He brings me a single rose, the same deep red as my form-fitting dress with a slit that reaches the bottom hem of my panties.
“You look ravishing.”
He guides me by the hand to a table for two.
“What will you have?”
“Steak.”
“Rare, please,” he tells the waiter, returning the two menus.
He slides closer to me, drapes his arm over my shoulder. Nibbles on my neck as he pours the wine.
“I wish we could do this every night,” he whispers.
I stiffen as a feeling of déjà vu overcomes me. “What?”
“I said…” His voice drags in a deep drawl, as if in slow motion.
When I look at him again, his lips and nose and eyes all blend into a blank canvas. Everything around us melts away like layers of wet paint cascading down walls, and I am awake in a dark room, alone in my bed.
His words, “I wish we could do this every night,” taunt me.
© 2021 Nortina Simmons
Even the sweetest dreams, when recurring, can turn into nightmares when we find out they’re not real. This story was brought to you by Twilight Zone episode “Shadow Play.”
It’s noon, which means we’re half-way to the New Year! Let’s hope 2022 isn’t another recurring nightmare. If you missed any of the earlier episodes that came overnight, you can start here. The next few episodes will be micro fiction pieces while I recharge and refuel. Hey, I have been up all night!
Nortina's Writing Inspiration Well 