The Great War

XIV

I sit on my couch slumped back my eyes following Theo as he moves around the room. A DVD case in one hand the remote in the other as he manually shuts all the blinds. How? I have no idea.

"Theo, sit down already." I whine sitting up and crossing my legs under me.

"I'm going to." He mumbled after shutting the last set and walking over to the TV stand. He bends down, turning on the DVD player.

"What're you doing?"

He sighs loudly and turns around throwing the remote at me. "Shut up." I pout and pick the remote up off my lap after it hit my stomach.

"You're such a bitch." I mumble and press the power button turning the TV on. He chuckles and walks over to the couch plopping down next to me and throwing his arm onto the back of the couch waiting for me to get done finishing what he started.

I huff and lean back curling my legs up comfortably and leaning into Theo's side. "What are we watching."

He looks down at me before reaching over to the coffee table and grabbing a packet of gummy-bears. He opens it and sets in on his thigh. "Finding Nemo." He mutters quietly, popping a gummy into his mouth.

"Oh! That's such a good film." I said finally shutting up as I settle myself close to Theo and watch the movie stealing some of his candy.

𖤐

I yawn and stretch my arms above my head. We were about 40 minutes into the movie, and I had to pee. I push up on Theo's leg using it as leverage. "Do you want me to pause it?"

I look down at him and shake my head, "No, it's fine I'll be quick." I walk off my socks, making me slide here and there.

I push open my bedroom door and walk to my bathroom. Not hearing my bedroom door shut quietly behind me as I close the bathroom door. I look into the mirror and stare for a moment. Clear dark circles under my eyes, pasty white skin. I honestly looked dead. I looked dead and exhausted.

I turn the water on, not really having needed to pee in the first place. I splash the cold liquid onto my face a few times before sighing and wiping it off with my hands. I look back up and behind me stood a lean and hunched black figure. It had thin skeletal arms and no face. But you could see the outline of its jaw.

I tensed up and felt my eyes gloss over, fear penetrating my heart. I felt myself stop breathing as I stare into the black sockets of its "Face". I clutch the sink counter, the water still going. Some splashing onto my knuckles as my eyes never leave the creatures.

"Theo..." I whisper hoarsely, terrified. Its arm twitches as I blink. My eyes filling with tears. Its hand, long and slender as it reaches up, it slips through the brown locks of my hair, touching my neck.

"Theo—" I whimper, my brain refusing to let me scream, or cry. It leans down its head brushing my cheek as it stares at me through the mirror. I felt its hand tighten on the side of my neck, its nails piercing my skin ever-so-slightly.

"Don't worry little girl...I'll get you too." The thing whispers, brushing my ear with its finger. Before lurching me around and shoving me into the door. The thud loud enough to alert anyone of what's happening.

I let out a scream when its hands latch onto my shoulders and its mouth opens wide showing rows of yellowing sharklike teeth, black goo dripping off them onto the floor. I grip its wrists twisting and turning screaming bloody murder until all of it stops. The creature is no longer in the bathroom.

"Daphne! Daphne, what's wrong! Are you okay!?"

I back away from the door, my body trembling to the point I had to sit down on the floor, my knees stained with the droplets of that black liquid. The bathroom door bursts open and Theo's on the floor in front of me with a panicked face.

His left hand grabs mine, lacing our fingers as his other hand goes to my face lifting it. "Are you okay? What happened?"

I squeeze his hand and sob, "Something was here, something was in here with me!" I strain out putting my arms around his neck and pulling him into a hug. Desperate to ground myself back into reality. His arms instantly go for my waist as he pulls me closer squeezing.

"Who? No one's here." He pets my hair softly, setting his chin on my head. "You're okay, it's okay..." He mumbles as I sniffle clutching onto him like a fear-stricken child.

"C'mon, get up." He quietly says hoisting me up by the hips pulling me up off the ground. I settle on my feet and Theo walks us both out of the bathroom, keeping me in front of him at all times, one hand on my waist, the other on my shoulder. He sits me down on my bed, moving away for a second to shut the bathroom door.

He comes back and settles on kneeling down in front of me, hands at my knees. "What happened?"

I inhale sharply and rub my eyes, "Somethings happening. I–I don't know what it is. But it's been going on for weeks, months even. I keep— seeing these things. I don't know what they are." I whisper, scared of being rejected, being called crazy. Especially by him, I couldn't handle losing him.

He stares at me for a few seconds before nodding, "Okay... I believe you, what do you see? What do they look like?"

I shakily lift my hand and grab his, "They're usually just shadow people, once or twice they were human like. They're in my dreams now. It's like I can't get away." I mutter, Theo squeezes my hand and gives me a small smile.

"It'll be okay, alright? I'm right here." He leans up and hugs me tightly, "I'll make sure these things don't hurt you; I promise."

I nod and sigh into his shoulder. Bunching up the back of his shirt, finding comfort in his warmth and his smell. He pulls back after a few minutes, cupping my face. "How about you get some sleep, okay?"

I felt fear hit me again as I shake my head, "No, I don't want to. What if—"

He cuts me off, shaking his head. "It's okay, I'll be here. Alright?"

I slowly nod and scoot back on the bed curling up as he gets in next to me. Letting me scoot in close to him. He hugs his arm around my waist pulling me in as I close my eyes. Subconsciously I put an arm around his torso and bunch up the side of his shirt, almost like a safety rope. So, I know he's still here with me, even while I sleep.