Henry barged through the door, still in his work suit, sweating and panting heavily, worry etched across his face.
"Elena, are you okay?!"
He yelled as he rushed into the kitchen.
Elena was there, crying, sobbing loudly like a child.
Smoke was everywhere. The smell of burnt food filled the air.
Henry grabbed Elena and pulled her out of the kitchen and into the bathroom.
"Elena, are you okay? What happened??"
Elena only kept sobbing, holding her arm as if it hurt.
Henry stared at her helplessly before trying to pry her hand away from her arm. He managed to do it.
Her arm had a small burn, something fixable.
He quickly turned on the water and positioned the burn under it.
"Don't move, okay? It'll be alright. Don't worry, Elena."
He reassured her before heading back to the kitchen.
Elena only sniffled, her sobs slowly subsiding.
A while later, they were both sitting on the couch.
Everything was fixed.
"Henry… I'm sorry…"
Elena mumbled, her eyes watering again.
Henry opened his mouth to speak, but Elena quickly started talking again.
"I'm always a burden on you, Henry. I'm always so weak and I always make you mad and worried…"
She sobbed.
Henry stayed silent for a moment before responding.
"Elena, look, it's really okay. I don't care about the kitchen or the food, really."
Elena let out another sob.
"Do you think I'm crying because I burnt the food?!"
"I'm just sad that I'm always relying on you! I hate this! I hate myself for being this weak!"
Henry stayed silent, awkward and nervous.
He opened his arms for a hug.
Elena wiped her tears, stood up, and went to the kitchen.
Henry sat there. His arms slowly fell back to his sides before he let out a sigh.
Henry was now sitting on the floor, clutching his bleeding hand as the two strange creatures crawled toward him from both sides.
Suddenly, a door next to him opened and he heard a woman's voice.
"O-Over here!"
The woman stuttered.
Henry quickly tried to stand and ran toward the room.
Before he could reach the door, a tongue wrapped around his ankle and pulled him to the floor.
He spun around and cut the tongue with the knife before crawling quickly inside the room.
The woman slammed the door behind him.
Henry leaned against the door, panting and clutching his hand again.
He looked up at the woman.
She was short, wearing almost nothing but underwear, vulnerable and shaking in fear.
"Who are you?"
Henry asked.
"I'm Heather… A-And you?"
she answered, her voice trembling.
"I'm Henry."
He put his hand into his pocket and pulled out the photo of Elena, showing it to Heather.
"Have you seen her?"
His voice was calm, though he grunted slightly in pain.
Heather stared at the picture for a long time in silence.
The air between them was tense.
Outside, the sounds of the creatures slowly faded as they crawled away.
Heather slowly sat down on the ground across from Henry, hugging her knees before shaking her head.
Henry sighed.
"You haven't… It's okay."
"Who's she?"
Heather whispered.
"She's my wife, Elena. I woke up and she was gone."
He looked down, his voice dropping.
"How much do you love her?"
Heather asked, her voice trembling less now.
Henry stayed quiet for a moment before answering.
"So very much, Heather."
Heather nodded slowly, looking down.
"How far are you willing to go for her, Henry?"
Henry's eyes filled with tears. His breathing became shorter as he stared at his hands.
"I would kill myself for her."
Heather only hummed.
Then she extended an arm toward Henry, offering him a tongue.
Henry hesitated before taking it.
Then he simply ate it.
Soon after, his hand healed quickly.
He looked up at Heather, who was staring at the ground, her body trembling again.
"Are you cold?"
Henry asked, slightly worried.
"I mean…"
He gestured awkwardly toward her, pointing out that she was only in her underwear.
Heather hugged her knees tighter and coughed before shaking her head.
"No. I'm just s-scared."
she whispered.
"Of what?"
Henry asked.
"What if I don't find someone who's willing to go for me as far as you're willing to go for your wife? I don't want to die."
She muttered, hiding her face in her knees.
She sobbed.
Henry stayed quiet, awkward.
"Heather, I, uhh… look. We're all destined to find someone in our life. People we love and are willing to do anything for."
Heather sniffled and replied, her voice slightly louder.
"Me? I'm nothing but a pathetic, filthy, lustful woman. I'm so scared that I want to kill myself right now. I don't want to go out and see those creatures…"
She sobbed harder, her face still hidden.
"Heather, you can't say that—"
He was quickly cut off by Heather's tearful words.
"Don't act all holy on me… You're as hopeless as I am…"
Her voice dropped.
Henry froze for a long, agonizing minute.
"I will find Elena. She's waiting for me down there. Now answer me this—why are you even here?"
He asked directly.
Heather lifted her head, her eyes glistening with tears.
"I'm looking for a man. I don't know his name, but he's brave. He scares me sometimes, but I need him."
Henry nodded slowly.
"I hope you find him, Heather."
He slowly stood up.
Then Henry extended an arm for Heather to take.
"Come on. Come with me."
Heather stared at his hand for a while, hesitating before shaking her head and shifting away.
"I see…"
Henry nodded.
"It's okay…"
Heather silently pointed toward a wardrobe.
Henry looked at it before approaching.
He opened the wardrobe and found a deep hole inside.
He sighed, knowing what he was supposed to do.
"I hope you find Elena."
Heather muttered, hiding her face again.
"I hope so too."
Henry answered before jumping into the hole.