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Sergio ducked his head against the splatter of rain and pulled the hood of his jumper over his head.
“Darn weather,” he muttered, huddling himself into the warm fabric.
Marcelo laughed at him as they sprinted towards his car. “Wussy. Be glad the practise is over.”
“Sucks to be them,” Sergio agreed, watching as the Barcelona’s bus pulled into the parking lot. The moment it stopped rolling, the door opened and Messi stumbled out, looking pale. He leaned against the bus, chest heaving. Iniesta tailed after him, a frown on his face. He said something to Messi who only closed his eyes and didn’t reply.
“He looks like he might throw up,” Sergio commented.
“He’s a little green around the gills,” Marcelo agreed. “Maybe he’s getting sick,” he added, hopeful.
Other players got out of the bus and Sergio watched them fuss. “I wouldn’t be too worried, even if he plays, his form is shit,” he said to Marcelo.
“I wonder which came first,” Marcelo chuckled, “him playing like shit or him feeling like shit.”
“I tell you what,” Sergio said, reaching Marcelo’s car, “him being a little shit.”
They both laughed.
Marcelo got out his keys.
Sergio shuddered, folding his arms around himself. The weather was getting chillier each second. A full blown shiver run down his spine. It spread quickly and settled low on his back. He would swore he smelled salt in the air.
“Are you getting in or what?” Marcelo called and slammed the driver’s door shut. Sergio quickly grabbed the handle and got in before Marcelo could take off without him. Carpooling with Marcelo was effective but Sergio knew better than to tempt the man.
:::::::
There was a crow at the open sea and the water was like a mirror. The sky above seeped into the waves. The clouds twisted into funny shapes as the wind rippled the surface. All was calm. Leo smiled.
The water crashed against the rocks bellow, noisy but not violent. Little droplets were flung high enough that he felt them on his bare feet. There was a black feather trapped between the rocks, completely drenched. The white foamy waves claimed it only to spew it back moments later.
“See? I knew you’d like the view,” Geri said and Leo turned to him but Geri wasn’t there and when Leo looked back, the crow wasn’t there either and somewhere, an alarm clock was ringing.
:::::::
“Ugh, fuck me,” Sergio groaned as he tied his laces.
Isco thumped him on his back. “You’re supposed to lead by an example.”
“It’s so fucking cold,” Sergio grumbled, springing to his feet and doing a few quick jumps to warm himself up.
“Pretty sure that’s just you,” Isco said. “Your old bones.”
“Fuck you,” Sergio grunted. He glanced around the locker room but Isco was right. No one else had opted for the undershirt but him. Forget Messi, Sergio hoped he wasn’t getting sick.
“We’re gonna kick their asses,” Gareth crooned, though his ankle was still fucked up and Sergio would eat his own captain’s band if Gareth got to play tonight.
“What the man said,” Sergio bellowed, “we’re gonna kick their asses.”
“All the way back to Barcelona!”
“Aye, aye!”
“Let’s do this!”
They walked to the pitch and got the opening ceremony done with. Sergio couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The premonition sat in his stomach, smarmy and heavy as lead.
The night was cold and the air left a funny taste in his mouth. There was something wicked going on and Sergio couldn’t put his finger on it. The minutes dragged on. He barely remembered playing the game.
Then came a moment when the ball bounced off the post and Messi was there before Sergio could kick it into safety. Messi took the shoot and missed by a mile. Messi slid on the grass, colliding with Sergio. They both got up, Sergio offered Messi a placating hand up, which Messi took.
It was when it registered. The spirits. Rounding on Messi, preparing an attack. Not an imminent threat, they were still too cautious for that. But they were already there, dark, determined, dangerous. They were sucking the life out of Messi and the stupid Argentinean never noticed. How did no one else notice the drain? The spirits cast a gloom over the whole stadium and not a single person was any wiser.
The spirits were attracted to misery and gloom, and Sergio wondered what made Messi the centre of their attention. They had made Messi sick and weak and they were bound to go after his blood once he was defenceless.
Someone needed to tell Messi while there was still time.
Sergio’s mind was in a haze. His body moved across the pitch on instinct and drilled motion but he couldn’t gather his thoughts.
Cris scored for them but it wasn’t enough because Neymar scored off the pass from Suárez. Sergio wasn’t there in time to intercept it and Neymar sent the ball flying past Keylor.
The whistle blew, the match was a draw.
Piqué shook his hand. “Pity you didn’t score tonight. We could have used the win.”
By the time Sergio understood the snide about his own goal from last Tuesday, the moment for a cutting comeback had passed.
Cris clasped an arm around his shoulder. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” Sergio hurried to say. He glanced back. The Barcelona’s players were retreating. When Messi walked off the pitch, the spirits trailed after him, solemn and resilient. No one noticed, no one commented. “I’m fine,” Sergio lied.
