Elliot's POV

I'm used to hearing voices.

A little bit of background on me: I'm fucking schizophrenic. Voices in my head, hallucinations, the whole nine yards. Been a thing since…I don't even remember how long.

Pretty sure I got it from mom. She was always screaming at “demons” and shit and going on about words from either “Jesus” or, again, “demons.” Can't say I feel much sympathy for her, though, considering how many beatings I got before I was even ten years old.

And, of course, there was her husband…

…Anyways. Where was I?

Voices, right. Like I said, I'm used to them. And I'm used to them getting loud.

So the day I stopped hearing them set off alarm bells pretty quickly.

Luckily, Dad actually let me sleep in since it was the day after my graduation—which, by the way, he couldn't be bothered to show up to—and I hadn't been scheduled at work for that very reason. So he was already gone to his store, and I was sitting at the kitchen table over an untouched bowl of cereal when I realized just how quiet everything was. 

“Hello~?” Sometimes, I'll have conversations with the voices, just for shits and giggles. I genuinely have nothing better to do at times. “Anybody gunna degrade me today~?”

No reply.

Odd.

I shrugged it off as just a rare moment of quiet—until it had been five hours and I was still alone with my thoughts.

Hell, I hadn't even seen mirages of him crawling around, up my body, trying to get to—

Ahem.

Sorry.

I hadn't been hallucinating, either. 

As odd as it sounds, I was starting to get freaked out.

I mean, that shit is normal for me. If you suddenly started hearing voices, you'd be concerned, right? Mine was just the opposite.

Although, I did notice something; you know how when your ears ring, there's this odd feeling you get? Like, not quite dizziness, but kinda…everything's off for a second.

I'd been feeling like that all day, but my ears weren't ringing.

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I was attempting to work on a song when dad came home; I hurriedly put away my computer and came out of my room to greet him.

“Hi Dad!” I pitched up my voice and attempted to look happy to see him.

“Thought you'd be in bed already.” He grunted at me.

It was only 8p.m. 

He owns his own business—and likes to brag about it—so the times he gets home varies. So sometimes I am in bed, but other times…

“You know, since you're so lazy. Did you even eat today?”

…He just wants to degrade me.

“I did!” I smiled at him nonetheless.

“Good. At least you're not too depressed for that.”

He then brushed past me and into his room, quipping something about me being up for church in the morning; he didn't notice I cleaned the mess of dirty plates and old coffee mugs he left earlier, either.

My ears began to ring as I stepped into my room and quietly closed my door.

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10:13 p.m.

RinRinRin: Eliiii-moooooon

Tigerxx1 (me): sunsunsuuuuuuun

RinRinRin: You're awake!

Tigerxx1 (me): as always lmao

Tigerxx1 (me): what's up? you guys weren't on today

RinRinRin: Sorry! Our families had a cookout today 😅

Tigerxx1 (me): funfun

RinRinRin: Eheh…not really

Tigerxx1 (me): sorry

Tigerxx1: if i were there i would've broken the grill lmao

RinRinRin: Alex set one on fire on accident!

Tigerxx1 (me): PFFFFT

RinRinRin: Mr Henderson screamed like a little girl! 😂

Tigerxx1 (me): wish i coulda seen that

RinRinRin: Eheheh

RinRinRin: How was your day?

Tigerxx1 (me): a little odd, but overall boring compared to yours lmao

RinRinRin: Odd?

RinRinRin: Was your dad nice to you?

Tigerxx1 (me): nah, not today

Tigerxx1 (me): just stuff in my head is all.

RinRinRin: …I'm sorry Eli. I hope you feel better soon.

Tigerxx1 (me): thank you

RinRinRin: Remember you're my moon!

Tigerxx1 (me): and you're my sun.

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I jolted up in a cold sweat, a scream escaping my lips before I even realized I was the one screaming.

After calming down enough to process where I was, I realized I was in a dark room that looked…hella fancy, actually. There was a large vanity in the corner, tapestries on the walls, and my bed was actually big enough to fit my tall ass frame.

The door suddenly slammed open; that guy from my dream before came running in, clearly in pajamas, swinging around what looked like one of my grandma's old candlesticks. He was then flanked by a couple of knights in full body armor. 

“I'LL SAVE YOU, ‘IZA—” He screamed, only to stop and stare at me for a moment.

“...No assassins?”

I shook my head.

After a minute, he turned around and shooed the knights out of the room; he then proceeded to climb into the bed beside me.

“Wanna talk about it?” He asked, wrapping his arms around me.

I was quiet for a while before whimpering.

“Mother. Again.”

He nodded along to my words and squeezed me.

“Bad one?”

“Mhm…”

“...Just remember what I said, ‘Iza.” He placed his head atop mine. “I'll protect you. She can't hurt you anymore.”

I leaned into him and buried my face in his chest.

We sat like that for a while.

As the dream faded and I woke up, I silently wished someone would hold me like that.

I'm used to having songs stuck in my head when I wake up; but that Was the first time I'd ever heard a voice in my head start singing.