Once upon a story

Chapter Four

"Faith?!" 

My eyes flickered open to see my brother, the concern that covered his face melted away as he saw that I was now fully conscious. He had knelt by my side and then moved his weight into a more comfortable position; I pushed myself up into a sitting position so I could now face him. I lifted my hand to touch the ache that pressed at the insides of my head but it didn’t help in the slightest. I thought back to the last thing I remembered which was seeing my leg but I didn’t even feel myself falling to the floor which is a very weird idea to come to terms with. Jack was still studying me with a slightly strained facial expression, I looked down at myself. Everywhere hurt, before it felt like a fierce pain now I’m just numb.

Eventually Jack broke the silence "Don't you ever do that to me again" he closed his eyes and also reached to touch what I assume was the beginning of a headache; I noticed that there was a silent, colourless tear running down his face so I gently wiped it away in an attempt to be comforting.

"Jack, can you help me up?" I ask. His eyes shoot open and he nods, he stands first and then carefully he pulled me up. With both of his arms supporting me, we reached the kitchen together and he lifted me weightlessly onto the table. Clenching my eyes shut I pulled up my trouser leg for my older brother to examine. Jack only gasped. 

"How bad is it?" I ask my eyes still firmly shut. When there was still no reply I sighed and also looked down at my left leg.

Although my leg was covered in thick dried blood the claw shaped scars were slowly healing before our eyes. Soon they were only white lines engraved onto my skin. Jack looked into my eyes, I could see shock and concern sketches across his features but then I saw a smile playing across his lips.

"Well" he started "at least we don't have to tell mum and dad what happened" hugging him we began to laugh together, both of us were completely happy and weirdly content in that moment.

I cleaned my leg myself and got changed into my nightwear while Jack cleared up the blood by the door and in the kitchen. My completely ruined clothes were put to soak in the backroom sink which is the least likely place for my parents to visit. By twelve we were done and ready to head to bed. Although my thoughts were sprinting around in my head as I trundled up the stairs and into my bedroom as soon as my head reached the pillow I fell into a heavy sleep.

In the dream I was running. Not from fear but in a pleasant way. I was in a huge field that was framed with trees; the huge shadowing branches couldn't reach me in the clearing. From behind me I heard a laugh and felt a hand slip into mine, together we continued to run. I didn't recognise the person with me and I'm not the sort of person to hold hands but it felt right. The light was dancing and I could hear the sounds of water in the distance. I looked up into the boy’s face; I could see that he was just part of the dream. His dirty blonde hair was messy and I was sure there were a few twigs tangled in the strands and I had a strong desire to pull them carefully out. His clothes were nothing out of the ordinary, jeans tucked into boots and a dull red t-shirt but for some reason he seemed perfect to dream me. Soon he saw me admiring his look and poked me cheekily in the side, giggling I looked up into his face and continued to admire his features, he has a smile that was contagious and his eyes were really striking, they held many emotions and were a shocking colour. Bright and beautiful green.

They were the eyes. The ones from the forest. As the recognition swept across my face I felt his hand slipping away, I couldn't hold on. I screamed a name that I couldn’t remember as he fell from my grasp and then the dream changed. I was still in the clearing but the branches cut against my arms and legs but the marks they left faded. They continued marking my skin but nothing changed, my blood slipped down my limps but there were no scars. There was too much blood. Everything became red, I couldn’t see very well due to the loss of colour but I felt the heat as my originally beautiful clearing began to burn. I called the name again but there was no reply, the dream felt so real. I was so scared. I screamed out but then the noise changed, I wasn’t screaming but releasing an animalistic roar. The noise circled around me until dream became blurred and faded.

My room swirled around as I fumbled out of bed and fell onto the floor. I couldn’t see straight and I could feel my clothes sticking to me due to the sweat. Then I felt cold, I felt like I was back in the forest again. I pulled myself up into a standing position and took a large gulp of the water I keep beside my bed, the cool liquid calmed me until I was back to a regular breathing pattern. Then I stripped of my clothes and changed to a new pair, unable to go back into bed again I pulled a jumper over the vest top I was wearing and walked over to the window. With one arm cross against my chest I pulled back the curtains and looked out. There wasn’t much I could see but the moon seemed to project light across the back of my house which of cause is impossible. I don’t know how long I stood there for but eventually I felt my eyes drift to the section of the forest that is visible from my window. I don’t know whether it was because I was ill or over tired or just plain mad but I could have sworn that I saw a pair of bright green eyes blink into the world and then back into the gloom.

When my eyes felt heavy I made my way back into bed. When my parents returned home later that day they just left me to sleep, they said they could tell I was ill and I was pleased because I wouldn’t have been able to function that Sunday due to everything that had happened to me over the last two days. Very weird it has been.