Blood

Enlightened (28)

Chapter 28! Wow! I am nearing the end of Blood :( but I'm going to be starting Sweat soon :D! Thanks again for the never-ending support comments, reads and votes and please keep doing so!

Enjoy!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As I slept, all I did was dream. My mind was a whirlwind of torment, confusion and distress, making me toss and turn in my straw bed and break out into a cold sweat. Monique seemed equally restless; her emotions, memories and thoughts jumbling with my own and confusing us both all the more. The memories were mainly my own it seemed, pictures of Monique’s own past only occasionally passing through my mental awareness and when they did, they seldom made sense to me. Monique’s dreams seemed to mainly consist of words; short phrases and sounds so that random conversations seemed to play in my head.

 “I thought you said apricot!”

“No, no, I’m quite sure it was bird song.”

“Tomorrow!”

“Perhaps less.”

“Never again!”

“And we will be gone by sundown.”

That was the only conversation I remembered for it was probably the least queer of Monique’s words and thoughts.

It was coldness that woke me up probably an hour or so later and my body was shaking so hard that my eyes were unable to adjust to the extreme darkness in the barn.

The animals had quietened considerably now; the hens and ducks now silent, and the only noises heard were from the cows and sheep with their constant munching as they chewed peacefully on their forage.

It would have been a relaxing harmony if not for my shaking and quivering so it became a simple drone in the back of my head which soon turned into a dull headache.

I rubbed my hands together in a meagre attempt to warm myself up a bit and pulled more straw over my trembling torso. I closed my eyes and concentrated on how many clucks or quacks I could count till I once more became sleepy and my eyes began to close.

Just as I was nodding off, a loud bark shattered the quiet of the murmuring animals and was quickly followed by the alarmed calls of the poultry and waterfowl.

My eyes flew open, my heart leaping into full gear as alarm spread through me.

The barking continued loudly and I saw a flicker of light from outside which seemed incredibly bright in the looming black.

Then I heard the rough voice of the farmer, his voice carrying on the wind.

“You stupid dog! I’ll have the butcher shoot you if you don’t quiet down! You have woken up the children again and you have succeeded in stressing my wife! Curse you!”

I heard a dull thump followed by a sharp yelp from the dog.

“That will teach you! Another peep out of you and I will hit you so hard that I might knock some sense into you!”

The stubborn dog broke out barking again and another string of curses followed.

“Gah!” The man cried out, “Where are you going you scoundrel? Come back here!”

The yaps of the dog got louder and, as the beast got closer, I heard a muffled thump sound by my ear, the barking now painfully loud to my ears.

A small scream of fear and surprise escaped my lips and I jumped back, startling three ewes in the process as I bashed into their pen.