Ascension (Nanowrimo13)

Ascension [3]

Chapter 3

Blood. There was so much blood. Sightless eyes started up at Colbie as warm life blood gathered around her bare feet. She recognised those eyes - that face – she even recognised the blonde hair that had been hacked off and was lying in sorry looking tufts all over the floor.

“It your turn now.”

There was a glint of yellow crooked teeth in the shadows before a blade came hurtling through the air, passing so closely by her face that she heard the air screaming. With a thud it lodged itself in the wall at her back.

The phantom in the darkness chuckled darkly, taking great joy in her fear.

“Come on Princess, it’s time to play.” With another laugh, one that rivalled any villain, the shadowed figure stepped forwards out of the darkness and out into the moonlight. 

A loud scream rent through the air.

With chest heaving and sweat beading across her forehead, Colbie forced her mouth to close. As her teeth clicked together the high pitched sound cut of abruptly. Her hand flew to her throat rubbing the skin in an attempt to soothe the soreness.

Sighing, she swept her hair back from her face and peered into the gloom. Already she could feel the last vestiges of her dream fading but the fear and terror still remained. Shuffling towards the edge of her bed, a shiver coursed down her spine as the cool air hit her clammy skin.

It had been the same routine since the party nearly six weeks ago. Every night, Colbie would startle awake in a panic, her sheets twisted around her body as if she had been fighting some unseen foe in her sleep. The screaming was new though.

A gentle tapping sounded on the door.

Groaning and still bleary eyes, Colbie pushed free of the covers and stumbled her way to her bedroom door. A quick glance through the spyhole revealed a sleepy and very rumpled Max.

Yanking open the door, she smiled wearily at her first true friend. Before she could even attempt to make polite greetings he stepped forwards and pulled her into his arm, not even caring that he was only in his boxers. Colbie thought that her father would be half way towards a coronary if he could see her now. But he couldn’t. 

She gave in and wrapped her arms around him, taking in the comfort and letting Max’s soothing presence chase away the last of her nightmares.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Colbie shook her head.

“No, it was just a bad dream.”

Max didn’t say anything else. He just held her slight and trembling form in his until she stilled and started to slump up against his taller frame.

“Go back to bed,” he murmured, keeping one hand wrapped around her even as he used the other to rub at his tired eyes.  

“I can’t. If I sleep, the dreams come.”

Max ignored her protesting and pulled her towards the bed, tucking her in and smoothing the bed covers over her.

“Now close your eyes and count sheep. I’ll watch over you.”

“Thanks Max.”

She closed her eyes and relaxed her breathing but no matter how hard she pushed, sleep wouldn’t come. After much huffing and puffing, Max chuckled wearily and sat on the edge of her bed, carding his fingers through the ends of her hair.

“If my dad knew you were here, he would have a heart attack.” Colbie murmured, her eyes blinking in the darkness while her gaze drifted to the glowing digits on her alarm clock. It was barely five in the morning and yet she knew that there was no way sleep was going to come back again now.