Night Fright

Chapter 3 of Banished for Love

Jeremy’s Point of View

 

It had stopped raining, so I jog across the street and back up to my room. I can’t let Kelsey be alone in that house tonight, so I yank on some dry pjs and head back over. Kelsey looks exactly how I left her, sitting on the edge of her bed staring blankly at the floor. She turns her head to look sadly up at me. I send her a small smile; she manages to raise the corner of her mouth infinitesimally in response. I cross the room to sit next to her on the bed and place my hand lightly over hers. She lays her head on my shoulder with a heavy sigh and looks at a large oil painting hanging above her bed. I recognize the scene almost immediately.

 

“You painted our meadow,” I murmur.

 

It wasn’t a question, but she nods anyway. “The first day you took me there. I came home and painted it. It was the one I was most excited to show you when you came over. Before...” Kelsey trails off in a small voice, fresh tears welling in her eyes and dripping onto my shoulder at the memory.

 

“It’s beautiful,” I say, laying my head atop hers.

 

“Yeah, I guess it is,” I can practically feel her mood lighten a little. I’ll have to give her time. Having your wings ripped off justifies a bit of catatonic shock. She yawns hugely against my arm.

 

“Come on, you’ve had a long day. You need some sleep,” I say, coaxing her under the covers. “Good night,” I kiss her forehead. Not wanting to make assumptions, I head off to sleep on the couch, though I’d rather stay upstairs in case Kelsey needs anything, so perhaps in an empty bed.

 

“Wait,” Kelsey calls to me quietly, almost hesitantly. “Don’t go. Please.”

 

I turn to her and the look on her face is so frightened I feel my heart ache. I walk back across the room with a reassuring smile and slip under the covers beside her. She curls into my side, laying her head lightly on my shoulder. I wrap my arm around to stroke her hair.

 

“Sweet dreams,” I whisper before she falls into a deep sleep.

 

***

 

*dream of Jeremy being tortured by Satan while Kelsey is forced to watch*

The last thing I saw was Satan snapping Jeremy's neck, his head whipping at an unnatural angle to face me. I high keening sound burst from me as I watched the light drain from his Emerald eyes. Satan's eyes met mine and a wicked grin split his face as he discarded Jeremy into a pit of lava.

 

I bolt upright in bed, screaming. Immediately, Jeremy’s hands are on either side of my frightened face.

 

“What happened?” he asks as his tired eyes search mine.

 

I lean into his hands with relief. “Nightmare; a horrible, terrible nightmare,” I whisper, trying to catch my breath.

 

“Don’t worry, it was only a dream,” he replies. Jeremy lays back onto the pillows, pulling me down with him. It fractures my already broken heart to know that I’m lying on his shoulder, that he’s stroking my hair, to have a vague sense of the warmth radiating off his body so close to me but not be able to really feel it. 

 

The stories were right; lacking senses is torture.