Sweet Nightmare, part 3

Moikka!

Olen julkaissut tätä näköjään viimeksi tammikuussa.

They stepped in a little place called Coff´n´Cinnamon which Nora had seldom visited. It was a cozy shop and most of the customers were middle-aged and elderly people. Staff looked very hipster which was in stark contrast to clientele. Marvel ordered a double espresso and Nora took some herbal tea to calm her nerves. They took a quiet corner table although Nora made sure that they were visible to other clients. Marvel sipped his espresso and didn´t say anything for a while. Nora started becoming annoyed and bored. 

“Well, if you have something to say I would like to hear it. My curiosity isn´t gonna last forever”, she uttered. 

Marvel crossed his fingers like Mr. Burns does on the Simpsons and looked Nora into the eyes.

“You know who you are, don´t you?”, he asked calmly.

Nora snuffed to the question. “I am me. If that´s some stupid philosophical question then I don´t know.” 

Marvel shrugged his shoulders but looked annoyed. “Philosophy is sometimes helpful. Especially when you got to consider that you have powers you know nothing about.” 

Nora smothered her laughter. “Next you are telling me that I´m gonna meet a tall dark stranger. Some sort of Dumbledore or Merlin whose gonna teach me all about my surprise secret powers.” 

“You have already. And rather handsome too, if I might add. But I´d be an awful teacher, so I just announce things”, Marvel teased with gleaming eyes. Then he made his face look more severe. “Do you often have bad dreams?” 

Nora felt a shiver going through her. How could Marvel be aware of her nightmares?

Suddenly Nora didn´t feel like talking. All this was too much for her. She knew she was almost raped or mugged or something and then this crazy person was telling her that she had mystical powers. She felt her heart racing and had trouble breathing. Marvel stared at her face which had quickly became grey and pale. He stood up and pulled his chair nearer to hers and started to calm her down. 

“I shouldn´t have asked you about the dreams. They told me not to at first. But I am an idiot and the worst. Please don´t faint.” 

He sounded quite anguished which broke his solemn appearance. This somehow reassured Nora and she started breathing more slowly. They were quiet and just inhaled and out haled together for several minutes. Marvel had taken Nora’s hands to his.

Nora didn´t shook off Marvel´s hands. They felt calming like a flow of healing energy was pouring out of them. 

“Your hands. It´s ok but you can take them off now”, she stuttered. 

Marvel moved back to his old whereabouts without a separate request. “I´m glad that you didn´t faint. Fainting girls make me panic”, he said relieved. 

Nervous giggle escaped from Nora´s lips. “This is insane. You were super calm with that potentially dangerous guy and used some weird mind power to put him down and now you´re going nuts about this.” 

Marvel shook his head and laughed too. “Well, you know, I´m just a human. Plus my powers are very physical, I assure you.” 

Nora felt her body relax and thought that finally she was safe, at least for today. Marvel was one of the good guys.

“What kind of powers you have, by the way. For me it seemed like that creep was in great pain for no reason what so ever”, she asked. 

“It happened inside him. I use water”, Marvel told shying away from the question. 

Nora pondered for a moment. “I didn´t see any liquid and he didn´t look thirsty to me.” She was trying to be funny and Marvel frowned at her. 

“Haha. I can drown or drain a person. Or boil them if I feel especially evil”, he snarled. 

Nora sighed at the thought. “So you… what did you do to him?” 

“I made his throat so try that his brain was probably thinking that he´d been in a desert for a week. It doesn´t sound painful but an outsider can´t know how much it hurts”, Marvel explained. 

Nora nodded for understanding. “Your physical doings have psychological consequences.”

Marvel grinned. “Ymh, that´s true. But you, well, it could be said that you are a real psychic.” 

Nora put her hands down to her lap and said with sarcasm: “So I can see the future, ha? You don´t know how many times that talent has already been useful to me.” 

Marvel rolled his sleeves up. Until now the trench coat had been fully on him. He had ordinary hoodie underneath, Nora noticed. He also made the Mr. Burns move again. 

“Listen Miss-i-am-so-smart, it´s not that kind of power. We actually have to test what kind of a thing it is since it´s only waking up”, he explained. 

Nora started to feel excitement growing into her. Maybe her nightmares were because of this and they would go away if she just learned to use this mysterious power of hers.

“When can we start?” she uttered by accident. 

Marvel looked at her like they were in a conspiracy together. Nora glared him and pretended that she had seen something interesting on the wall. Her eyes reach the clock and she realized it was already five. 

“What now?” Marvel asked as she started to make a leave. 

“It´s late. I need to go home. I said to my parents that I would only go for a short stroll. They´ll start worrying soon.” Nora gave a little smile to Marvel. “So, how can I contact you? We need to meet again.” 

Marvel seemed sulky probably because he wasn´t in front of the conversation anymore. “Next Thursday. I will call and tell specifically when and where”, he mumbled. 

Nora sneered to him but nodded that that would be ok. Then she left and Marvel was alone on their table.

Nora ate dinner with her parents who had indeed already been wondering where she was. She told them that she had just totally forgot the passage of time and strolled further away than she was supposed to. She took a shower early and retired to her room. She had a towel around her wet hair. She laid down on her bed and stared at the ceiling. She had so much to think about. Marvel was still unknown person to her and yet she trusted him. Suddenly she understood that Thursday wouldn´t come fast enough. She wanted all the answers now. But you can´t have them tonight, she scolded herself. She took the towel off her head and scrambled between her sheets. She could feel the water from her hair going through the pillow before she closed her eyes. That night she only saw peaceful dreams.

                                                         -Roona-