“Your leg is still bleeding.”
“Huh?” Sergio glanced down. “Just a scratch.”
“Get it checked out anyway.”
He couldn’t just walk up to Messi and warn him, not with all the people around, not with the cameras rolling. Messi wouldn’t believe him anyway. Everyone would think he’s barking mad.
There were no other options.
He let himself be lead away with one last smile and wave to the fans.
No reason to frighten anyone else. This was just between Messi and the spirits.
The sting of the antiseptic was a welcome distraction. He needed to do something.
“Your leg is fine.”
“I know,” Sergio said, waving off the band-aid. He needed to warn Messi.
It was going to be a horrid night.
:::::::
It was a warm day out. The sun was shining.
It would be a long fall, from the cliffs. The jagged rocks at the bottom and the angry sea would do the rest. It was already so quiet. And calm. Leo wanted to be that calm. He kicked off his shoes, then bent over to put them neatly aside.
The sky was very blue. And vast.
Leo took a step closer, unable to resist the pull. So warm. So calm.
Something in the air shifted. Leo wasn’t there alone anymore. He paused, looked around but he saw no one.
The wind picked up, icy cold, raising goose bumps.
Someone was shouting, far away. Someone down on the beach. There was a beach. With warm sand and shallow water, inviting Leo to take a dip.
More shouting. Perhaps some kids on the beach. Leo looked around but he couldn’t see anyone.
A scream.
There was a shadow in the distance. A shrub, perhaps. Leo didn’t remember passing any shrubs.
The ground crumbled when Leo took a step to the sea. A few loose pebbles went over the edge.
“Stop!” someone yelled.
Leo stopped. “Is that you, Geri?”
But why would Geri be there? His cheeks colouring, Leo turned back to face the sea. The water glittered. The ground beneath his feet was warm from the sun.
A voice spoke close behind him. “Huh. This is inventive.”
Leo swivelled around. It was Geri. Suddenly he was there, grabbing Leo’s arm and yanking him back, face furious. “Are you crazy?”
“What are you doing here, Geri?”
Geri grimaced, looking down on his arms and feet, then he grimaced again.
“Helping you. Listen,” Geri started but even his voice sounded odd.
Leo backed away from him.
“Messi! Stop right there!” Geri shouted, leaping to catch Leo. Everything about him was unfamiliar. Leo didn’t like it one bit.
“You shouldn’t be here, Geri,” Leo said, breaking Geri’s hold and turning to the sea once gain. “Go away.” He didn’t want to share this little oasis of peace he found for himself with anyone. The sweet breeze of the sea, the warm sun, the calming sway of the waves.
It was peaceful. Leo’s eyes searched the sea, then the land.
Geri wasn’t there.
He let out a relieved sigh and ignored the little pang in his heart. He always ignored that.
Leo climbed closer to where he could see the water from above.
Out of nowhere came a crow. Black as sin, a sharp contrast to the bright of the day. It dove straight at Leo, talons ready to draw blood. And blood it drew. There was so much of it, spilling out and gathering on the rocks. The heavy wings beat at him and Leo covered his face, crying out loud to drive the insane bird away but it wouldn’t go. It kept attacking, over and over again and Leo was scared it would get his eyes, peck them right off his skull it was so mad.
He turned away and broke into run, leaving the sea behind.
He needed to get away and hope the bird won’t follow.
:::::::
“Ramos! Don’t just stand there! Get a move on!”
Sergio groaned and moved, trying to summon enough energy to go on with the training.
“Busy night, right?” Luka cackled as he jogged past him. Sergio managed to conjure a leery smile just in time to let Luka see.
He had a busy night all right. But it was one he would be happy to never relive again.
Finding Messi was so easy that when Sergio first fell through, he was so startled that he jerked away instinctively. No wonder his kind had been hunted for centuries, all that power, all the terrible things he could do simply by closing his eyes and focusing right.
Bracing himself, Sergio submerged for a second time. Only to be forced out by Messi minutes later. But Sergio wasn’t giving up.
He hardly got any sleep that night and still he doubted he got the message across.
“Don’t fall asleep on me,” Marcelo said, thrusting his leg up for Sergio to help him with the stretch.
Sergio clasped his ankle in an iron grip and squeezed before adjusting it and letting Marcelo do the exercise. “Knee straight,” he muttered.
“Someone did not get enough sleep last night,” Marcelo panted and when Sergio glared down his nose at him, Marcelo just waggled his eyebrows.
“Enough chitchat!”
:::::::
Leo couldn’t find it. He turned the familiar path up to the rocks and when he took a few steps, the scenery changed, the shadows grew dark and the sky turned an ugly shade of silver.
A gust of wind swiped at his feet, so strong and heavy that when it came again, it stole Leo’s breath. He had to turn his face away, taking a shallow breath against his shoulder, fighting with the wind for each step he took.
