"We're here," Charles told Sheryl as the car parked outside a dilapidated warehouse. He got out of the car, went around to the passenger side, pulled the door open and said,"You can get out now."
"Where are we?" Sheryl asked. There was a certain?hesitation?in her voice. The place was unfamiliar to her but she could feel a familiar sense of fear instinctively. It was as if something untoward and terrifying was about to happen.
"Don't be afraid. I'm with you," Charles comforted her and held her hand. "Come on, I'd like to show you something." Charles' gentle voice allayed Sheryl's fear.
She looked up to him. His eyes seemed to be so magical that Sheryl plucked up enough courage to face her fear. Holding Charles' hand, she got out of the car.
For some reasons, she just trusted Charles.
She could not bear to see the slightest hint of sadness in Charles' beautiful eyes.
Charles then led her to the warehouse. While holding her hands, he could feel that Sheryl's hand was still as soft and comfortable as it had been three years ago.
It was about a ten-minute walk from the parking area to the gate of the dilapidated warehouse. Sheryl didn't say a word along the way. The closer she got to their destination, the more upset she felt.
Had Charles not been by her side, she might not have had the courage to go on.
"Here we are," Charles said when they arrived at the gate. He then turned to look at Sheryl and asked,"Do you remember this warehouse?"
"What is... this place?" Sheryl questioned. Her high-pitched voice denoted her panic. Her face was white as a sheet and her lips trembled with fear. She had dreamed of this place many times before and they were nightmares for her. She didn't expect to be in front of this building right now.
"What the hell is this place?" she cried out and tightened her grip on Charles' hand. When Charles noticed her uneasiness, he put his arms around her.
"Don't freak out. Let's go inside and have a look," he said softly.
Charles knew very well that this warehouse was Sheryl's worst fear. The reason why he brought Sheryl here was for her to finally conquer her fear. He wanted Sheryl to realize that this place was not as scary as she thought.
This was also one of the ways that he could make Sheryl feel that no matter what would happen in the future, he would always be there for her. He would face all the difficulties with her.
In her terror, the sense of suffocation that she felt in her nightmares swept over her. She didn't even know how she got into the warehouse. As she looked at the familiar surroundings, she shivered.
Charles held Sheryl in his arms again and caressed her back to calm her down. "Don't panic. It was all over. I'll never let it happen to you again," he said lovingly, as if soothing a child.
Being in Charles' arms for a good while, Sheryl finally calmed down a bit. When she found her voice again, she whispered,"Why did you bring me here? What is this place? Tell me, please."
"This was the last place my wife went before she disappeared," replied Charles in an unwavering voice. But Sheryl knew that no one could ever understand his grief.
"Why... Why did she come here?" Sheryl asked gently, looking into Charles' eyes.
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