In The Family [1]

(1) Phantom Traveller: Nightmares

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Bolting upright in bed covered in a cold layer of sweat panting heavily as she awoke from another disturbing nightmare, this was becoming an all too familiar feeling these days for Harriet. As she faced the darkness before her, striving to remember what details she could of her so-called dream, there was a brief image of black swirling smoke, and the sensation of plummeting at an incredible speed through the air ravaged her brain. When nothing else from the nightmare comes to her, she lets out a resigning sigh.

As her breathing returns to its normal levels, she peers over at the shape of her older brother lying in the other bed across the room. Grateful that he hadn't woken up. Providing his previous outbursts for her and Sam's lack of sleep, not wanting him to know about their persistent insomnia that was slowly getting worse with each day. The last thing they wanted was for him to feel guilty for something he couldn't control and wasn't his fault in the first place.

She stays sitting in bed for a few more minutes deciding whether or not it is worth it to get any more sleep or, in Harriet's case reverting to one of her many bad habits to avoid sleeping when the nightmares become all too much for her. Before even having made her decision, she hears a gasping beside her.

Which almost startles her now glancing over at the nearly dark outline of her twin brother, who had now shot up from beside her breathing heavily.

Resting a hand upon Sam's shoulder and Harriet gave him a knowing look as if to ask, 'you too?' said a word, Sam nodded. Sometimes they didn't sound need to say anything to one another to know neither of them wasn't okay or not in the mood to speak. Shuffling back, Sam leaned against the headboard. Harry moved back to join him, going to rest her head on his shoulder, and he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer.

Both of them were feeling helpless as the other about their problems. They knew there wasn't much they could do or say. All they can rely on is the comfort of one another for them to recover. It seemed like an endless eternity that they sat in the darkness before Harriet grabbed the tv remote on the nightstand beside her flicking the tv to live, still not uttering a word.

They just both gazed blankly at the screen, mind-numbing tv, to escape the darkness trying to cloud their thoughts as the varying colours bounced around the room, both having a silent pact for neither of them to fall back asleep. To nudge the other if they were beginning to drift off.

It was like this right through the night into the early morning, 5:15 am, to be precise; just as the morning light began peaking through a gap in the curtains, Sam now got out of bed to stand and stretched wearily, looking to his sister silently mouthing "coffee?" gesturing towards the door.