A crooked tree branch hung low across the path. Leo would have to duck his head if he wanted to passed underneath it.
There was a crow on the branch, fluffing its wings and shaking its body angrily. The wind didn’t seem to affect it at all.
Leo stopped.
The crow saw him as well and ceased its erratic shaking. Its beady eyes pierced Leo. Their gazes locked.
Leo turned and run. The crow sprung into flight and went after him.
:::::::
Sergio fell back against the cushions on his couch, letting out a low moan as he stretched.
Causing nightmares was more demanding than he thought. When he first tried to talk to Messi it didn’t go as planned, so after that he decided to keep assuming his natural dream form. Perhaps it looked evil but it took the least effort. Crows were simply misunderstood.
Sergio groaned as he reached for the TV remote. Luckily for Messi, Barcelona was in a stretch of home games. Sergio switched on the TV to see how much has Messi’s condition worsened. He wondered if he would be able to tell through the screen.
He was able to tell.
He needed a better plan.
He really needed to talk to Messi tonight.
:::::::
The crow was waiting for him, a malicious gleam in its gaze. It crouched on the branch, waiting for Leo.
Leo stopped in his path, unsure. If he turned to fleet, the crow would follow. He glanced over his shoulder. The hill was steeper than he recalled. The heavy clouds promised rain. Leo glanced at where the crow was perched, it was still watching him with that unsettling, over-intense gaze.
“Hello. Come closer,” it croaked suddenly.
Leo flinched at the unexpected sound, terror choking him silent.
“Come near. You don’t have to fear me,” it said, somewhat indignant.
Leo took his chances, turned on his heels and run for his life.
:::::::
“Hey, Sergio! Where do you think you’re going?”
Sergio twirled his car keys around his finger. “Home.” He gave Marcelo his best ‘duh’ look.
“I don’t think so,” Marcelo said. “Have you forgotten about the thing tonight?”
“What thing?” Sergio asked, trying to remember what day it was and what he could have possibly forgotten.
Marcelo shook his head and run his fingers through his hair. “One day you’re going to forget your head. The thing at Cris’.”
“Oh! Sure,” Sergio exclaimed. “The thing! At Cris’. Tonight. No, of course I remember.” He grinned, desperately trying to recall what they were supposed to do at Cris’. Did someone’s birthday slip his mind?
There was no mirth in Marcelo’s tone. “Do you, now?”
“Of course. I was just… never mind.” He twirled his keys again. “I wouldn’t forget about Cris. You want a lift to his place? I hate the thing he does with his eyebrow when we arrive late.”
Marcelo’s eyes narrowed. “Sergio,” he started, tone serious.
“All right, all right. When I arrive late. Or when I make us arrive late,” Sergio relented.
“Sergio. There is no thing at Cris’ tonight.”
Sergio stilled. “But you just said–!”
“I was goading you.”
And he took the bait. Sergio crossed his arms. “Ha. Ha. Very funny. You really had me there.”
“You do remember the dinner, though, right?” Marcelo asked slowly.
“Sure, I remember. Tomorrow at seven sharp, I promise.” Sergio straightened his jacket and walked the remaining distance to his car. “I also remember that I’m driving this week so you either get in or you schlep home on your feet.”
Marcelo didn’t move an inch. “The dinner is tonight.”
“Yeah. No, not falling for that again.”
“It’s tonight and tomorrow we’re leaving for Granada.”
“Pull the other one,” Sergio snapped, getting annoyed. He opened his car and slid behind the wheel.
“It’s tonight and you said you’d give us a lift. Álvaro and Isco and me.”
Sergio found nothing amusing in Marcelo’s antics. “I will, tomorrow.” When he looked up, Marcelo was standing by the driver’s side and reaching for him. He hauled Sergio out of the car and tried to take his keys from him.
“You’re not driving us anywhere.”
Sergio would have argued but he spotted Isco and Álvaro sprinting to them across the parking lot. Sergio looked back at Marcelo and gave up on the keys.
Marcelo quieted his voice. “Is your head–?”
“I would have told you,” Sergio said sharply. “I’m fine.”
“I’ll be watching you,” Marcelo said, sitting down and putting the keys into the ignition.
“Shotgun!” Isco shouted, reaching the car seconds before Álvaro.
“Hey!” Sergio protested but by the time he moved, Isco was already struggling with his seatbelt.
“Yeah, he does that,” Álvaro said with a smile, pated Sergio on his back and got into the car.
“Sergio, get in or we’re leaving without you!” Marcelo called, sticking his head out of the window.
“It’s my car!” Sergio said.
Marcelo revved up the engine.
“I hate you all,” Sergio grumbled, throwing himself to the only remaining seat.
:::::::
Leo could barely move. He was out of breath and too scared to make any noise. His nostrils were flaring, his chest heaving. His heartbeat spiked at the faintest sound.
