“Retvik?”
Gath sat up in bed, reaching for the blankets. A cold breeze had sneaked in somehow, and a frigid brush against Gath’s uncovered leg had snapped him out of his slumber. The rest of the bed was empty. Recently empty.
“Retvik, are you in the bathroom?”
There was no reply. Normally Gath’s beloved partner would at the very least grunt to signify his presence. As Gath climbed out of bed though, he realised the bathroom light was off. All the lights were off. And there was a very annoying draught, blowing cold air into the bedroom.
Climbing out of bed and grabbing a stomach wrap, Gath started to wonder where Retvik had gone. He hadn’t been right for the last few week, but Retvik had not wanted to talk about it. Both he and the medics suggested that his… state had been due to Retvik’s most recent off-planet trip, but this was the first time Retvik had just… left like this.
Gath left the bedroom, pausing only to consider putting some armour on. He was three and a half meters, nearly 300kg worth of pure muscle and natural plating. Anyone who attempted to bother Gath would have to risk death to do so. He really did not need his armour. Then again, he did not need it anyway. The house was empty, as he and Retvik had left it before they’d gone to bed.
There was something open though. The back door, which led into the garden at the back of the house, was slightly ajar. Just enough to cause that cold draught from earlier. On closer inspection, the door had been opened from the inside. Gath quickly checked that nothing had been stolen (then again, they had little to steal anyway), then grabbed a torch and his keys, put his foot covers on and headed outside.
Calm winds were drifting through the garden, brushing against the trees, making the leaves sway. A small, rocky path led through the trees towards the small shed in the back. That path was quite clear and easy to see down. But there was a little, clear space right at the back of the garden. A clear space where flames were slowly smouldering next to something… indistinguishable.
Gath made his way closer to the fire, grabbing his keys tightly so they wouldn’t jingle in his hands. As he approached, he realised what the indistinguishable lump was.
“Retvik.”
The lump shuddered.
“Retvik, what are you doing out here?”
“I…”
Retvik shook his head, revealing himself from underneath the heavy, plastic cover. He was staring blankly ahead of him, not at the fire but past it.
“Retvik, are you well?”
“No… Did you… did… They are…”
Feelings of worry began to trickle down Gath’s back. He crouched down next to Retvik, keeping his torch shining on the ground as to not scare his partner.
“What happened, Retvik? Did you have a bad dream or something?”
Gath gently put his hand on Retvik’s shoulder. This caused him to shudder and snap out of his trance.
“Gath… You are here?” Retvik asked, looking dazed. His eyelids were heavy, as if he hadn’t slept at all. “How did… where are we?”
“You came out here on your own, I assume. I woke up and you were no longer in bed.”
Retvik blinked several times, then turned to the space directly ahead of him.
“I was lost. Back in… that place. In the medicinal forests. Only half awake. Or not awake at all. I… I do not know… But I was… not alone…”
“What do you mean?” Gath pushed on, his worries intensifying. “Retvik, why did you come out here? What are you talking about?”
Rubbing his eyes once more, Retvik looked back at the empty space. “Someone led me out here. Led me to safety…” Retvik hesitated, finally realising where he was. As he did so, he reached up and grabbed Gath’s arm. “Or perhaps they were leading me away from safety…”