Being outside of the house helps, but I woke up more relaxed. I had such a lovely dream." Tyler perked up, his eyes scanning her face for some kind of sign. "It's funny," Morrigan continued, "You were there… in the dream, I mean."
"Was I?" Tyler said.
"Stop," She replied. "Dont play dumb."
"So it really happened then."
"In a way, yes." Morrigan said. "A dream is just a dream. We just happened to share one." She scanned his face for signs of understanding, every word carefully chosen, "It was the kiss that got me." She stopped and shook her head, exhaling a lung full of smoke before continuing, "I can't help but swoon over a good kiss; in the rain, no less."
Tyler's words grew quieter with each word spoken as he leaned in, "It was raining blood. That was horrifying."
"It had a beauty to it, did it not?"
"It felt gross." Tyler replied, "I mean, in a way, sure. The kiss was worth it."
"Oh," Morrigan said, turning away "I guess that's understandable."
Tyler cocked his head, "did I upset you?"
"It's a little more complicated than that." she began. "I'm not offended. It's easy to forget how others are."
"Well I'm sorry, regardless," he said. "How did we share a dream? Are you saying it was your doing?"
"Yes," she nodded, "Again, the specifics are complicated. It is just something I know how to do."
"How is that even possible?"
"It isn't," she began. Morrigan snuffed out the cigarette in a nearby ashtray. "Not in your world, at least." She set her drink on the table, reached out for his hand, and took it. "If the universe is a painting, you only see a small section of it. It's impossible in your mind because that's what you know. These things don't happen, therefore they can't happen."
"So, you see the complete picture?"
"Hardly," she scoffed. "No one does, but mine is more complete than yours. Neither is wrong, but by saying something is impossible, you make an assumption without data. I mean really, how would science handle intentionally shared dreams?"
"That's a good question." Tyler replied, the grip on his beer tightening.
"There is no frame of reference, no way to base a study." Morrigan concluded.
"Can't solve the problem without the equation," Tyler nodded as he loosened his grip.
"Exactly." She jumped in her chair. "There are so many secrets I could reveal, such things I could show you, and things I'd love to show you."
"Why can't you?"
"Because you don't want to be shown. You don't want secrets. You want answers." Morrigan frowned. "You have to accept that some questions don't have answers and others have answers you simply don't want."
"How do I do that?" Tyler asked.
"You're actually doing surprisingly well," She giggled, "but you're not quite there yet. Baby steps."
"I'm losing sleep over this."
"You're on a dark road. Some people don't make it because of how fast they walk. We are talking about breaking down years, upon years of conditioning." Morrigan seemed overwhelmed by the realization. "Plus, taking it slow leaves more time to get to know one another.” She tilted her head and grinned. “We can play while we work, can we not?"
Tyler nodded, and looked away. He scanned the bar, pondering her words and shaking his head, “May I ask a question that should be easy to answer?"
Morrigan nodded, "Sure."
"Why do you seem so eager?"
Morrigan blinked as she struggled to find an answer. "It's my first time, for one. That's often exciting. It's also an unwritten rule. The world will become stranger and more beautiful for you," she paused, took a drink and retrieved a cigarette while she continued, "but it's not always so. Some things are terrifying. Some are dangerous. As a rule, we don't throw newcomers to the wolves. Just knowing I exist is enough to attract the wrong kind of attention."
"So it's more about principle." Tyler said.
"In a way," she laughed, "though I'm not sure why you sound upset about that."
"Well," Tyler began, choosing his words carefully, "If I'm being honest, it makes dating look more like a means to an end."
"Oh," she said, covering her mouth, "No. I asked you out cause you intrigue me. You're cute, and just so happen to need the guidance. You knowing me is a formality, us dating is out of desire."
"I intrigue you?"
"I'll stop," she groaned, "I was really trying not to upset you today, I promise."
"I'm not upset," Tyler laughed. "I'm just curious."
"We have that in common, we are both driven by curiosity," Morrigan replied.
"It helps that you're easy to look at as well."
"Watch yourself," she warned with a raised brow. "Again, flattery won't get you far with me."
Tyler didn't believe her, given the grin that continued to grow as she spoke, "If you say so."
"I did." She said. "So restrain your wandering eyes."
"Yes, ma'am."
She shook her head, brushed her hair out of her face, and Tyler noticed several tiny red dots on her arm. He started to speak, but stopped, remembering the bruises. He noticed something else obscured by the sleeve of her dress.
"You have tattoos," He asked.
"What? Oh, yes." She lifted her sleeve, revealing a fraction of the whole. He saw trails of lines in various hues of red, disappearing under the dress as they moved up her arm and to her shoulder.
The ornate lines spiraled and twisted along, the scribbles lacing together, overlapping and threading through shapes formed by their infinite thread. Somehow, he followed the words, if they were words at all, but he failed to understand them.
"What about them," Morrigan asked.
"Well," he replied, "what do they say?"