Wind rustling through dry palm leaves. Wings slicing through air. Something moved on the path behind him, slowly dragging itself through the dust.
Leo saw it, the creature. A tall, lean shadow of a person. Its eyes were trying to seek him out. Leo willed himself to quiet his breathing.
Then the creature snapped its head sideways and looked directly at Leo. There was no hiding anymore.
Leo struggled to get to his feet. His movements were sluggish, his legs heavy. He might just as well be running through molasses.
The creature let out a blood chilling screech and through the field, a dozen of answering shrieks echoed.
Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.
Something crunched under his feet. Leo looked down and saw that it was a crow’s talon.
:::::::
Sergio propped his legs up on Cris’ table and watched out of the corner of his eye whether Cris would notice. It didn’t take long but when Cris saw him, his only reaction was a quick twitch of his eyebrow and then Cris went back to typing something on his phone.
Disappointed by the lack of reaction, Sergio grabbed the newspaper that was on the table and flipped over a few pages, crinkling the paper as much as possible. Cris kept ignoring him. Sergio ruffled a few more pages before getting bored and tossing the paper back on the table. It opened on an article which header caught his attention.
“Hey,” he exclaimed, sitting up straight and pulling the paper to him once more. “Did you know Messi is injured?”
“Yeah. He collapsed during the last game, haven’t you heard?”
Sergio didn’t make it a habit to follow the news about their rivalling teams, unlike some other Spanish defenders he could name. “I haven’t.”
“It was all over the news.”
Sergio’s chest tightened. “Huh. Odd.” He pulled out his own phone and started typing a message to Iker.
Need ur advice.
Hello Sese. I’m fine, thank you for asking. It’s so nice to hear from an old friend.
Sergio groaned, but dutifully typed out, Hi. How r u?
Would be better if you ever wanted just to chat, no emergencies.
Nxt time, Sergio sent back.
A few moments passed and Sergio was just beginning to wonder if he would ever get a reply, when Iker asked, What do you need?
Sergio could hear the sigh loud and clear.
He quickly typed, Advice. Bout u know what. Then he thought better of it and sent another message, Urgent.
I’m not an expert, Sese.
That was beside the point. Nbdy else knows. Call u?
All right.
Sergio excused himself and by the time Cris’ door shut behind him, his finger was already on the speed dial.
He didn’t bother with a greeting or other niceties. “I really need to help someone. But all I did was get myself trapped in their nightmare as well,” he blurted the moment Iker picked up his phone.
“What did you get yourself into this time?”
“I’m way over my head,” Sergio whined. “What do you know about dark spirits?”
“About what?”
“Dark spirits. The bloodsucking kind,” Sergio specified.
“Next to nothing, Sese,” Iker admitted into the phone.
“I tell you what I know and then you tell me what you think?”
“Sure. Go on.”
Sergio took in a deep breath and then rushed to say, “The spirits are attracted to misery. They feed off it, cause more of it, victim wanes, energy is drained.”
“You said those creatures need blood.”
“Yes, that’s the final step. Which I’ve been trying to prevent,” Sergio explained.
“And you’ve been trying to help because…” Iker trailed off but when Sergio didn’t say anything, Iker went on, “Because you can see the spirits and normal humans can’t.”
Sergio pretended to take offence. “Hey! What do you mean, normal humans? I resent that!”
Iker was rolling his eyes at him, Sergio was hundred percent positive. “Back to your point, Sese.”
“My point,” Sergio said carefully, “is that I think I only made it worse.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“Because you’re a cynic.”
“I’m a cynic?”
“Yes! And you’re a–”
“–a sympathetic ear, Sese,” Iker said warningly.
Sergio deflated. “You are.”
“You were telling me how you screwed up.”
“Oh, right. I was trying to help, to warn him and tip him off, so I created these nightmares but somehow, the spirits were already controlling his dreams. When I turned those dreams, and they were really dangerous dreams, mind you, so when I turned them into nightmares, it spiked their interest and only speeded up the process.”
There was a pause. “Whose dreams?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Sergio said grumpily. “I just need to help him.”
“You already have a plan, don’t you,” Iker said.
“Well, yeah.”
“Then tell me so I can okay it and go back to my life – which you obviously don’t care about at all.”
“Not fair! I care!”
“I know. Now tell me.”
Iker listened intently and didn’t judge, and by the end of their conversation, he even promised to ask around for help should Sergio’s plan fail.
Sergio hung up, dreading the nightfall.
:::::::
The night was endless. A thin wedge of a moon was on the sky. All was still. And cold. Only a lone cricket had his concert somewhere in the distance.
Leo shivered. He was lying on his side, curled up into a small ball, hoping that the rock above him would hide him from view had any of the creatures came looking for him from the path above. Unless they could sniff him out. Then he would be completely screwed.
