Indigo Shadow - Hemlock

Chapter 15

Hemlock awoke early; the grayish rose sunlight of breaking dawn was shining in his eyes. He sat up quickly and scanned the room, disorientated at where he was. A thick layer of frost covered the windows. Slumping back into the twisted sheets, he realized. It was all flooding back into his mind. Loretta, being fully visible to him, and exposing her most vulnerable side to him... he closed his eyes and then reopened them to stare at his hands. They were cold and cracked; his knuckles were starting to bleed. He raised one to his mouth and sucked on the tough skin, tasting his blood, trying to make it stop. He looked around him at the dimly lit room. The morning's sunshine was sending beams onto the floor, and the smoke from the dying fire made ribbons of gray twist and turn in the room. He looked at the bedside table and saw the picture of young Loretta there, along with the precious pocket watch. He grabbed it and shot out of bed, looking around desperately.

"Loretta? Can you hear me?" he whispered, in the silence his voice seemed louder than it really was. He walked to the center of the room and held the watch to his heart. Closing his eyes, he breathed slowly, letting himself try to open his senses. He could hear his heartbeat, the tick of the miniature clock in his hand, and his ragged breathing. He pierced into his sensitivity; it was low, like a small purple flame, just waiting for the ignition. He clenched his teeth and concentrated even more and felt the urge to extend his hand, with the watch in it, out in front of him. He did so, and felt his body instantly cover in goose bumps, and the paranoia set in. Opening his azure eyes, he grinned as he saw his breath roll up in small clouds as the room temperature dropped significantly.

"I can sense you... draw from my energy, if you must. Please, I just need to see you..." he begged and was shocked with how his voice faltered. He clenched his mouth and closed his eyes again. He could feel himself shutter as the fatigue swept over him, and he knew that this was a sign that she was near. Loretta was using him as a battery. But pain soon filled his body, replacing the cold he felt. He gasped for air and fell to the floor clutching his chest. He could actually feel his energy being drawn from him, and it felt like his veins were turning to broken glass. He used all the strength he had to get to his knees, balancing himself so he wouldn't collapse again.

Then, as if breaking to the surface from being underwater, Hemlock shut his eyes and took in a gasp of air. Loretta's image fluttered in front of him; slowly at first, but then it became more and more solid, like a movie on a projection screen. He stood up and noticed how significantly taller he was than her. He stooped slightly and stepped back to give her some space; her features were set in a look of surprise, like she couldn't believe how she was coming back into this plane. Hemlock was still panting, as if he had just run a marathon.

"You came back..." Hemlock stammered, his strength returning at the sight of her.

"It has never been this easy... to come in and out of reality. The Ether's hold on me is so faint when you're around." She breathed and smiled at him shyly. She seemed more confident, but still kept a little bit of distance between them. Her face then became concerned. "You like to thrash in your sleep, as if you're being chased... "

Hemlock was taken aback. He hadn't realized how active he was in his sleep. He tried to remember what he had dreamed about, but his mind came blank. All he saw was blackness. Shaking his head, he returned his gaze to hers. Her eyes were a light blue-green, like a tide pool. He still couldn't believe she was here, in front of him; after weeks of hardship and doubt... Loretta Armond was talking with him, and had chosen him. A shaky breath rose in his throat.

"I'm scared... I feel like you're going to disappear." Hemlock whispered. He'd never felt so vulnerable. He felt like he was regressing to a phase he had never experienced before.