#42. Fading
He hears the tick of the clock on his bedside table, but he keeps his eyes closed, unmoving. He holds onto the feelings of the dream—the taste of her lips, the smell of her hair, the feeling of her small frame in his arms. He holds onto them—desperately—because he knows it's all fading and he's returning to the waking reality where she no longer lives. He holds onto her presence for as long as possible while she slowly slips away, back to that other place.
And when she's finally gone, Tobias opens his eyes to another day.