He saw them approach. There were nine of them, floating towards him, neatly avoiding the sharp rocks. They came from down bellow and there was no hiding.
Suddenly, the crow swooped down from the sky and flew right into the creatures. One of the spirits gave out a shriek and tried to strike the crow, but it took to the air again and got out of reach just in time.
Leo watched as it turned in the air and flew down, attacking the creatures once more. This time, more shrieks and wails and the group split, seven of the creatures chasing after the crow.
Only two creatures remained but they too wavered when the crow rounded for another attack.
:::::::
Sergio jolted awake. He didn’t recognize the room he was in and he didn’t remember getting there either.
“You’re finally awake.”
Surprised, Sergio glanced up to meet Iniesta’s determined expression. Sergio would swings his legs and get up from the couch despite the menacing tone, but behind Iniesta, he could see Piqué scowling. Sergio frowned and glanced around the room. Four chairs, two armchairs, one television, a coffee table, a framed picture of some marina and a handful of other angry Barcelonans.
Sergio waggled his fingers. “Long time no see,” he said drily. “If this is Iker’s idea of help, I’m going to kill him.”
Iniesta’s eyes narrowed. “Iker has been helping you?” Piqué crossed his arms and stretched his neck from one side to the other, cracking it noisily.
Sergio tried to smile. “Um. Yes? Sort of.”
Iniesta turned to look at Neymar. The two of them had a brief, silent conversation, one that Sergio didn’t understand. Neymar did, though, because he nodded and left the room. Instead of him, Suárez stepped closer to Sergio’s couch. “What have you done?”
“I haven’t done anything! What have you done?” Sergio sat up, glancing around the room. “What have you done to me?”
“Nothing. Yet,” said Piqué.
Iniesta shoot a glance at him and Piqué made a face but his posture relaxed a bit. “We made sure you won’t hurt anyone else,” Iniesta said to Sergio. “I knew it was your doing the moment Leo told me about his nightmares.”
Sergio looked around the room once again, eyes searching for a certain face. His breath hitched. “Where is he?”
Iniesta’s expression turned even darker. “Somewhere safe.”
“Safe?” Sergio echoed.
“Safe from you,” Piqué growled.
“You fucking idiots,” Sergio struggled to get on his feet. “You need to go get him.”
“You aren’t going anywhere near him,” Iniesta said. “We know what you are,” he added with a hiss.
Sergio stopped struggling to get past them. “If you know what I am, then how the fuck you don’t know what’s happening to him?”
“What do you mean what’s happening? He’s safe from you now.”
“I’m not the one you should worry about!” Sergio said, anger seeping into his voice. Once someone learned what he was, they were always quick to judge him. All of them. Except for Iker. Iker never judged him. “He’s not safe at all! It’s not me, it’s the spirits, I swear!”
His outburst caused the others to snarl back at him and the room erupted in chaos. Sergio hardly stood a chance against all of them but if he was meant to go down, he would go down fighting.
“I can’t feel him,” Iniesta said, voice loud and tone sharp, and all fell quiet.
Piqué released his grip on Sergio’s arm. There would be bruises later. Suárez stopped trying to crush Sergio’s windpipe. “What?”
Iniesta’s composure was quickly falling apart. “I can’t feel him at all!”
It was as if someone poured a bucket of ice cold water over Sergio. “You can feel souls?”
“Not souls, people.”
Sergio let out a relieved sigh. As long as there was a soul, there were dreams and where were dreams, there could be nightmares. “You’ve always known about me,” Sergio accused.
“Yes. About you, about Luis, about all of you.”
“And about everyone else, naturally,” Sergio added, spiteful. “So much for the natural feel of the game.”
Iniesta’s lips thinned into an angry line. “Still takes practise to feel where people are.”
“Maybe if you had practised harder, you would have felt the blood spirits rounding on your precious boy.”
“I can only feel people, not spirits.”
“Good for you. Now let go of me,” Sergio snarled. “Let go of me, all of you.”
Suárez shot Iniesta a questioning look. Iniesta jerkily nodded. Suárez and the others let go. “What do you mean, blood spirits?”
Sergio glared. “I mean what I say. Spirits. Dark, evil spirits, all over him. I noticed them when we played against you. They are following him everywhere he goes, his dreams included.”
He can see the realization crystallize on Iniesta’s face. “You’ve been trying to help?” His tone matches the incredulous expression on Piqué’s face.
“He wouldn’t get a clue,” Sergio said defensively.
“Can you get to him now?” Iniesta demanded.
Sergio nodded jerkily. “No one touches me until I come back,” he warned. “You’ve done enough damage. Pray I’m not too late.” He sat down on the floor next to the couch, crossed his legs and closed his eyes. He tried to calm his racing heart and clear his mind enough to focus on the task.
