Shadowed Light

Saviour

Clara had no idea how much she wanted to kiss Toby until now. She pushed her hands through his hair which was as soft as dandelion fluff. She gasped when he gently lifted her legs up and around his waist.

Her eyes snapped open and she pushed against his chest, a sign she wanted him to stop. He did and immediately set her down, his face just as flushed as she imagined her own to be. They were both breathing hard and Clara touched her fingertips to her swollen lips.

Just then, Roland appeared, pulling behind him a very unhappy looking Ralph. Clara pulled down her dress which had risen and tried hiding her blushing face.

"This way." Roland sneered. "Get lost in the Devils home, get killed."

Clara didn't dare look at Toby as they followed the demon minion through the halls to a another hall lined with doors where they would be staying for the night.
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Clara laid awake in bed, unable to sleep or even close her eyes. Her heart thrashed against her ribs like a caged animal. It was strange how her heart still beat rapidly despite not needing it to.

She was dead. It was time for her body to realise that and stop pretending it was still alive.

The kiss with Toby was driving her mad. Her mind swirling with thoughts. Did he really mean to kiss her? Did he like it? Did he hate it? Was he acting as crazy as her right now?

Clara sat up, the thick blanket around her body falling to her waist. She ran her hands through her hair, once, twice, taking shallow breaths. She could still taste the sweetness of his lips on hers. It was driving her over the edge of insanity.

There was a scrapping sound on her door suddenly, making Clara jump a mile in the air and reach for the metal candle holder beside the bed. She sat in the centre of the bed, listening to the noise on the other side of the door.

Scrape. Scrape. Scrape.

The door opened suddenly, and Clara to stand on the bed in a fighting position. She really wasn't in the mood to die tonight. Well, die twice.

She lowered the weapon when it wasn't the the hell hound she had been expecting who walked in, but Ralph.
"Ralph?" She asked, her cheeks flaming red for her over reaction. She slowly lowered herself down to her butt, legs swinging over the beds edge. Stupid height.

Ralph looked very awkward suddenly. "I-uh..."

"What are you doing here?" Clara asked, not feeling even slightly awkward. There was something about Ralph and his silence that was so calming. Like the one steady flame through all the chaos.

"Is it Vanessa?" She said angrily. "Has she hurt you again?"

"No, no." He said quickly, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him with a silent click. "To tell you the truth, Vanessa hasn't hurt me in a long time. It's that retarded minion of hers."

Clara frowned. "Then why are you here?"

Clara had been certain Vanessa kept Ralph as a little you know, something to take out of the cupboard to play with before getting bored and neglecting.
Ralph looked neglected. There had been a kid in Clara's school who was consistently being bullied and abused. She had tried becoming his friend, but he was so scarred by the way other children treated him that he declined her offer and would roam the halls alone. Ralph reminded Clara of that boy.

"I wanted to come to see if you were okay." He said, surprising Clara.

"Why?" She asked after a moment.
Ralph shrugged, shoving his hands into his pant pockets. "I heard Vanessa call you a batie. I remember being the new guy, it's pretty tough."