Don't Be Afraid (Stranger Things Fanfiction)

A Helping Hand

Denise's P.O.V.

   "There you go." Mortifer said as he set me down on the bed, and I almost moaned at how good it felt. Crawling through a forest for hours...this was a much welcome, and needed change.

   "Thank you. Really."

   "Not a problem." He replied, an easy looking smile coming to him. "What would you like to eat?" My normal course of action would be to decline such an offer, but the all too evident fatigue and aching stomach convinced me otherwise.

   "Something breakfast related, if that's alright." I hesitantly ask, not wanting to seem demanding of the one whom had taken me in. Plus, I still really didn't know alot about this young man. There was something familiar about him though.

   He chuckled, probably since I'd asked for breakfast in the dead of night. "You got it." He chirped, and left the room. A few seconds pass and I hear the stove click on, followed shortly by the breaking of eggs, and then laughter at what I can only guess is a mishap. This, despite everything, makes me smile.

   But now that I'm alone...

   I quickly, but quietly shuffle around the room, searching through drawers and the like for some sort of weapon. It's not that he'd given me cause for such precautions but better safe than sorry.

   Finally I found a knife, or a more appropiate term would be dagger. I then made my way back to the bed, sliding it under my pillow, and proceeded to wait for my apparent host. It wasn't much longer until he strode back into the room, tray in one hand, pitcher of water in the other. He set them down on the bedside nightstand with a simple, "Here you go!"

   I took one look at the tray and felt my world get brighter.

   Now this man could cook!

   "You mind if I just...?" I trail off gesturing towards the tray.

   He seems to get it. "Oh! Of course, I will be around so if you need me just call out for me, alright?" I nod and he leaves the room. There is a short pause before my endeavor of destroying all of the tray's contents. Let's just say, that food didn't stand a chance.

   After about five minutes afterwards I feel the rush of enhanced drowsiness come over me. That, on top of my already nigh incapacitating fatigue, had my eyes begging me to shut them. I briefly debated sneaking out but thought better of it.

   No, this could work for now.

   With that thought I finally gave in to the beckoning blackness.

---

   I awoke to the sound of birds singing and sunlight filtering through the windows.

   Gotta admit, I have no idea if I'm still dreaming right now.

   Taking in my surroundings a second time I notice the refilled water pitcher and the missing tray. Hm...I reach under the pillow, finding the dagger is, surprisingly, still there.

   I try to get up, somehow having forgotten that I have very limited use of my legs, and consequently collapse onto the ground, making a bit of  commotion.

   "Damnit." I mutter.

   Swift footsteps make through way to my room's door, revealing Mortifer, still getting used to that name, who immediately made to help me up, but I halted him with a raised hand. He stopped, a confused demeanor quickly spreading across his features.

   "I want to do it myself." I clarify for him, while raising myself to a sitting position on the edge of the bed. Once I was comfortable, I took in my gracious host again, noting his features were rather...ahem, desirable. Don't even get me started on the hair. It just didn't make sense. I mean, typically gravity is supposed to pull down people's hair. That being said, it seems to have made an exception with him.