He submerged, looking for Messi.
There were wisps of dreams, there was too much darkness. Sergio couldn’t find the familiar feel that called him. It had been so easy the first time, he could slip in without having to put any effort into it. Now there was nowhere to go.
Piqué cleared his throat and asked in a whisper that was too loud, “What’s taking him so long?”
Sergio blinked his eyes open. “I can’t reach him.”
Piqué was on him that instant, grabbing his shirt and shaking him. “Try harder!”
“I can’t!” Sergio snapped, trying to dislodge him. “The spirits were after him for weeks, he’s too far gone!”
Iniesta bit on his lip. “Can you submerge when you have a direct contact?”
They glared at each other for a while, then Sergio nodded, “Get me to him.”
Piqué’s arms gripped around him, forcing him to stay in place.
Sergio attempted to wriggle free. “Let go of me you idiot.”
“You hurt him, I–”
“I won’t hurt him,” Sergio interrupted before Piqué could finish his threat. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
:::::::
The night was too dark to see anything. The air too thick to breathe. Leo was too tired to move. Let them get him, at least it would be over.
There was a slight pull, feeble, faint, like a brush of wings, there and gone the next second. It came again, then disappeared.
Someone cackled and Leo shivered at the sound. Tired, he watched the darkness around him. He knew the creatures were there, amused by his weakness. He couldn’t get away from them.
:::::::
Messi was laying in bed, chest raising and falling. His eyes were closed as if he had only fallen asleep. Sergio knew better.
He sat down beside Messi, hesitantly placing one arm on his shoulder. It was all the connection he needed. He could feel the familiar thrum beneath his hand, the familiar pattern telling him which way to go if he wanted.
He placed his other hand over Messi’s palm, pleased when his fingers twitched at the touch. Not too far gone, then.
“I’ll make sure no one disturbs you,” Iniesta said and Sergio startled at his voice, having completely forgotten he was not alone in the room.
“Okay.”
“And Ramos…” Iniesta said.
Sergio looked up from Messi’s sickly pale face. Truth to be told, Iniesta didn’t look much better but at least he was the conscious one. Iniesta bit on his lip again. He didn’t have to say anything.
“I’ll do my best,” Sergio assured him.
“Please,” Iniesta breathed out quietly.
:::::::
It was a stormy night. The wind was strong and the heavy splatter of rain mercilessly beat against Leo’s skin.
Leo stumbled on his way, loose pebbles rolling across the path. He took two more steps, then his legs gave out.
The ground was cold, poodles of rain formed around him.
To his right, there was a dead tree, its branches bare and twisted at odd angles. Leo frowned when a dark shadow separated from the tree and fell to the ground. Curiosity got the better of him and he crawled near the tree, inspecting the ground.
“You,” he said, sucking in a surprised breath. The crow’s eyes remained closed.
Leo watched it for long moments but then he couldn’t bear it anymore. Tentatively, he gave the bird a nudge.
It opened its beak and let out a faint caw, eyes blinking open. It watched him with its usual dose of disdain.
Leo watched as the raindrops hit its feathers, flattening into droplets that would slide down its body. Then, he noticed the odd way the crow was rested and the spot where the feathers were bent, sticking out in spikes.
Unthinkingly, he reached out to smoothen them.
“Hurts,” the crow croaked.
Leo jerked his hand away but the crow didn’t move. “I know buddy,” Leo said. “But you can’t stay here.” He threw a cautious glance around his shoulder. “They would get to you too.”
The crow craned its neck to look up from the ground where it fell off the tree. The look it gave him was quite quizzical.
“They are circling around, I can feel them. They’re waiting for a chance to strike.”
With a strenuous effort, the crow got on its legs, dragging one of its wings. It tilted its head, inspecting the dishevelled feathers mournfully. It was a very expressive crow.
Carefully, Leo stretched his hand and scooped it up. It squawked and tried to keep its balance as Leo helped it move from the ground to his hand. “That’s right, buddy,” Leo encouraged, “we need to get you to the safety.”
He couldn’t let the poor thing out there in the rain, for the spirits to find and destroy.
Leo rose from his knees and wavered. The crow gave out another squawk.
“Hush, they’ll hear us,” Leo admonished.
With a great care, he transferred the crow to his shoulder. He needed to have his hands free so that he could fumble around the forest, back to his house. He hoped he remembered the way.
“You okay up there?” Leo asked, slowly letting go of the crow, hoping it would keep its balance even without Leo’s support.
Its talons gripped his shoulder tightly but Leo wasn’t aware of any pain, and instead of croaking its answer, the crow run its beak across Leo’s neck in a few quick strokes that left reddened marks in their wake.
:::::::
“How is he?”
“Alive,” Sergio croaked. “Get me some water.”
A cold glass of water was pressed to his hands a few moments later. He chucked it down in a few gulps.
