Luis

His daily routine is like clockwork. From the moment he gets up at nine A.M., he begins with some morning stretches. These are to help with his sore back from his unfortunate fall last year. Even the littlest slip-up off a ladder can be severe and even deadly for someone his age. It might've robbed him of his career at the hospital, but it won't have him bedridden.

As such, Luis gets up for the second time this morning. Ever since these surreal nightmares began, he always wakes up at six A.M., if not before then. Nevertheless, he always returns to sleep until the specific hour his brain is ready to function for the day.

He lays out on the floor doing the proper stretches to work his worn limbs. Once this is done for an exact twenty minutes, he proceeds to the next step of washing up in the bathroom prior to cooking breakfast. This is eaten in front of the television while watching the news to keep up with current events. A methodical morning he upholds, sunshine or rain, though there is one new factor that shows up on his doorstep again.

"Mr. Gonzalez!"

The muffled voice is heard from his recliner chair as he just finishes breakfast. He doesn't make a sound as the unwanted visitor gives a firm knock on the front door.

"I really need to talk to you. We can take a walk if you don't want me coming in, but it's pretty chilly out here."

Luis's gray eyes drift to the vent with the heat just clicking on. It validates the words the male speaks, and the winter cold is quite bitter this year. Despite that, he won't get warmed up by stepping past the threshold of his home. If the dreams are all he wants to discuss, then we have nothing to talk about. The elderly man knows the nightmares are abnormal; he wouldn't have believed anyone who claimed to experience such if this wasn't happening to himself. It all started not long after his revenge on the McBride family, so perhaps they have something to do with it. Most would assume it's his own consciousness, but he has no reason to hold any guilt.

A sigh escapes the lips of the stranger on the opposite side, signaling the end of his fifth attempt.

"Fine; I'll take my leave for now and return tomorrow. You shouldn't go into these dreams blindly because it's one coming that you won't be expecting."

With this parting farewell, Luis peeks through the blinds to watch the young gentleman walk off through the snow. He called himself 'Dionte' on his first visit, and once a day since last Wednesday at random times, he'll ask to get inside. Apparently, he's in the same predicament each night, though most likely for different reasons. Regardless, he has no interest in fighting against the nightmares or the monsters inside of them. If this is connected to Gregory for the promise he broke, then so be it. He's the one who fell through on his own to Daniel first. The physical pain during them is nothing compared to the mental wounds they both now endure.

...

It's early evening when Luis arrives at the department store. When it comes to groceries, he allows the store to drop them off every month. Households, however, must be handled by himself, and he's down on cleaning supplies. So, the man moves with his cane in one hand and a shopping basket in the other. Gradually, he scans through the shelves for his usual products without needing a list. If they're out of stock, he'll just go without rather than buy a substitute.

When he's halfway done, the elderly man spots someone turning into the aisle. Her features stand out through his bifocals, even with how many years it's been since they've last crossed paths. An encounter between them most certainly cannot be in this store, but his achy joints can't maneuver as fast as the goal in his head. He believes she caught sight of him before turning around, and this is confirmed when she calls out.

"Luis?! Luis, is that you?"

His hands tighten on the basket's handle, cursing his luck. Still, he doesn't have such a frozen heart as to pretend not to hear her. Luis slowly faces the woman now right behind him, whose skin glows despite her being four years older.

"Amelia, it's been a long time."

"That it has. About eight or nine years, I believe? How have you been doing?"

"Well, a back injury caused me to retire far earlier than I would've liked. Besides that, nothing noteworthy has changed in my life."

Though the state of constance should be good news, it brings the corners of her mouth to tug down. Don't give me that look. It's that same frown of pity from when they last spoke, and he doesn't need her sympathy. The two of them just processed loss their own way; she chose to leap to the future while he is still stuck in the past.

"I see you're doing some shopping." He stares daggers at her shopping cart filled with toys, clothes, and other items. "There are a lot of sales going on for cheap Christmas gifts."

Amelia takes a stand in his line of view, but it won't erase what he's seen already. "Yeah, I was just doing a little shopping for the grandkids. I'm only in town because Kyle moved to the area recently."

"So you're going to see his kids over the holiday then. I thought you might've been stopping through town for another reason."

"Let's not do this here, Luis..."

"You know, your son's anniversary was a couple of months ago. I spent the whole day up there at the graveyard, but I never see you step foot there," he snaps, and she lets out a huffing breath as he takes a step closer. "It must be nice to act like the child you gave birth to never existed to begin with. Maybe you would've preferred if he came stillborn out of your womb."

A sharp sting hits his left cheek with the sound echoing through the aisle. It produces a few glances with drowned-out whispers, but he simply adjusts his glasses to see his ex-wife's finger pointed at him.

"Don't you talk down to me like I don't love or remember our son! Daniel is forever in my heart, but that is not gonna bring him back to us!" She exhales deeply, the boiled rage replaced with an expression he can't decipher. He's lost the touch of reading what she'll say before it leaves her mouth. "I'm happy with my husband and the life our union has gifted me. I have a son and grandchildren through our marriage; I've found joy again these past twelve years."

