The Relationship Vortex

Closing the door, Aileen cringed, knowing she'd never get the images out of her head for as long as she lived. Covering her eyes with the palms of her hands, she tried to block the black-and-white images haunting her mind. From behind the door, the headboard banged into the wall as cries of ecstasy escaped the room.

Walking slowly back to her room, Aileen jumped under the covers and picked up her phone, hoping that doom-scrolling would free her from the unwanted events haunting her and invading her dreams.

Ten reels in, she aimlessly flicked past the tiny home videos and tried to watch a foodie show off their latest recipe. She never understood how a cake could taste good by dumping the dry ingredients into the dish without mixing the wet ingredients.

Wet? Oh, no! The images were back!

Groaning, she fell back on her pillow and muttered, "Who the hell needs Valentine's Day? It's so stupid! I hate it all. Guys! The Candy! The dresses and the ruby red lipstick! It all sucks!

Refusing to admit that she was jealous of Nia and Luka, she let her feelings impact her decisions. As she drifted to sleep, she whispered, "I wish Luka loved me instead of Nia. If I had him, I'd treat him like a prince and Nia as my maid. Stupid bitch!"

Wild images of Luka haunted her dreams as she slept, tossing and turning throughout the night. When she woke, her sheets were a tangled mess. Rolling over, she screamed and jumped out of bed, staring at the naked man sound asleep in her bed.

Luka!

Her bedroom door slammed open, and a frantic Nia asked, "Ma'am, are you alright?"

What was happening? Did her nasty wish come true?

Before she could rationalize what was happening, Luka's sleepy voice said, "Nia, she's fine. Leave us!"

Panic rising. Heart racing.

Aileen clung to the nightstand, frozen in indecision. How did she end up in this alternative universe? What if she accepted Luka? Would he be taken from her without a moment's notice? What if she grows old with him, and their entire world is ripped away?

She couldn't handle losing him.

Refusing to give this alternative a chance, she growled, "Why are you in my bed?"

Luka tossed the covers aside and jumped out of bed. Walking to Aileen, he placed his hands on her hips and asked, "What's going on? You look so scared."

"You,..." She stuttered his name several times before the tears started to form in the corners of her eyes. His love would fade. Her heart would break. She needed to destroy this false reality now, or she'd be destroyed by a broken heart when she woke from this madness.

"Aileen, you're starting to scare me. What's going on?"

Stepping backward, she held out her hand and said, "You're not real. None of this is real. I need to wake up now."

"Sweetheart, I can assure you, I am real. We are real. Look at your hand. you're wearing your wedding rings." Holding up his hand, he showed her his band. "You must have had a dreadful dream. Come, my love, let me show you how real I am."

A nagging feeling continued to gnaw at the remaining reality that Aileen was trying to hold onto, but she relaxed in Luka's arms and fell back to sleep.

Waking up, she was freezing. Luka must have stolen all of the blankets during the night. As consciousness took hold, she looked around the room and didn't recognize the dark prison cell she was in. Sitting up, she screamed Luka's name before grasping the bars. Luka stood on the other side of the dungeon bars, looking forlorn. Nia stood behind him, her clothes tattered and torn, with a ruby-red scar across her face.

“When will this vicious cycle end, Aileen?”

Tightening her hands around the bars, she said, “I can’t stop what I don’t understand. Every time I fall asleep, I wake up as your lover or your enemy.” Tears started to form in the corners of her eyes, but the weight of the unknown bore down on her chest.

“You started this with your magic! Only you can stop it!” Nia screamed from the shadows, avoiding Aileen’s eyes.

“Magic? I don’t know any magic!” Aileen could barely breathe as she searched the recesses of her mind. Perhaps she was a witch. Could that explain everything?

Before she could grasp the tendrils of magic remaining, a flash of light exploded, and her body flew back, slamming into the dungeon wall. Hours later, Aileen woke up alone in her bed and stared at her fingers, wearing her wedding rings. Perhaps she'd been sick, and the memories over the last few hours were from a fever. Tentatively placing her feet on the floor, she walked across the room and opened the door, peering out into the grand hallway.

Luka stood at the base of the stairs with a young child in his arms. Looking up, he smiled when their eyes met. "How was your nap?"

"Strange dreams," she said before closing the door and whispering the magic spell to release her from Nia's curse. Once dressed, she raced downstairs and found Luka. "My sister cursed me again, that stupid bitch. She wants you for herself."

Pulling Aileen into his arms, he whispered, "Leave her to me. In the meantime, go and put on your red dress and ruby-red lipstick. I made reservations at your favorite place for dinner."

Kissing him on the lips, Aileen felt tethered to this reality as she walked up the stairs and entered the bedroom. Once she closed the door, she felt the magic slam into her. Looking up, she saw Nia standing in the center of her bedroom, wearing her red dress and ruby-red lipstick. With a visceral laugh, Nia said, "Sister, I see you didn't lose your sanity in the time loop, so I'll have to destroy you another way." With the wave of her hand, Nia's magic slammed into Aileen, who watched her body disappear into the netherworld.

Twenty minutes later, Nia walked out of the room, looking identical to her sister, and kissed Luka, saying, "What do you have in store for us tonight, my love?"

"You're demise, my dear."

Nia was confused. How could Luka have discovered her treachery?

"What are you talking about, Luka? I thought you loved me more than my sister?"

A crooked smile fell across his face. Luka replied, "I do love your sister more than you. Fortunately for me, I had placed spells of protection on Aileen, so your magic didn't work. However, you shall fade away forever."

An hour later, after he'd destroyed Nia, he wrapped his arm around Aileen and said, "Tonight, my love, I have something special planned. Follow me."

They faded together, holding hands, and appeared in an alleyway in downtown Manhattan. Walking out of the shadows, they entered their favorite restaurant, arm in arm.

"Happy Valentine's Day, my love," Luka said.

"What a way to shower me with love after destroying my sister."

"Shall I bring her back from the depths of despair to torture you again?"

Laughing, Aileen said, "No! Let her rot there until next year. Perhaps then we can find a nice boy for her to love."

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This little tale was written for "Another Valentine Perspective - A Mikeydred February Dollar Prompt for All Vocal Creators." Click on the link below to read the challenge and the other great short stories and poems!