She opened her mouth, and her eyes glossed over. She glanced down twiddling her thumbs as if ashamed of her answer.
Her words came in a shuddering whisper, "I honestly have no idea."
He wanted to know more, but as he watched, he decided against it. He saw a faint hint of sadness. "I'm sorry," he said.
"For what?" she replied. "I love them. I just wish I knew what they actually said."
"Didnt you choose them? Did you not ask the artist?"
"Oh, they didn't know either," she laughed, "No one knows what it says."
"Is ignorence just a way of life for you?" Tyler asked, trying to not sound as frustrated as he was.
She nodded. "Ignorance is bliss. That's enough about that."
Tyler hated this part of dating, and so did Morrigan. The conversation felt lifeless, routine, and failed to really say anything about who they were. One would ask a question, the other would answer, and the cycle would continue until someone failed to think of a question to ask. They learned of favorite colors, personal tastes, ambitions, and other information they would likely have to ask about a million times before remembering.
He drove slower than normal on the way to Morrigan's apartment, decelerating only to speed up when he noticed. He dreaded going home. He felt as if the night ended too soon.
In his contemplation, he realized he nearly forgot about wanting answers entirely. He wanted to try and probe for a revelation before saying goodbye, but kept silent in fear of ruining the moment, and not just for himself.
Morrigan smiled every time he accelerated, eventually speaking up. "In case you were wondering," she began, "this went quite well." She was careful with her words, shifting in her seat as if uncomfortable with the fact.
"Don't sound so thrilled," he replied. "What were you expecting."
"Honestly? I expected any romantic engagement to be little more than a casual fling. I half expected you to forget, again." She turned her body to face him, and only then did Tyler realize she hadn't put her seat belt on,
"After last night, I doubt it will."
"Don't be so sure. It can happen. The dream jostled you, or maybe it was the notebook you mentioned, but you're still half asleep."
"How can you tell?"
"Candlelight can be felt, like walking into sunlight but the source isn't really there. You're just not bright enough."
"That's Fair," he replied, "I hope I remember."
"Me too, in fact, today is the only time you seemed to really enjoy my presence."
"Guess I'm a sucker for a good kiss too," he joked, parking outside of the apartment building.
The car stopped, and she cocked her head. After several moments, she laughed, "Oh, I see."
He exited the car, walking around to open her door, but before he could, she did so herself.
"I know what you're after" she said. When he approached, she playfully backed away, "Just for that, I won't be giving you one."
"What?" he said, "I thought that was pretty smooth."
"Oh, it was charming, to be sure," Morrigan said, "but not today, good sir."
"All right. That's fine." He said, closing her door for her.
"You're just going to let it slide?"
"Not owed a reason for that. I guess I'll just wait. I'll get that kiss eventually."
"In your dreams."
"One way or another," he laughed. He turned away to wander back to the driver's side of the car. He heard her walking around the other side to meet him.
"Now was that so hard? " she said as she leaned in. He couldn't reply, their lips colliding before he registered the words. It didn't last long, but it was enough.
"I'll talk to you tomorrow," she said.
He nodded, and she pulled away, walking up the steps and through the front door. Tyler didn't drive away until the door closed. His mind felt numb, melted in his skull. Every thought would rise and fall. Each a fragment like sediment in ocean waves.
When he got home, he parked, opened the car door, and stood there, smiling for a time. His joy faded, his eyes pulled away. It was instinct, a reaction to the sudden presence of danger. His eyes fell on the strange man with fake skin, still standing in the alley. The man stared at Tyler, a hunger in his eyes. Tyler narrowed his eyes, slowly walked to his front door, and found the door, locked.
He turned back, saw Anthony's car, and fumbled the house key from his pocket. When he entered, Charles and Anthony looked startled.
"You locked the door?" Tyler asked. "I was worried about what I'd be walking into."
Charles gave a weak laugh as Anthony spoke, "There's a bed for that. Did you see him?"
"Who?" Tyler asked.
"That weird guy across the street." Anthony replied.
"Oh, yeah. Why?"
Charles spoke up, "He tried to open the door earlier. I got to see him up close. He looks ten times worse."
Tyler peeked through the mini blind in the entry window, the man was gone. "Guess he left." Tyler said.
"Who?" Charles said, "Oh, how'd it go with miss red?"
Ooh. The "second part of chapter 7!" The opening of this chapter works, unlike the ending of the previous chapter. I see why you chose this as your breaking point, but my note on the previous chapter still stands. You probably need to edit it a bit. Beyond that, holy cow. There's not much I can say. I love you character work here and your incredible level of writing is something I aspire to. While there are just a few problems within your distribution of chapters, as you so happen to note in your little author's note at the bottom, the writing itself is incredible and has such fine details. It's frankly incredible. Amazing work.
Woahhhh, man that's high praise. Thanks so much. I have articles in my tabs. I'll be spotting you back tonight. Thanks for the kind words man. I'm glad it works so well.