The Lores of Lyra - Burning Star [Book III]

Chapter 2 - Sleepless

 Chapter 2 - Sleepless

Eric woke up bathed in sweat, his heart pounding. For a moment, he was disorientated until he felt the cold ground beneath him. Joshua was at his side in an instant, helping him to sit up.

“Are you okay?” Joshua asked.

Eric struggled to breathe, but managed a small nod. It had been that nightmare again. He knew it wasn’t real because Amelia was standing fully-grown in front of him with a seductive smile on her lips. She’d waved him closer with a finger, her lips pouting when he hesitated.

It was the same thing every night. Whenever he’d take a step closer, a group of men would ambush Amelia and hold her down while breaking every bone in her fingers. Even now, he could still hear the echoes of her tormented screams. The memory made him shiver.

“You still have no idea what it means?” Joshua asked as he moved back to his own spot. He took a stick and rummage in the last glowing coals of their campfire.

Eric watched the fire slowly build up again, and then averted his eyes to Joshua. “I have absolutely no idea,” he said.

“I’m sorry, man.”

Eric nodded. “Me too.”

His heart was still pounding. This nightmare had returned every night for the past months. Eric wasn’t superstitious, but he’d seen the powers of the magic in Astronia—there was no way to say if this were just a terrible dream, or if it meant something serious.

“Do you plan on telling her?” Joshua asked.

Eric shrugged. He didn’t know. What was he supposed to say anyway? He couldn’t just march up to her and ask her to wear protective gloves because he feared she might break her fingers. It would cause questions he couldn’t answer. He rubbed his eyes in exhaustion.

“To be honest,” he said. “I don’t know what I’ll say to her at all—she’s not a little girl any longer. Remember?”

Joshua nodded. “I know that. But that doesn’t mean you can just avoid her. She must be double as confused as you are about her age.”

“You think so?” Eric frowned.

Joshua leaned back on the ground. “If I suddenly started to age twelve years over the course of five—I’d be terrified.”

“I guess that makes sense.” Eric stretched his limbs. His back ached from having spent too many nights on the cold hard ground of Mother Nature. He couldn’t wait to be back in an actual bed—even if it were only for a short amount of time.

Glistening Forest was unusually quiet tonight. He looked to the sky and noticed the treetops moving in the wind, but there was now rustling accompanying the movement. He could sense fear creeping up on him—he didn’t like this. The stillness reminded him of the realm of the Black Holes.

It had been five years since Vega sacrificed herself for their escape. He missed her so much, and he knew Joshua did, as well. Wherever they went and whomever they met, they didn’t miss an opportunity to tell the people of her sacrifice. It pained inside, but Joshua had insisted on letting the people know about their story.

Many of the citizens didn’t believe Joshua and Eric, but that didn’t stop them. For every person who knew of the tale, there was one more person to honor Vega’s existence.

“Are you asleep?” Eric asked.

Joshua moved over on his side and leaned on his arm. “I can’t.” He pointed to his head. “You’re screaming inside my mind.”