Elara's Point of View
"Don't touch me yet."
Silas stopped in the middle of the road.
I was sitting on the edge of the bed with my hands on my chest, trying to breathe.
He said carefully, "Elara, you're shaking."
"I know." My voice sounded thin. "Just... wait."
He slowly stepped back, as if he thought I would break if he moved too quickly.
He asked, "What's wrong?"
"I don't know," I said quietly. "Everything seems... slow."
He turned his head. "How slow?"
I shut my eyes and listened.
Not to the house.
Not to him.
For me.
My heart.
It was there.
But it wasn't beating like it used to.
It seemed like it was tired.
It seemed like it was forgetting what to do.
"I don't hear it," I said.
Silas's face turned pale. "Listen to what?"
"My heart."
He took two steps across the room and knelt down in front of me.
"Elara, you're alive. You're speaking. Of course your heart is—
He stopped when he touched my chest.
His eyes got bigger.
There was no noise.
Not empty.
Just... slow.
One beat.
A long break.
Then one more.
Silas pulled his hand back like it hurt.
He whispered, "It's because of me."
I laughed softly, but it didn't come out right. "Now everything is because of you."
"No," he said. "This is not the same."
I looked at him. "How?"
"When I touched you yesterday, you felt weak." I touched you today, and your heart slowed down.
"Don't touch me," I said.
Silas shook his head. "It's not that easy."
I stood up, and my legs shook.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, it's already begun."
I put my arms around myself. "Started what?"
It looked like Silas was afraid to say the words to me.
"Your body is syncing with mine."
I looked at him. "That doesn't make sense."
"It makes sense to the house."
"I don't care about the house," I said. "I care about living."
Silas swallowed. "Me too."
I moved closer to him.
He stepped back.
"Why are you leaving me?" I asked.
"Because you lose something every second I stay close."
"Then I'll gladly lose it."
His voice broke. "You shouldn't."
Still, I reached for him.
When I touched his arm, warmth spread through me.
Not warm in a gentle way.
A lot of warmth.
It felt like my blood had slowed down.
Silas took a deep breath.
"Elara, stop."
I didn't.
My chest felt tight.
Not hurt.
Just be quiet.
I leaned against him.
He felt strong in his body.
True.
It felt light to me.
Not heavy enough.
Silas held my shoulders.
"Elara, your heart—"
I smiled weakly. "It's okay."
"No, it's not."
I put my forehead against his.
"Do you feel it too?" I said it softly.
"Yes," he said. "I can feel you slowing down."
"That's fine."
"It's not."
My sight got blurry.
Not dark.
Just soft.
It felt like I was drifting.
Silas suddenly pulled away.
He said firmly, "No." "We're not doing this."
"Doing what?"
"Letting you go while I become real."
I chuckled softly. "You wanted to be real."
"Not like this."
My chest got tight again.
This time it hurt.
Sharp.
Quick.
Then go slow again.
Silas looked scared.
"Your heart can't make up its mind."
I tried to breathe deeply.
It felt like I was breathing through water.
"Hold me," I whispered to Silas.
He thought about it for a second.
After that, he shook his head.
"I can't."
"Please."
Tears filled his eyes.
"If I touch you again, it might stop for good."
I stared at him.
"So you're picking distance over me?"
"I'm picking your life."
"I didn't ask you to."
Silas stood there with his hands shaking, as if he were fighting himself.
He said softly, "I hate this house." "I hate what it's making us."
I got closer.
He stayed still.
My hand was close to his chest.
"Stop," I said.
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
So I touched him.
The world became quiet.
Not quiet.
Still.
My heart rate went down again.
It was so slow that I felt dizzy.
Silas gasped as if someone had hit him.
"Elara—"
I felt warm.
Be calm.
Too quiet.
Like I didn't need to breathe anymore.
Silas took my hand and pulled it away.
"Don't," he said. "I can't feel you."
"What do you mean?"
"You're fading while I'm standing here."
My chest hurt again.
But not very much.
It felt like the pain was far away.
"Silas... "Am I going to die?"
He didn't say anything.
That scared me more than anything else.
"I don't feel scared," I said.
"That's worse," he said softly.
I tried to move closer to him.
My legs didn't do what I said.
Silas caught me before I fell.
My heart raced again as soon as he touched me.
Quick.
Too quickly.
It hurt.
I gasped.
Silas also yelled.
"Your heart just skipped a beat."
I held onto his shirt.
"I can feel it."
It felt like my heart was fighting itself.
Slow without him.
Too quick with him.
Silas held me, shaking.
"I don't know how to keep you alive anymore."
I pushed my face into his chest.
"Then don't let go."
He looked down at me.
"That's what is killing you."
The room made a noise.
The lights went out.
The house felt closer.
As if it were leaning in.
Paying attention.
"It's learning when to take," Silas said quietly.
"Take what?"
"Your heart."
I laughed weakly. "It can have it." I hardly ever use it.
Silas's voice cracked. "Don't say that."
I pulled back and stared at him.
"Why?" Because you're starting to feel things again?
He nodded.
He said, "I can feel everything now." "Fear. Pain. Love."
"And I feel less."
"That's not right."
"Nothing about us is fair."
Silas gently touched my face.
This time, my heart stopped right away.
I felt it.
Like a big drum that isn't keeping time.
Silas quickly pulled his hand away.
"That," he said. "That's what I mean."
"So, what's the new rule?" I asked. "No touching?"
He said, "No loving."
I smiled sadly. "Too late."
The house made a soft noise.
Not a squeak.
Not a moan.
Almost like a breath.
Silas looked around.
"It's changing."
"To what?"
He whispered, "To your body." "It's figuring out how much of you it needs to keep me here."
I swallowed.
"And how much is that?"
Silas didn't say anything.
He gently put two fingers on my neck.
"Your pulse is almost gone again."
I felt light.
I felt like I was floating.
Not falling.
I'm just drifting away from who I am.
"Silas," I said softly, "what will happen to me if my heart stops?"
His lips shook.
"Stay with me."
"And if I live?"
He turned his head.
"I go away."
It got cold in the room.
Not empty.
It's cold.
I shut my eyes.
"I don't want either of those endings."
Silas put his forehead against mine.
"The house doesn't either."
My heart skipped a beat.
Then it slowed down.
Then it skipped again.
"It's choosing the rhythm," Silas said quietly.
"Of what?"
"Of who lives."
The lights went out.
Not dark.
Just dim.
As if the house were lowering its voice.
Silas held me even tighter.
"Elara... "if your heart stops tonight..."
I finished what he was saying.
"You stay."
He said in a low voice, "And I don't want that if it costs you everything."
My heart skipped a beat again.
It was so slow that I couldn't feel it.
Suddenly, Silas pushed me away.
Tough.
Not mean.
Desperate.
"Don't touch me again," he said. "Not until we know what this place is doing."
I looked at him.
"Are you scared of me now?"
"I'm afraid I'll lose you."
The house made a different sound.
This one made me laugh.
The clock on the wall began to tick again.
Not steady.
Not regular.
Like a heart that has been broken.
Tick.
Long pause.
Tick.
Silas looked at it in shock.
He said in a low voice, "That's not the clock."
I looked at him.
"What is it then?"
He took a breath.
"That's your heart beating."