A Promise

Chapter Forty-Three

The minute my eyes shut, images of people's faces flashed through my mind. First, it was my father's face. He laughed at me and told me that deep inside, I was still his daughter, and I would never truly be a good person. I protested, but he refused to listen. Then, his face transformed into Montparnasse's. 'Parnasse gave me a sickening grin.

"I'm still waiting for our wedding day," he said, winking at me. Then, blood spurted from his chest, and he fell down, dead. I gasped and backed away quickly. Montparnasse's body began to rise up slowly. I realized that it was no longer Montparnasse. It was Vauquelin. Vauquelin sneered at me and told me that it had been a mistake to set me free and that he was on his way to rearrest me right now. Then, his face morphed into Monsieur Girard's, my sadistic prison guard. He raised his hand and smacked me across the face. I tried to cry out in pain, but he covered my mouth and nose with his hand. I tried to breathe, but he would not release me. My head spun as I began to suffocate. Finally, just as I began to feel like I was going to pass out, he pushed me forward and I fell flat on the ground. I stood up, but I realized I was in my prison cell once again. I banged on the door, trying to force my way out, but Girard refused. I screamed. The walls of my cell began to push inward, and the room began to shrink. If I didn't get out now, I would be crushed by the walls. I screamed louder. Girard laughed like a hyena. Slowly, his laughing face morphed into Enjolras'. I called out to him, but he shook his head sadly.

"Let me out!" I begged.

"I can't," he said. "It's for your own good."

"Please!" I screamed.  Enjolras simply stared at me with sad eyes. The walls of my cell continued to cave in around me. I started to hyperventilate. I was going to die...

I woke with a start, still breathing heavily. I stared around the room, expecting to see the walls closing in around me. Although I knew the dream was not real, the walls of the room did seem to be caving in. I had not realized how small the room was until this moment. I gasped, clawing at the wall beside the bed. I had to get out now. I threw the bedsheets off of myself and fell to the ground. I was drenched in sweat. My heart pounded in my chest and my head spun. I tried to get up, but I found that my legs were shaking so badly that I couldn't stand up. I wrapped my arms around my frail body and began to cry.

The door to my bedroom opened suddenly. I looked up to see Enjolras at the doorway.

"Are you all right?" he asked. I didn't respond. I was too busy hyperventilating.

Enjolras walked up to me and gently placed his hand on the small of my back. He rubbed my back in small circles until my breathing slowed down to normal. "Can't sleep?" he asked. I shook my head.

"Nightmares," I muttered, wiping tears from my eyes.

"Me too," Enjolras said. I noticed his eyes were red and moist. "Thanks to you I did not have my evening bottle of beer to chase away the bad dreams." He said this not unkindly, but rather in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.

"What was your dream?" I asked as Enjolras helped me back into bed.

"The same one as usual," he said. "I see the faces of the fallen, staring at me with dead eyes. But I thought about what you said earlier, and it helped me a little."

"What did I say?" I asked.

"That maybe they do not come to haunt me. Maybe they come to show me they are in a better place now, and it's time for me to move on."

"It's true," I said.

He was quiet for a moment. "Maybe," he replied. "So what was your dream about?"

"I don't want to talk about it," I said shortly.

"I told you about my dream!" Enjolras protested.

"Fine," I relented. "I dreamed I was back in prison and the walls to my cell were closing in around me. I was about to be crushed by the walls, so I called out to... someone to help me out, but he said no."

"Going to jail must have been a terrible experience," Enjolras remarked.

"Well, it certainly wasn't a walk in the park," I said. My voice was bitter. Enjolras must have heard the pain hidden behind my sarcastic remark, for he held me closer to him and gently kissed my forehead. It wasn't a romantic kiss, though. It was a kiss of comfort and friendship. Still, it was something.

The two of us were silent for a very long time. Finally, Enjolras cleared his throat. "If you want, I'll go back to my room," he offered.

The thought of being alone again caused panic to stir in my heart. "No," I begged. "Please stay, Enjolras. I'm afraid of the nightmares."

Enjolras seemed relieved. "Good," he said, crawling into bed next to me. "I'm scared too."

I let myself relax in his comforting embrace. I felt safe in his arms, and I could sense that my presence also gave him a sense of security. Gradually, we both fell asleep, and neither of us were disturbed by another nightmare.

 (Author's Note: I just wanted to say that you all are amazingly wonderful! I am overwhelmed by the number of votes and comments on this story. Your comments make me so happy!! Thank you so so much for all your support!)