In A World Like This

Nightmare

Christie's POV:

"No! No!" I heard, waking me up from my sleep. I followed the sound of groans in the otherwise silent home.

"No!"

I opened Mark's bedroom door and saw him grasping the sheets for dear life.

"No!" He cried, gasping for breath. I ran to him and put my hands on his tense, sweaty, bare shoulders. He was trembling.

"Mark?" I said softly. He didn't wake up. "Mark, wake up. You're OK. Wake up." I said he opened his eyes looking disoriented and terrified. I put his head to my chest.

"Mom." He whispered.

"It's Christie, sweetie. You're OK. You're safe. Come here. You're safe." I said, combing my fingers through his hair gently. He hummed a response and wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me in so tight I had to straddle him.

"You're OK," I said again. "Let's get you back to sleep."

He nodded and we laid down together. Not 5 minutes later, his breathing was even and deep and he was peacefully asleep with his head on my shoulder and my fingers in his hair.

"You're safe." I said one more time to myself before falling asleep myself.

Mark's POV:

I woke up the next morning cuddled up to Christie. I don't remember how we got here but I don't want to get up. But, unfortunately, I have to. I slid out of bed leaving her to sleep peacefully the rest of the morning while I work. But my mind was on something else completely.

"Mark? Are you ok?" I heard Christie from the doorway.

"Yeah. I'm fine baby. Come here. Sit in my lap." I said wanting to hold her tight like I was this morning.

She did and it felt fine for a while. Everything melted away.

"You had a nightmare." She said as she ran her fingers through my hair. I closed my eyes.

"I know. I have them a lot."

"Wanna talk to me about them?"

"No. It's ok. It's nothing compared to what you had to go through. I want you to know that you'll always be safe here." I said the second time she's been here.

"You keep saying that. Is everything ok?"

"Umm... yeah. I'm fine."

"If there's one thing I've learned from living in a basement with 20 other girls, it's how to spot when someone's hiding their feelings. Now, what's wrong?" She asks me, and I ponder telling her.