Duskwood Legends [English Version]

The dawn after tomorrow.

BEEP BEEP BEEP...

The loud volume of the alarm clock instantly makes me wake up, opening my eyes immediately. The room is completely dark; not even a glimmer of light enters through the window. I move one hand blindly, proceeding tentatively, searching for my phone; it lies on the nightstand next to the bed, plugged into the charger. I manage to disable its ringer, simply by pressing one of the side buttons randomly.

Silence again; interrupted only by Jake's soft and cadenced breathing.

I shift the sheets to uncover myself as I place my other hand on my forehead. Immediately, a thousand thoughts crowd my head.

Today is the big day.

Soon, the long-awaited showdown will begin; and we'll finally put an end to this whole story.

I reach again for the bedside table, looking for the switch of the small table lamp. As soon as I manage to turn it on, the room quickly lights up, thanks to its warm soft light. I retract my hand from in front of my eyes, rolling slowly to my side, without making too much noise. Jake's face is dimly lit by the faint glimmer; he is still asleep and immersed in dreamland. So deeply peaceful and blissful, I regret having to wake him up. In the state he is in, worries and distress cannot reach him; feelings in which, at present, pours my soul instead. Not even time to open my eyes, that anxiety had already hit me straight in the stomach, vehemently, leaving me breathless.

It has been a very long, albeit short, night.

It's three-thirty in the morning. I had set the first alarm for this time so that I could finish the final preparations without haste. I'm exhausted, I think I slept no more than an hour during the arc of the night; even though Jake was by my side, with his arms wrapped around my body to soothe my fears. I don't know how long he was simply silent, his chest glued to my back, stroking my hair. Whole minutes. Maybe hours? All I know is that at one point I heard him whisper: "It will be okay..." before the tiredness took over, causing him to fall into a deep sleep.

I remain for a few seconds looking at his face, bringing my fingers close to his forehead. I caress the tuft of black hair that covers half of his face, gently moving it to the side. "Jake..." I say his name in a low voice, running my hand down his cheek, sliding slowly along the line of his shoulder.

He mumbles a faint moan, keeping his lips half-closed, before hiding his face by pressing it against the pillow. "Is it time already?" He asks softly, with the sound of his voice muffled by the padding.

I gently caress his skin, leaning over him to snap little kisses, near the hollow of his neck. "Yes, it's three-thirty in the morning..."

He rises with his upper body, resting on his elbows, but with his eyelids still closed. "We'd better get up, we don't have much time." He rubs his eyes with one hand, only to open them immediately and meet my gaze; they are slightly reddened and, coupled with the quite visible dark circles under his eyes, show all his tiredness.

Still with my face close to his, I reach out just enough to be able to kiss him on the lips. " Meanwhile you get up, I'll go to prepare breakfast." I smile widely at him; a somewhat drawn and forced smile, but I try to hide all my concern.

I don't know if I will be able to grab a bite; just the thought that in a few hours we will be in Hanson's lair makes me nauseous.

"Thank you." He reciprocates with an indecipherable smile, raising only the corners of his mouth. I think he's quite agitated too, but he doesn't want to show to not worry me. "I'd better go rinse my face. I hope this wilI wake me up." He chuckles, but this time he's not able to mask his nervousness. You can tell by the way it comes off uncertain; an unnatural, artificial laugh.