Shadows of Old

Chapter 4

My eyes shot open and tears were streaming down my face like waterfalls. I felt nausea running through me in waves and I thought I was going to throw up, but my terror was more prominent and it kept me from doing so.

I realized I was still holding Muriel's hands and some part of my mind thought that maybe I was still sick somehow. What if I somehow brought back the plague with me. What if I was still infected.

I ripped my hands out of his and stumbled back away from him. I saw the hurt look on his face but I was so concerned that I would make him sick.

I felt like part of my mind had fractured at letting all of my memories flood back in. It was so much and I...

I felt myself die again.

I think the most terrifying part was that it wasn't a warm light that you would think you would experience, but it was cold and frightening.

Muriel attempted to move closer to me, but I held up my hand in a stopping motion.

"What if I'm still sick somehow?" I exclaimed, the tears not stopping.

He moved a little closer and touched my hand. I flinched for a moment, but he examined my fingers.

"Your fingers are normal, they aren't red. And neither are your eyes." He spoke softly. "Daphne, you're not sick and you're not going to make me sick."

Muriel moved closer to me and gently grabbed my other hand. I was still hyperventilating and my mind flashed back to that cold feeling of death and I squeezed my eyes shut.

I felt big and strong arms wrapping around me carefully so as to not startle and I looked up at Muriel's face. And he was looking at me with such love and care and it immediately made me break down in his arms. I launched my arms around him and buried my face in the crook of his neck, sobbing. He just held me, plain and simple. And he let me cry.

After several minutes, my crying quieted into hiccups.

Muriel gently coaxed me off of the floor and wrapped his arm around my waist, supporting me. We made our way over to the couch and he sat down, pulling me onto his lap. I rested my head on his shoulder and he played with my hair softly.

I had fully stopped crying, but the occasional hiccup popped out. I stared at nothing in general, just dazed and out of it.

My mind continued to play through the different memories. I tried to focus on the good ones, but every once in a while, I would get a flash of being seized in the Count's chambers and being forced to swallow that beetle or lying on my death bed.

My face remained blank but a single tear rolled down my face. And Muriel reached up a hand, using his thumb to brush away the tear that had fallen.

I nuzzled my head against his neck and wrapped an arm around his waist.

"I'm sorry," I spoke quietly.

"What on earth for?" He asked.

"Being a disaster," I replied. "I can't stop crying."

He pressed his lips against my head.

"You have every reason to cry," he said quietly.

I tilted my head up and placed a kiss on his stubbly jaw. And a blush played across his cheeks. I rested my head against his chest and we sat there in silence for a few moments as I hiccuped. 

I was more thinking to myself when I said it but it came out of my mouth.

"I have no idea why you would want to find me again after you went through that," I spoke softly.