“They have him trapped,” Sergio explained to Iniesta who was still hovering.
“In the dream?”
In the nightmare I helped to create. “Yes.”
“What do we do? Do you know anyone we could call?”
Sergio looked at him. “Do you?”
Iniesta shook his head.
“Neither does Iker,” Sergio sighed. “Those are some fierce creatures he managed to attract. I had a run with them in his dream and let me tell you, it wasn’t pretty.”
“Is Leo hurt?”
“He’s holding on,” Sergio said, thinking of the careful hands scooping him up from the ground and gently petting his feathers.
Iniesta rubbed his forehead. “The spirits are attracted to misery and once they latch onto someone they cause even more of it, right?”
“Yeah.”
Iniesta quieted his voice. “You made it worse, didn’t you? The creatures are in his dream that you made a nightmare for Leo and they have him in a loop of misery.”
Alarmed, Sergio struggled to sit up. But Iniesta didn’t look like he was about to strangle him. His eyes were wide and he looked at Sergio with a keen expression.
“I was trying to help. To warn him!” Sergio defended himself. “He would have never believed me if I told him in person!”
Iniesta waved the argument off. “You would have been surprised. That doesn’t matter now. Ramos, you can feel the spirits, right?”
“Yeah,” Sergio nodded warily.
“And the creatures are in Leo’s dreams, right? So you could turn it into a nightmare for them.”
Sergio stared. And stared, until it finally dawned on him. Then he didn’t bother replying to Iniesta, he turned back to Leo, grabbed his arm and flung himself back into the dream.
:::::::
The storm was still raging on. Leo was shivering, he was lost and all alone, even the crow had left him. One second he wasn’t looking and then the bird was nowhere to be found. Leo hoped the creatures didn’t get to it.
At first he thought the crow was one of them, one of the spirited creatures, but it soon became clear that the creatures were something much more sinister. The eerie cloud of misery they brought with them wherever they appeared, the way Leo’s skin prickled when they closed on him, it was all too different from the way he felt when the crow was with him. Then the crow helped him when the group of the creatures were after him. The crow was an ally. And now it was gone.
The sky was cleared for a second by a flash of a lightning, then came a silence. Then the deafening thunder.
In the brief moment of light, Leo saw them. About a dozen of the creatures, not far away from him. He knew they saw him, too.
He couldn’t run.
The creatures had to win.
Leo gulped, fear spiking up. With a strenuous effort, he stood up and faced his attackers.
There was another crackle of thunder, and Leo felt the crow land on him, claws wrapping around his shoulder. It shook its wings and folded them neatly, the tips brushing Leo’s back.
“Hey,” Leo said.
The crow shifted from one feet to the other. “Hey,” it croaked back.
“You’re back,” Leo said.
The crow puffed out its chest. “I’ll help you.”
Leo shook his head. “There are too many of them this time. You should keep yourself safe.”
The crow titled its head and blinked slowly. “I’m getting you out, Leo.”
“You know my name?” Leo laughed. The sky was light by another flash of lightning. The spirits drew nearer.
The crow snuffled against his neck and Leo couldn’t blame it for being terrified. He could barely tear his eyes away from where he knew the creatures were. He waited for another crack of lightning to see how much they’ve progressed. With each of their step, Leo knew he was running out of time.
The wind picked up sharply, bringing droplets of rain in haphazard patterns. The air was crisp and salty.
The wind was so strong that soon all the clouds were gone from the sky and the night turned into day.
Leo stared.
The spirits were plain in sight now, with no long shadows to hide in. It was the first time Leo could clearly see their outlines. They were cowering in the sun.
He stood up a little straighter. He could breathe a little easier.
The crow roused its feathers and then took to the sky. It circled above Leo a few times, then it went after the spirits, who were frozen still, completely at the crow’s mercy.
“What’s happening?” called Leo.
The crow was completely focused on the spirits. Leo couldn’t see much from where he was standing. He broke into a run.
The sound of waves breaking over rocks. The warmth of sandy beach under his feet. There was a beach.
The spirits were gone.
The crow returned to him, perching on his shoulder, brushing its beak against Leo’s neck.
They went on to the beach.
Someone was standing there, Leo couldn’t see their face but his heart quickened as he approached the person.
Leo reached out. “Geri?”
But when the person turned, it wasn’t Geri. It was Ramos, with a smug expression on his face. “Guess again,” he said.
Leo gulped and pulled his hand back.
The crow fidgeted and let out a hiss that sounded like, “So weird.”
“Oh, hey,” Leo mumbled.
“What took you so long?” Ramos asked, his expression turning into something softer, his smile loosing the sharp edge and looking more genuine.
The crow grew more agitated but Ramos didn’t pay it any thought. Like he couldn’t see it at all.
