Love Me In The Dark (A Damon Story)

Chapter 4

David's POV

A coldness grips my body and I feel like I can't breathe. Something suffocates me, torments me and I struggle to survive. The air is slowly leaving my lungs and my voice is stuck in the back of my throat. I can't take it anymore. I scream silently and try to catch my breath. I am unable to move and a cold sweat runs down my body.  Everything becomes unbearable. I feel hands move my body forcefully for a few moments until I snap out of my panic and everything starts to make sense, to become real, all the fear and grief starts to recede.

"David!", I hear a slightly distant voice repeat my name. With each time it does, the voice gets closer, louder. "David, wake up!"

My eyes snap open and a gasp escapes my mouth. I sit up in bed and look around in search of what has woken me. Suddenly, my eyes meet deep dark eyes that reflect concern.  I blink a little to let my eyes adjust to the light and as soon as everything is clear, I can see Simon sitting next to me on the bed. He looks a little scared and bewildered.

"I'm sorry I woke you," is the first thing I say and then I lay my head back against the headboard. My dressing gown is slightly open, revealing my bare chest.

I've never liked people seeing my vulnerable side. I've never told anyone about these realistic nightmares that haunt me every night and I wasn't planning on my new boss being the first to know. What a mess.

"What the hell was that all about?" asks Simon. I don't know what he might have seen or heard while I was suffering in that nightmare.

I used to have these nightmares since I was a young adult but in those days it happened very rarely. I remember it happened to me once while I was on holiday. I came back from Bristol University for winter break and one night, my sister Julie woke me up terrified saying I was crying and screaming. She described it as terrifying and my parents almost called a psychiatrist. I swore I would never put my family through a similar worry so they don't know I still have these nightmares. It just had to happen today, the day Simon slept on my couch.

"It's nothing," I blurt out, not giving it a thought.

"You looked like you were going to die, David, don't fuck with me," Simon shouts. Apparently the music mogul does have emotions.

"It was just a nightmare, Simon, it happens to me all the time," I try to downplay the situation as much as I can.

"I thought....never mind...," he mutters. "I'm glad you're okay," he adds and it's only now that I realise his hand is holding mine.

It triggers something in me, something I can't explain but it's a strange, electrifying feeling. He removes his hand from mine and looks away without getting out of bed.

"They started since my girlfriend and I broke up six months ago," I murmur after a while. Something pushes me to trust him. "My depression is back, and with it the nightmares are back.

"You're quite a box of surprises, Walliams," Simon murmurs. "Her loss," this time he smiles at me and gets out of bed.

"I'm really sorry I woke you," I apologise. "I enjoyed watching you sleep," I tease him with a mischievous grin on my face.

"David, no," he warns me as if I'm one of his little dogs that he can command to stop their mischief.

I pick up my phone and turn it on and see the time. 4:30 in the morning. It always happens at the same time.

"Will you go home," I ask Simon who is standing near Bert's bed, the man loves dogs even more than humans.

"I will before the journalistswake up and I make the front page coming out of your house," he says stroking Bert's head who just stirs but doesn't wake up.