Romantic One Shots & Imagines

One Shot #61: Frightful Figmentation

     Darkness surrounded Amelia's vision as her eyes twitched in every direction. What she saw just a moment ago was no longer in front of her, but she could still feel it. She was sure that they were behind her, standing at the foot of her bed, watching her. Does she turn and look, or does she stay with her head in the pillow? Soon she learned that she had no choice. Amelia's body was held in suspension, unable to move. It was as if her mind was no longer connected to the rest of her body. Fear was like a wave, rushing down her body. It cast a paralyzing spell in her disadvantage. She fell into submission; waiting, watching for any sign of movement. She felt them coming closer, but were they really there? Why couldn't she move? She let out a desperate sigh as she attempted for the fifth time to gain control of her body.

     She could hear his voice flowing through her head. She wanted...she needed him there. She imagined him lying next to her. None of this would have happened if he was there with her. She heard his voice and it was as clear as day. She remembered him counting to ten trying to get his little brother back to sleep. He would always be snoring by the time he reached nine. One by one, Amelia counted on. "One, two, three..." She closed her eyes. "Four, five, six..." Her heart slowed in pace and her muscles loosened in ease. "Seven, eight, nine..." She took a deep breath. "Ten."

     Her paralysis subsided as did her tormentors. It was still dark, but Amelia could no longer feel anyone's presence. Slowly, she threw her legs over the edge of the bed. The moonlight through the windows were her only guide. The hallways were long and intimidating. She prayed for courage, at least enough for her to make it.

          Amelia knocked on the door as quietly as she could as to not wake up the others. "I had a nightmare." Her whispers suspended in the cold air as he took his time to mentally wake up.

          "Come in." Eli whispered back. He held the door open for her. She'd never seen his room before and had not thought for a previous moment if going in was entirely appropriate. "Make yourself at home." He says with a light chuckle as he scratches the back of his head. His usually tame curls sprung about his head in the most unruly manner.

          "Can I sit down?" Amelia asks. He nods.

          "What was your nightmare about?" He was met with silence. "If you want to share." He sat down next to her at the edge of his bed.

          She shrugs. "I don't remember much." She turns to him, only able to see parts of his face. "I guess that's a good thing, because I remember the fear and I don't want to ever feel that way again."

          He gazes at her before pulling her down into a hug. "It's ok, Amelia."

          "I couldn't move..." Her voice cracked into a whisper. "I couldn't move."

          "Shhh. It's ok. We don't have to talk about it."

          "I didn't know where else to go." She admitted.

          "You can always come to me." He held her, calmly drawing circles on her arm with his thumb. "Do you think you can sleep?" Amelia shook her head. She was exhausted but could not bare the thought of seeing them again. With her head on his shoulder, Eli coaxed her to move with him as he layed back onto the bed. "It's ok to be scared. I get scared too."

          "That's impossible." Amelia jokes.

          "I wouldn't be human if I didn't get scared." Eli looks down at her. "You know, you have nothing to worry about."

          "How can I not worry? I know you know what's going on out there."

          "Because as long as I'm here, I'll protect you." Amelia stayed quiet, not knowing how to respond. She knew how she felt; the warm feeling that spread from her heart. She wasn't sure how to interpret it out loud.

          "Thank you." She whispers, unsure if he heard her.

          "My father used to tell me this story of when he was very young. Every time he'd wake up from a bad dream, his father would take him outside to the well that they had in their backyard. My grandfather told my dad that he wanted to see how deep the well was. My dad asked him how he would do that at night and my grandfather said that he would count until he heard a plop. He would then hold my dad with one hand and take a coin out of his pocket with the other to drop it down the well." Amelia thought back to the same memory that had comforted her earlier. She had watched Eli pick up his six year old brother and hold him as he slowly counted. She began to hear him do the same. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten..." He was silent for a moment. Her head was lying on his chest and her body rose and fell in peace. Eli noticed that she'd fallen asleep. No one ever seemed to stay awake for the plop.