The Night Surfer

The Reveal

My lungs were burning, I was struggling for breath.

This time, I could feel hands gripping at my legs, pulling me down with them. As hard as I tried to flee I couldn't escape their hold.

The dim light of the moon that I could see was slowly disappearing, and soon enough, everything was completely black.

I sit up in my bed and try to catch my breath.

Sure, I occasionally had the nightmares, but never two nights in a row. This one was the worst by far, usually I would have a chance to get to the surface, a certain type of hope, but in this one it didn't.

I'm still trying to calm down my breathing, but nothing seems to be working. The feeling I had at the party when Carter was restricting me comes back into mind, the walls closing in on me. I was freaking out and I didn't know what to do.

I couldn't wake my parents, they'd only freak out and be even more worried about me. Reegan was still out of town, so I probably couldn't contact him easily.

There was only one option.

I basically fall onto the floor and crawl over to my bag, scrambling around for my phone. Hot tears were burning in my eyes and I was gasping for breath.

I manage to get to my contacts and hit the dial button.

He picks up on the third ring, "Hello?" He asks in a husky voice.

"A-Axel." I breathe heavily, hugging my knees into my chest.

He suddenly sounds more alert, "Evie? Whoa, whoa, what's going on? Are you okay?"

I was finding it hard to talk, and the room was steadily closing in on me, "I can't. Breathe."

"Okay. Evie, listen to me. I think you're having a panic attack, you need to calm down. I'm right here okay, just take deep breaths with me alright? In, and out. In, and out." He repeats over and over.

I close my eyes and follow his pattern, slowly my frantic breaths begin to calm down, and the room goes back to the way it was.

"There we go." Axel says.

I wipe the tears off my cheeks, "I'm sorry, I didn't know who else to call."

"Hey, it's okay. Does this usually happen?" He asks.

I look up to the ceiling, "No."

"Was it a nightmare?" He asks quietly.

I take a deep breath, "Yeah I think so. It was the same as the others, but different, if that makes sense."

"Have you ever thought about getting professional advice?" He asks.

I shake my head even though he can't see me, "I don't need another thing for my parents to freak out about."

"What do you mean 'another thing'?" He ask softly.

I exhale, "It's complicated."

There's a silence on the line before he speaks again, "Are you going to be at the markets tomorrow? Or maybe I should say today because it is two in the morning." He chuckles lightly.

I can't help the small smile that comes to my lips, "I'll be there."

"Good. I will too." He replies.

Something about that sentence made my heart skip a beat, as though I was excited to see him there.

"Good." I reply quietly.

"Are you going to be okay now?" He asks.

I slowly stand up and head back to my bed, "Yeah, thanks Axel."