Caught in a Chrysalis

Chapter 1 - Chrysalis

Dim lights flicker.

The distant sound of children's laughter resonates all around, like a never ending peaceful echo.

Visions and images just out of focus surround me, with colours of a life passed and present.

I can hear thoughts.

I can feel something feather soft against my skin.

I can smell something musty, yet sweetly fresh.

But I can't see. It feels like a thin film encases my sight, so everything is just out of focus, just out of reach.

I am Alienated.

I am trapped.

...

BEEP...BEEP...BEEP... My alarm sounded waking me gently from my sleep.

When I woke, the rain was pounding heavily on the roof of my flat. It was a dreadful sound but the one thing that made it ok was Noah lying next to me, snoring peacefully.

I leant over and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead, before getting up and making my way to the kitchen for breakfast.

Just as I'd finish laying the cutlery down on the table Noah walked in rubbing his eyes and yawning before taking a seat in one of the plastic chairs surrounding the small table.

"Good morning" I chirped, walking over to stand between his legs.

"Good morning" he replies slightly more lively than he looked.

"Are you hungry?" I asked.

"Not really." He replied yawning again and pulled me onto his lap.

"What do you want to do then?" I asked hoping he would say something interesting it was the weekend and I had had a hard week at school. Constantly revising and preparing for my A-level exams. It was my last term in school before I went to uni to study Veterinary science.

I'd always wanted to be a vet and I was almost there. Nothing was stop me.

I was pulled from my thoughts when I heard Noah call my name...

"Lucy, Lucy are you ok?" he practically screamed.

"Yeah, fine." I casually replied.

"Good" he said placing a small kiss on my lips before lifting me off of his lap and onto my feet.

"Where are you going?" I questioned as he walked out of the room even though it was obvious he was going to get dressed.

"I'm going to the bedroom to get dressed. Where did you think I was going?" He replied nonchalantly.

"I...I...I don't know." I timidly answered him slightly frightened by his mood that morning. He was never usually this grouchy, he didn't seem himself.  It was almost as if it was a dream.

After spending twenty minuets trying to help the tired sleepy man that I loved, get dressed, we were on our way to Sainsbury's to get some groceries and some new t-shirts for Noah all of his were either ripped or covered in paint. He never been bothered to get them washed properly in a dry cleaners.

. . .

When we finally arrived back it was past twelve o'clock and Noah had fallen asleep in the car. I reached out to touch his face, but something made me retract my hand before I did.

"Noah we're home." I said and gently nudged him. He did wake so I decide to leave him there while I took the shopping inside.

Once I'd put all the shopping inside I made my way back to the car. Noah was still sleeping, but now he was slumped over the driver's seat, and I giggled a little. He must have been really tired. I thought to myself.

I didn't really want to wake him up but if I left him in the car he would have frozen. The temperature had dropped significantly since the morning.

"Noah" I whispered in his ear.

"Lucy" he said back.

"Noah you need to get up." I gently shook him this time.

"Where are we?" he asked rubbing his eyes.

"We're in the car Noah." I said softly, going to run my hand across his face, before something stopped me again.

Strange.

"I'm sorry I woke you up but it's really cold and I didn't want you to freeze."

"Ok" he plainly answered. "Did you take the shopping inside?"

"Yeah, I wanted to let you sleep."

"Great" he mumbled with sleep in his voice, getting out of the car. I did the same and locked the car behind me.

Noah waved his hand at me a signal for me to come over.

I walked over to him and he took the keys off of me and put them in his pocket. He then swept me off my feet and into his arms. He carried me up the stairs and to the door. He fumbled with the keys to open the door, and I laughed at the deep scowl on his face. Soft, deep wrinkles were showing on his forehead as he grew increasingly frustrated.

Once he had opened the door he carried me inside and took me to the bedroom. He playfully rolled me onto the bed and climbed on top, kissing me and playing with the collar of my shirt.

I liked this more playful side of him. Somehow it was comforting to me.

I thought of this as I drifted of into a deep slumber.