ANGEL WINGS

Thirteen

Thirteen

Jade awoke to the sound of screaming. She leaped out of the musty old bed and ran down the hall and into the living room, where Jordan was thrashing and crying out in his sleep. She knew what he was seeing. It was the same thing she'd seen after her Tearing. And she didn't blame him for the tears streaming down his face.

Gently, she woke him up, grateful for the millionth time that she no longer saw the images that Jordan was seeing right now.

"Jade?" Jordan muttered, his voice slow and thick with sleep.

"It's me, Jordan, I'm right here." She consoled him, taking him into her arms and rubbing his back soothingly.

"It was awful, Jade." He cried, "When I'm with you, the Darkness is gone. But the moment I'm alone, it attacks me." He was sobbing and shaking now and the sight of it nearly brought tears to Jade's eyes.

"It'll be okay." She told him, "We just have to stay together." After little more than an hour, Jordan entered slumber again and Jade made to leave him, hoping he would be fine.

But as she got up, she felt Jordan take a hold on her wrist and he muttered sleepily, "Please, don't leave me."

That one sentence, spoken with such need and desperation, broke Jade's heart. This boy needed her, as she'd once needed someone. But for Jade, there had been no one who could ease her depression. For Jordan, she was that person. She could help him.

With a sad smile, she climbed onto the sofa next to Jordan and, facing him, wrapped her arms around him. Before long, the both of them were fast asleep.

~*~

"GET UP!"

Jordan jerked awake at the sound of a very vocal Australian. Rubbing his eyes, he glanced at Jade, who was waking beside him. The events of the night past returned to the front of his mind and he sighed.

Looking up at Darren, Jordan groaned. A fleeting look at his watch told him it was shortly after five in the morning. He should have anticipated that training would include early mornings, but after his few hours sleep the previous night, a day of training was the last thing he wanted.

"Ya goin' for a run 'round the dam then come back here for more strength training!" Darren ordered them. The two slowly got up, stretched out their aching limbs and headed out into the chill of the morning.

The dam was nearly a mile away from the house. "Run out there." Said Darren, pointing, "Then around it, then run back."

Jordan took off, starting at a jog so he wouldn't end up walking more than half the distance. By the time he made it back to the house, his shirt was soaked in sweat and he was breathing heavily.

Jade arrived shortly afterwards and immediately they began their strength training. "Five push ups, five crunches, five squats, five chin ups. Then repeat." Darren commanded them, watching with a grin.

In that moment, Jordan hated the man.

Please let me know what you think! Constructive critisism is welcome! Please vote and comment! <3

UPDATE - Aug 3, 2015

This book is in the Watty Awards, so please vote! I love you all and it literally only takes a second!