SCYTHE

8.𝑨 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍

"Why does he keep doing this?!" I punched my fists against the bed.

I wanted to get up and look for Madeline, but I was scared that when I entered the hall, I would see him there, lurking in the dark.

As I grabbed the comforter, I covered myself up to the tip of my nose. I bore my face into Madeline's pillow and caught the scent of her vanilla perfume.

It made me calm down so unbelievably fast that I closed my eyes and let myself go to sleep. Somewhat during the night, cold fingers crawled onto my stomach, and I was happy to know they weren't the Grim Reaper's; however, I wasn't quite sure why they were Madeline's.

I rolled to the other side, unable to see her face. She kept her hand around my stomach.

"You had a nightmare. I tried to calm you down." She whispered.

"Where were you before?" I wondered, dodging the whole topic of her hand touching my stomach.

"Oh, sorry. You looked asleep, so I went outside for a smoke." She withdrew her hand. The smell of cigarettes hit my face as she spoke.

I wrapped my hand around her shoulder, boring my face into her chest. A tear slowly began to run down my cheek. I've been holding everything inside for too long. Like a balloon that was on the verge of bursting. Death sudden visit scared me, that I almost shit myself.

She neither questioned my actions nor uttered a word. She understood that I didn't want to be questioned. I only needed her comfortable arms.

Grandma always comforted me when I came home from school, and the kids bullied me or said insulting things. But she never offered her arms to me.

Her soft hands were rubbing my back slowly. I almost fell asleep. I could smell all kinds of flavors emanating from her body. From the smoke to a strawberry shower gel, she cleaned her body before we went to bed.

Her hair was tickling my face slightly. I smiled. Why do I have a feeling that this is not usually happening at sleepovers? Despite that, I didn't want to move away from her. I didn't want her hands to stop rubbing my back.

I hate what I'm feeling deep inside, I thought.

• • •

A warmth surrounded me from each side of my body. It was like lying before the fireplace. Except you couldn't hear the wood cracking.

My hand emerged from under the comforter. And as I thought, I was hidden deep inside the covers; that's why I felt the warmth. I pushed the comforter away from my face and turned to the right to see Madeline still sleeping.

She wore an oversized gray T-shirt and only panties. I guess she wasn't joking when she said she doesn't wear sweatpants to sleep.

Her body was perfect from every angle. No flaws could be seen. It was almost like she was created by an angel.

I stretched toward her face, supporting my body with my elbows. My hand hovered above her nose. I had the urge to gently drag my finger across it.

And my intrusive thoughts won.

I placed my index finger at the bridge of her nose and leisurely dragged it until I reached the tip.

Her eyes shot open, and a tight grab of her hand on my wrist startled me. Her brows arched, and her eyes popped out of her skull.

It took her a couple of seconds before she released the strength of her fingers around my wrist. Her brows softened, and her eyes blinked repeatedly.

I withdrew my hand, caressing my wrist as it slightly hurts.