Julian didn't sleep.
Not really.
Every time he closed his eyes, he heard Silas's voice again.
"If you trust me, you won't need to remember."
It replayed over and over, soft and dangerous.
By the time morning came, Julian felt worse than before—like something heavy had settled in his chest and refused to move.
The room was quiet again.
But this time…
Silas was there.
Sitting in the chair beside the bed, head slightly tilted back, eyes closed.
Sleeping.
Julian stared at him.
Really stared this time.
Silas looked different when he wasn't watching.
Less controlled.
His expression wasn't carefully arranged, his guard slightly down. His hair fell messily across his forehead, and there was something almost… human about him like this.
Not the calm, composed man who spoke like he already knew everything.
Just a boy.
A tired one.
Julian swallowed.
Why does this feel familiar?
He shifted slightly, the bedsheets rustling.
Silas's eyes snapped open instantly.
No confusion. No delay.
Just awareness.
"You're awake."
Julian's breath hitched.
"You were sleeping."
"I wasn't," Silas said immediately.
Julian frowned.
"You just had your eyes closed."
Silas sat up straighter.
"I don't sleep deeply."
That wasn't what Julian meant.
But he let it go.
For now.
A nurse came in later that morning.
She was kind.
Too kind.
The kind of kind that made Julian feel like something was wrong.
"How are you feeling today?" she asked, checking his IV.
"Better," Julian said automatically.
Silas stood by the window, watching.
Always watching.
The nurse smiled at Julian, then hesitated.
Just for a second.
Her eyes flickered to Silas.
Then back to Julian.
"Do you remember anything yet?" she asked gently.
Julian shook his head.
"No."
A pause.
"You might," she said. "Sometimes memories come back in pieces. People, places, habits…"
Her voice softened.
"Even feelings."
Julian's fingers tightened slightly.
Feelings.
He glanced at Silas without meaning to.
Silas was already looking at him.
Their eyes met.
Julian looked away first.
"Can I… talk to the doctor again?" Julian asked suddenly.
The nurse blinked, slightly surprised.
"Of course. I can arrange that."
Silas moved.
Slow.
Controlled.
"You don't need to," he said.
Julian looked at him.
"I want to."
A pause.
The air shifted.
Silas didn't like that.
It was subtle.
But Julian felt it.
The doctor came an hour later.
Older. Calm. Observant.
Julian liked him immediately.
"Julian," he said with a reassuring smile. "How are we feeling today?"
"We?" Julian asked faintly.
The doctor chuckled.
"Fair enough. How are you feeling?"
Julian hesitated.
Then—
"Confused."
The doctor nodded.
"That's expected."
Julian glanced briefly at Silas, who was now leaning against the wall, arms crossed.
Watching.
Always watching.
"I wanted to ask…" Julian started slowly. "Before the accident… was I alone?"
The doctor's expression shifted slightly.
"Why do you ask?"
Julian's throat felt dry.
"I just want to understand what happened."
A pause.
The doctor looked at Silas.
Silas said nothing.
Just watched.
The doctor turned back to Julian.
"You were brought in by…" he hesitated briefly, "…him."
Julian's chest tightened.
"So he was there?"
"Yes."
Something about the answer didn't sit right.
Julian frowned slightly.
"Was anyone else there?"
Silence.
Brief.
But noticeable.
"Not that I'm aware of," the doctor said.
Julian nodded slowly.
But something in his gut twisted.
Later that afternoon, Silas stepped out again.
This time—
Julian noticed.
The moment the door closed, the room felt different.
Lighter.
Easier to breathe.
That alone was enough to scare him.
Julian glanced toward the door.
Then at the hallway beyond it.
Then back at his IV.
His heart started beating faster.
This is stupid.
But his hand was already moving.
He pulled the IV out carefully, wincing slightly as a sharp sting followed.
He ignored it.
Slid off the bed.
Stood.
The world tilted slightly.
But he steadied himself.
One step.
Then another.
The hallway was quiet.
Too quiet.
Julian walked slowly, his heart pounding in his ears.
Each step felt like he was doing something wrong.
Like he wasn't supposed to be here.
Like—
"Julian."
His blood ran cold.
He froze.
Silas.
Right behind him.
Julian turned slowly.
Silas stood at the end of the hallway.
Still.
Calm.
But his eyes—
His eyes were not calm.
"How long were you planning to be gone?" Silas asked quietly.
Julian's throat went dry.
"I just wanted to—"
"To what?"
Silas stepped closer.
Each step slow.
Measured.
Dangerous.
"Talk to someone?" he continued. "Walk around? Leave?"
Julian shook his head quickly.
"No, I just—"
"You pulled out your IV."
It wasn't a question.
Julian swallowed.
Silas stopped in front of him.
Too close.
"You shouldn't do things like this without telling me."
Julian's chest tightened.
"I don't need permission to walk."
The words came out before he could stop them.
Silence.
Heavy.
Silas stared at him.
And this time—
He didn't hide it.
Something dark flickered across his face.
"You do," Silas said quietly.
Julian's heart dropped.
That—
That wasn't normal.
"That's not—" Julian started.
Silas grabbed his wrist.
Not painfully.
But firm.
Unyielding.
Julian froze.
"You're not well," Silas continued. "You don't remember anything. You don't know who you can trust."
His grip tightened slightly.
"I'm the only person you have right now."
Julian's breathing became uneven.
"That doesn't mean you control me."
Another pause.
Silas leaned in slightly.
Close enough that Julian couldn't step back.
"Doesn't it?"
Julian's mind went blank.
Because—
For a second—
It felt like the truth.
Silas released his wrist suddenly.
Like nothing had happened.
"Come back to the room," he said calmly.
Like before.
Like always.
Controlled again.
Julian didn't move immediately.
His wrist still tingled where Silas had held him.
Something isn't right.
The thought was clearer now.
Louder.
More real.
Julian looked at Silas.
Really looked at him.
And for the first time—
He felt it.
Not confusion.
Not curiosity.
Not even fear.
Suspicion.
As Julian turned to walk back to the room—
His gaze caught something down the hallway.
A phone.
Lying on a chair.
Vibrating.
The screen lit up briefly.
And in that one second—
Julian saw the name.
"Julian — Don't trust him."