Leo glanced down at his feet, dragging his heel through the sand. “You’ve been waiting for me?”
Ramos shrugged, “Not too long. Would wait forever, for you.”
:::::::
Leo’s phone pinged with a new message, startling Sergio out of the dream.
He blinked his eyes open, refocusing on the world around him again. He was still in the room with Leo. And when he glanced around, he noticed Leo’s phone on the nightstand. The screen displayed an unsaved number, a number Sergio knew all too well. He swiped his thumb across the screen to read the text, his suspicions confirmed.
Did you know crows could mate for life?
Cheeks burning, Sergio quickly deleted the message. If Leo asked, he would say it was from Iker, wishing him a quick recovery. Leo was still fast asleep and Sergio quietly slipped out of the room.
He half expected to get mobbed by angry Barcelonans in the hallway but Iniesta had kept his word and there was no one to disturb him.
Sergio got out his phone, then, after a moment of hesitation, he typed, U doing good?
Iker’s reply came right away. What do you need now?
Making small talk, like u told me to.
Shouldn’t you be with your protégé?
There was a flash of anger and denial but when Sergio furiously started to type his response, it changed into a begrudging acceptance. Since when u have Leo’s nr?
Neymar showed more understanding than you, Iker wrote back. Another message popped in before Sergio could react. So it’s Leo now?
Sergio scowled at his phone. Then he cursed, leaning back against the wall.
Iker didn’t keep him waiting, accepting the call in a few rings. “How was it?”
“It was a nightmare,” Sergio said evenly.
Iker chuckled. “But then?”
“Even worse. I found the spirits, singled them out and turned their dream into their nightmare. Their nightmare was Leo’s happiness which is, apparently, a domestic bliss. Or maybe, it was my happiness that I could focus on and Leo got dragged into it. How do I tell?”
Iker was far to amused by the whole situation. “I suppose you could ask him.”
“He’s had a rough couple of weeks,” Sergio hissed into the phone. “The last thing he needs right now is thing whole…”
“But a domestic bliss, eh?” Iker prompted, amused.
Sergio switched his phone to his other hand. “It was embarrassing,” he grumbled. “Even before it wasn’t much better. I scratched his neck with my beak and all.”
Iker laughed and laughed.
Sergio waited him out.
There was still an amusement in his voice when Iker asked his next question, “So?”
“So what?”
“So is it true that some crows mate for life?”
Sergio squeezed his eyes shut and mumbled quietly, “Some do.”
:::::::
The sea mirrored the sky above it was so calm. The water was shallow and warm. Leo smiled, dipping his arm in and trying to reach the sand on the bottom.
Gentle waves tickled his feet. Sergio’s hand snuck around his waist as he tugged Leo closer, dropping a kiss to his cheek.
Leo’s smile widened but he didn’t let himself be distracted. His fingers brushed against a few small pebbles in the sand. He closed his fist around them and pulled them out. They glistened darkly in the sun, wet from the water.
Sergio indulgently picked a few flat ones, and one by one, he sent them skipping. One by one they bounced, rippling the surface.
:::::::
Leo stirred awake. Sergio watched as a smile grew on his face, soft traces of crow’s feet forming around his eyes.
“Hey,” Leo said.
“Hey,” Sergio croaked back, then he cleared his throat.
The smile slowly vanished from Leo’s face and he withdrew his hand, too.
Sergio sighed. The silence spread. “How do you feel?”
“Better.”
Sergio nodded. “I’ll go fetch Iniesta and the others. They’ll want to make sure I haven’t killed you.”
Leo watched him get up and cross the room but before the door fell shut, he called out, “My nightmares are going to be surprisingly pleasant from now on, aren’t they?”
:::::::
There was a crow flying over the open waters. A free spirit. Leo watched it soar and stoop, tucking its wings close, falling headlong, and spreading its wings to catch wind mere seconds before it would hit the surface of the sea.
The clouds were heavy, a storm was brewing. In the distance, a crackling lighting could be seen. The sound carried over the sea. The waves reached high, relentlessly beating against the rocks.
Leo shivered when the icy droplets hit his skin. A small smile was playing on his lips. He stretched his arm skywards and waited.
It took long moments but the crow eventually noticed him and altered the course of its flight.
A few stray rays of sun broke through the heavy clouds. Where they touched, the water turned red.
The crow came to him, claws sinking into the tender skin, drawing blood. Leo watched, unmoving. There was no pain. He slowly brought his other hand up. The crow’s eyes glistened dangerously but the creature allowed Leo to lightly stroke its feathers.
“Already miss you,” Leo said. The crow shook its head and spread its wings, beak pointed up to the sky. “What? It’s true.” That got him a condescending peck to his shoulder. Leo laughed and brushed the pad of his thumb over the fine feathers on the back of the crow’s neck.
The crow leaned into the scratch. “I’ll be back.”