Luis remains silent. He can feel his reddened skin that isn't from the powerful slap she delivered. His once-beloved's hand reaches out, but he takes a step back instead, going around her.

"I have shopping I need to get done before it gets any later."

"Right, I'm sorry to have thrown you off schedule..." she mumbles, though her cart only goes a short distance before it stops again. "You've been going through the motions for nearly twenty years, Luis. Try to find some happiness in life while you have the time."

Luis resumes walking, not acknowledging her unsolicited advice. This annoyingly chipper season only increases the odds of crossing paths with people he's left in the past. Just as the fallen snow erases his footsteps on the pavement, this run-in with Amelia is blotted from memory the minute he steps out into the winter cold.

...

Once the households are put away, he carries a few cleaning supplies to his son's room. Luis slowly opens the creaky door, revealing Daniel's favorite indie band posters covering the walls, a cluttered video game stack underneath the television, and books galore for the avid reader filling his shelves. Even after nineteen years, everything remains in place; it would be a near carbon copy if a photograph was snapped in there the day he left. Though thinking on this, he begins dusting his furniture that's right beside his photo wall.

Daniel wasn't the most social kid, being rather reserved, but he valued the few friendships he had formed. High school graduation pulls him into another time he held so much hope for his only child's future. This was clouded when he was informed about going to a school across state to become a veterinarian. I admired the fact he wanted to follow my career choice in the medical field, yet he never completed his first year of college. The fault lies in his so-called friend-the ginger he's cut the face out of every last photo he's in. It won't destroy the history he had with his boy or cleanse the fury when recalling what position he put him in.

Gregory McBride. The old man glares at the captured moment before Daniel joined him at the university. He started later, being two years younger in age, and Gregory talked him into joining him instead of attending a local college. I knew it was reckless for him to continue his education across state, but Amelia wouldn't listen. "Let him make his own decisions," she insisted; "he's becoming an adult." And these grown-up years of a flourishing job, marriage, and children never came into existence. Nonetheless, Gregory experienced all three of these things before he exacted his revenge. With the nightmares that have sprouted in retaliation, enjoying life for what it is can no longer be obtainable.

It's late at night when he places the final piece of the large puzzle on his wooden table. Tackling one over five hundred pieces did take patience to complete, but working on this for twenty minutes every night before going to sleep got it done gradually. He glances at the clock to see he wrapped up just ten minutes ahead of schedule. Bedtime is at ten-thirty sharp no matter what day of the week, and the old man takes a stand, removing his thick-framed glasses.

"Time to get some rest."

Normally, it's roughly about forty minutes for him to doze off. This time, however, is lasting much longer than that with his eyes glued to the ceiling. He can feel something is coming, and recalling today's date, it would align being after midnight. Is this the nightmare Gregory will finally reveal himself to me? He'll discover soon enough as he rolls over to try and get comfortable on the double bed. Clearing his mind, the darkness claims him, which will lead to the truth coming to light.

...

Luis's eyes snap open to find himself standing in the middle of a familiar setting. The sweet aroma of freshly cooked bread fills the air with light chatter of entering customers through the café doors. He routinely dines there every Monday afternoon, though today is Friday and the sky is pitch black. Or at least, it would be if this wasn't a dream that has an unusual beginning. So tonight will be different then, eh? Perhaps his prediction was right after all, and he feels a presence behind him that lacks any malice Gregory would contain.

"It's you again," he mutters, the young male that has visited his home all week standing across from him. "I assumed this dream might be reserved for me, given there were nights out of the past three weeks I had no nightmares."

Certain days of no order or significance had him exempt from experiencing any hatred-filled beasts. Since the little Dionte has shared, he figured these nightmares must be exclusive to each of them.

"You're not wrong, but I'm a... special case. To be honest, I still have no clue why that is myself."

There's a moment of silence, and he can tell there is much he desires to share. He never did let the young male under his roof fully explain what all this is. However, not a syllable more can be formed on his lips when the door opens again, revealing a certain ginger.

"G-Gregory..." he mutters, his chest feeling tight as he blocks the path of the obvious culprit. "I knew this had to be your doing, but how did-"

The businessman walks right through him as if he isn't even present, nor does he answer his cut-off question. Instead, Gregory stands in line to order his food, and the other nearby grasps his shoulder.

"You can't interact with him; this is only a flashback of sorts."

So, I'm only reliving an old memory? That would connect the dots on the location, and sure enough, the ginger moves toward his table. Another version of himself from months ago sits with his eyes glued to the window.

"I didn't expect to find you here, Mr. Gonzalez."

Luis glanced at the male who stood with his food in hand as if waiting for an invitation to sit.

"Well, I come for lunch every Monday afternoon. I'm more shocked to see you come my direction."

"Well, they say food tastes better with company, and I noticed you alone. Mind if I join you?"

The old man simply gestured for him to snag a cushioned seat, and the laughter that surrounded them was the opposite of the storm cloud above their heads.

