𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐂𝐊- 𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐌𝐒

Chapter Five

Grieving The Gone 

2564 words 

"Aurora!" Aurora shot up from her position on the couch and looked around. Small whimpers were echoing around the room until another quiet mumble for help could be heard. In Aurora's sleepy mind she didn't realize where these sounds were coming from until she looked down at the sleeping girl that now laid against her stomach curled into her sweater. "Aurora?" Aurora was going to respond but realized that Ellie was still asleep, it was a nightmare. Gently she moved to shake Ellie's shoulder, soft enough not to scare her but hard enough to wake her up. "Ellie." The whimpers got louder almost turning into small screams Ellie's face contorting into different emotions second by second. Fear, anger, fear, anger.

"Ellie!" Aurora became concerned shaking her harder to make her stop. Ellie shot up nearly smacking her head on Aurora's and backing up gasping for air. "Hey, hey it's ok it was a nightmare." Aurora leaned forward but didn't grab Ellie not wanting to make her feel trapped opting to set her hand on hers. "You were dead." Aurora's heart twisted finally making her lean forward and hug Ellie letting her put her face in Aurora's shoulder. Ellie hugged back tight, tighter then Aurora had ever been hugged. Aurora let her stay like that for a while thinking about what the nightmare showed her coming to the conclusion it had to have been bad for her to wake up like that.

 "I need air." Ellie muttered after a while letting go of Aurora who nodded "Alone?"  Ellie returned the nod looking at the ground almost like she was waiting for approval, "Take your time. Be careful okay?" Ellie got up and slipped her shoes on walking out with one last glance at a now half asleep Aurora now laying down rubbing her eyes yawning. The door shut behind Ellie and Aurora opened her eyes into the darkness for a moment the only light coming from Ellie's window the moonlight creating a blue glow in the room. Aurora stood up and stretched her shirt riding up her stomach her arms stretching high into the air. She yawned once again and cracked her neck walking into the bathroom. Doing her business she came out and walked to the bed scooting in towards the window trying to get a better look outside. 

Jackson's streets were practically empty at this time of night with one or two patrolmen walking through. Aurora laid down facing the wall back to the door and began to drift back to sleep when the door opened quietly and then shut. Aurora listened to Ellie slip her shoes off and creep towards the bed but didn't move any farther. "I'm sorry." Aurora turned around her eyes settling on Ellie who's hair had fallen out of the usual bun now half down and half in a smaller bun. Her eyes were down looking at her hands nervously her voice quiet and shaky. "For what? It's ok we all get nightmares, remember our old sleepovers?" Aurora thought back to when they'd both get a nightmare and up at one another's house talking or just hanging out all night until the sun came up. 

"You shouldn't have to deal with it-" she sat down on the bed, "you shouldn't waste your time." Aurora fought back the urge to shake her and sat up leaning against the bed frame "You really don't get it?" Ellie looked up at Aurora her eyes filled with worry almost fear, her hands playing with each other trying to calm her nerves. "Ellie you have been one of the only people to actually be consistent in my life. I get the loss, the feeling of emptiness of watching someone so close be killed I think you forget even though we laugh now and act happy, we all have a story or two we want to forget." Ellie looking towards her wall avoiding Aurora's eyes. 

"You remind me of my dad. He loved superheroes and sports especially basketball. His favorite thing though was reading, he loved to read. He'd read me bedtime stories every night creating elaborate storylines and characters. He was amazing." Aurora spoke in a light voice whispering at some point tears creeping into her eyes though she choked them back. "My mom on the other hand was always cold with me, she always compared me to herself and other kids. Sometimes it was like she only spoke to me because she felt like she had to. I was a burden to her." Aurora leaned forward closing her eyes for a moment the opening them feeling Ellie's eyes on her but she didn't want to look over, then her tears would be harder to control.