CHAPTER 9

[Ella's POV]

I found myself descending some very dark steps. Pitch-black darkness forced me to sharpen all my senses. Even with my werewolf sight, I couldn't distinguish much. I knew that the steps are small, sharp, perhaps made of stone, and are cold. I don't remember how I got here or where here is. It felt like I've been descending these steps forever, and that there is no past or future beyond this moment. Suddenly my foot stumbled to the end of the steps, something like a landing or a platform, and I could feel the darkness becoming denser, with it a pungent sweet and iron-like smell filled my nostrils. I knew it was blood that I was smelling. At the end of what I assume was a corridor, I saw the shining of a metal doorknob. With every step the pungent smell of blood got mixed with something else; it smelled like spearmint and honey. Although the scent was faint it oddly made me think of the professor, a strange feeling overwhelmed me, and I grasped at my chest crumbling to the floor. A ringing noise grew louder and louder. I opened my eyes rather shocked realising the source of the ringing. My alarm was telling me to wake up and get ready for another day at work. I sighed in relief, the dream felt too real, and I could still feel the pain in my chest. I frowned and decided to call Gabe just to make sure he is ok.

"Hey," I chimed as soon as he answered the phone.

"Hey. Did you sleep well?" He asked me, his voice sounded shooting, yet strangely fake at the same time.

"Yeah." I lied, biting my lower lip. He seems to be fine, however, it didn't make me feel any better. "I just wanted to say hi," I explained, and it was the truth. I just wanted to say hi, to make sure he is ok, and that the nightmare didn't in fact happen

"Do you have lectures today?"

"No, I have a workday today."

"Oh,"

"I can call you when I finish work." I offered, reading the disappointment in his last reply.

"That'll be nice!"

"Yeah, I'll have to get ready for work. Talk to you later." I said, closing the call. I knew I just talked to Gabe, yet I had an odd feeling that Gabe was not Gabe and that it was replaced by someone who just looked like him and sounded like him, but who was not him. I felt just like a Capgras syndrome patient. I shook my head trying to bring myself back to the present moment, back to reality. I recalled our coffee date and how enjoyable it was. I don't know much about the professor, yet something felt odd. That feeling was present the entire time. Maybe that's why I had the nightmare, I told myself. It must be my overactive imagination playing tricks on me.