Far away // Unbroken

22. Night terrors

L O U I E

"Look at me. Look me in the eye." The Bird spoke directly towards me, standing inches from my face.

I slowly looked up at him, something dark inside of me.

I was met with his evil smirk, he raised his bamboo stick to strike me down but I pounced on him.

I grabbed his neck, pushing him to the ground as I kneeled over him.

His eyes went wide as I wrapped my arms around his neck, I felt his dainty hands grab my wrists, squeezing them tightly.

I looked around to see all the guards and prisoners were gone now, I looked back down at the devils spawn and my grip loosened as I saw Deja in his place, only for a second.

My vision flashed to The Bird and then Deja in dim lighting, I jumped off the bed when I realized which one was real.

Deja sat up, wheezing and coughing as she held her neck.

My hands shook when I realized what just happened, "De-Deja, I-I am so sorry." I stammered before I ran to the bathroom.

I slammed the door behind me and vomited in the toilet when what I had just done fully registered with me.

I flushed before washing my face with cold water, I looked up in the mirror to see my hair wasn't neat and tidy like it usually was.

I leaned on the bathroom door, hiding my face under my hands.

Only minutes later there was a light knock on the door, I slowly lifted my head.

"Louie? Please open the door." Deja whispered with a rasp in her voice.

"I-I'm fine, I really am." She said and I leaned my head back on the door.

"I hurt you, Deja. The person I never wanted to hurt." I said sadly.

"Louie, open the door." She quietly demanded.

I slowly stood up and turned the doorknob, my red eyes met Deja's.

Both of us were crying.

"It's going to take more than a bad dream to scare me off." She spoke softly, her neck already starting to bruise.

"It's not just a bad dream." I said honestly, sitting on the bathroom floor.

"I know." She sat next to me, leaning on the wall.

"Hey." She spoke softly, lightly turning my head towards her.

"I also know you never meant to hurt me, I know that." She assured me.

I inhaled sharply before she pulled me close, my head resting above her heart.

I began to cry, no hiding or running away anymore.

And it may sound silly, I was the one who woke up choking her, I wasn't the one being choked.. But she got me. She understands how the war affected me, because it affected her just as much.

--

D E J A

"Deja, I brought breakfast!" Harper announced happily as she walked into my room, I hushed her once she got close enough.

She looked down, looking at Louie sleeping on me as I sat there, playing with his soft, dark hair.

"What happened?" She whispered as she set some bagels on the bed, she came and kneeled down in one of her old raggedy dresses.

"They're called night terrors." I said before slightly biting my lip, tears pooling in my eyes as I looked at Louie who was damaged goods after the war. As we all are.

"You've been up all night?" She asked, I slightly nodded, "What is this?" She softly gasped as she moved my long hair out of the way.

I winced as she touched the tender spots of my neck, "Harper, please." I softly begged.

She sighed heavily, her hair in her curlers.

"We have until 5, so maybe you should get some sleep before." She said and I sighed as I looked down at Louie, I didn't want to wake him not that he was sleeping peacefully.

"He did that to you, didn't he?" She sniffled, asking about my bruised neck.

"In his sleep." I spoke under my breath, afraid if I was any louder I would burst into tears.

She told me to meet me downstairs after I got some sleep so we could get ready together, and she also had message for Louie from Pete.

When I stopped playing with his hair, he slowly stirred before sitting up.

He looked over at me and my tired eyes, I gave him a tired smile before he sighed.

"I'm so-" "You've already apologized. 33 times when you were awake and 48 times when you were asleep." I assured him.

"I feel like I need to say it again." He sighed and I chucked, "81 times is enough." I spoke softly as I placed my hand gently on his face.

"Pete wants you to go to your parents house to get ready, I'm going to take a small nap and I'll meet you around five, ok?" I said and he slowly nodded.

He got up, helping me up, too.

My back and legs were sore from sitting on the hard floor for he past few hours.

He gently took my face in his hands, he leaned down slowly and kissed me softly, a tear ran down my cheek before we broke apart.

"I love you." He said and I looked up at him as he wiped the tear away with his thumb, "I love you, Zamperini." I spoke just loud enough for him to hear me.

He kissed my forehead and I held onto his hands that held my head, he hugged me closely, his arms holding me tightly.

I inhaled sharply before I let out a small sob, I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him as close to me as I could.