"So, why are you wasting your afternoon with me? Don't you have a family or friends with whom you could be eating?"

"Oh, yes, but my girls are at home, and my wife isn't doing so well. Besides, I'm only here on my lunch break before heading back to the office."

"I see..."

He raised an eyebrow as the younger male played with his sandwich, as if not on a fixed schedule.

"So, you have two daughters then?"

"Twins, specifically." Gregory dug into his pocket to pull out his cellphone. After a short search, he showed a picture of the four of them. The girls appear to be in their early teens, and they share a lot of physical traits with both of their parents.

Luis examines the picture right beside his other self. The family photo reminds him of his own, the previous joy a fleeting memory with one of them no longer present. However, the young man behind him is frozen in place, all the color drained from his face. He doesn't have some sort of connection to the McBride's, does he? Dionte just claimed he is lost as to why he's involved, but his expression says a different story. Nevertheless, he returns his attention to the scene playing out before them.

"Wow, those are two beautiful children your wife gave you. I'm surprised you were able to marry with how antisocial you used to be," he dryly comments, and the ginger quickly stuffs his device away. "It just didn't seem in the cards for you."

"Trust me, I ask myself the same question every night she's in my arms. We've had a rough patch that went on for many years, but during that period, I never did stop loving her."

He twisted the wedding ring on his finger, and Luis couldn't help but wonder how long they've been married. How long had he been living this picture-perfect life his son missed out on?

"Unfortunately, my Selena is sick and it's not looking very good. She...she needs a kidney transplant and has been in and out of the hospital for over a year now."

Luis watches as this flashback unfolds before them. He can still recall the emotions that washed over him at this moment. Maybe Gregory's life wasn't so perfect, and it would serve him right. Why does he get to be happy while Daniel is in a never-ending sleep underground?

A snort escaped that he didn't bother to hold back as he raised the coffee cup to his lips. "Now that's ironic."

"...I wanted to apologize in a proper manner, but I felt you wanted nothing to do with me. So, I settled for one through the door where you weren't forced to look upon the one that failed your son. I was growing myself back then, and it was careless of me to put pressure on him alongside the rest of them."

Gregory adjusted his tie, which seemed far too tight, and the business employee before him was a different man, supposedly. Even if he had changed, it couldn't bring his only child back to him.

"You still eat healthy as you did before." His sights were aimed at the salad in front of him. "I guess that's common for a doctor. It wouldn't be so bizarre if your health was better than mine."

"That's what this is, isn't it?" The fork clacked against the plate with his arms crossed firmly over his chest. "This coincidental run-in was purposeful because you want something from me. Just admit how many weeks you've been stalking me?"

"That's not true!" He was quick to protest this before he lowered his volume. "I swear I only came here by chance when trying to find a café closer to my workplace. Though I will admit, my situation is a dire one..."

Gregory pushed the frames from the bridge of his nose that concealed the moisture in his hazel eyes.

"Selena needs a kidney transplant and I, nor any of my willing family members, are a match. She doesn't have ties with her relatives, and you know how long the waiting list is. M-My wife, she might not live to see this Christmas."

His voice cracked against his control to keep a lid on his fear, and this was a vulnerable side of the once composed child he watched grow up with Daniel.

"I understand this is sudden and a selfish request, but I do ask you to consider it. I'm not one to grovel for help, but this is for Selena's sake." The ginger bowed low in his seat, and this gained the attention of those dining within the vicinity. "Please, I believe with your model health you're our only hope! If you're scared about the surgery at your age, we can pretend like this conversation never happened. I don't want my wife's life to end so soon or have my kids without their mother. You would know what that loss is like."

I do, and that's why it was hypocritical for him to ask me. A kidney of all things? Had he chosen to ignore how his son became deceased? This nightmare is probably meant to trigger some kind of guilt, but it only has him reconfirm that Gregory got what he deserved.

There was a brief pause that probably felt like an eternity for the distressed male. His first thought was to outright reject-or even have a nice loud chuckle about him being a living kidney donor. However, his dull gray irises fell on his cold drink, and an idea clicked that switched his perspective.

"Alright," he consents, Gregory lifting his head with a sniffle. "If they run the test and I'm compatible, then I'll give my spare to her. An old man like me has little need for two kidneys."

The ginger thanked him profusely with no care for their onlookers. This was one that would turn into curses if it aligned as he envisioned it. The single thing he would be guilty of is retracting on his word, and as twenty years back, it would produce major consequences.

"So, that's how it went down."

A voice he doesn't recognize reaches his ears that isn't from any of the people in the flashback.

"This would be the first we've seen a flashback we aren't a part of, but it makes sense as this very incident is what led to the loss of our mother."

The culprit he prepared to face wasn't two teenagers said to still be in an unconscious state. Gregory's twin daughters... He can't ask if they're responsible or not when the world around them goes dark.

A/N Part one of Luis's arc. What do you think happened to Daniel and Luis did in retaliation? Next chapter will be up soon.