Shattered |Leo Valdez|

Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

Erikka's P.o.v.

Was I not supposed to enjoy being right up against him and pretend I was asleep? Because I really enjoyed it. Leo was pushing around the fire wood with his finger and every time a shivered, he'd push my hair back and pull me a little closer. I was sure he could hear my heart racing every time he did it, but I loved every second of it.

I stirred slightly and, rather than let go as I thought he would, he grabbed me and pulled me closer. "You awake, Rikki?" For a moment, I thought about not answering, but I knew I had to. So, with a yawn, I nodded. I rubbed my eyes with one hand and looked up at him.

"How do you do it?" I asked. Leo looked at me in confusion, a half smile painted on his lips.

"What?"

"How do you do it?" I asked again, before elaborating. "Keep the nightmares away. Are you magic or something?" My eyes closed as I let my head rest on his shoulder.

I could feel his gaze on the top of my head, but I didn't acknowledge him as I waited for his answer.

Leo chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through him and making me smile contentedly. "Well, I don't know. They must be afraid of my devilishly handsome good looks." I started to laugh with him, but something stopped me.

Suddenly, I sat up and looked behind us where the cave got darker. Outside the sun had set and the fire was currently our only light. A giggle came from the darkness and chills crept up my spine. "Did you hear that, Leo?" His head was whipped around and his curls were all messed up from having him run his hands through them. "This may be one nightmare that's immune to your 'good looks.'" I said, putting quotations around the words.

"Come on." Leo says, standing up as another giggle sounded from the darkness. He snuffed out the fire and lit up his hand. After walking a few steps, he realized I wasn't behind him. "Rikki?" I gulped and frowned at him. Giving me a sigh and a small smile, he took my hand. "You can do this, Klutz Queen."

I smiled back at him. Then he led me forward. The darkness was almost unbearable, and I was thankful for Leo's light. The giggling got louder as we walked, always forward. Suddenly, it stopped and was replaced with singing.

"Hush a bye,

Don't you cry,

Go to sleep, my little baby.

When you wake,

You shall have

All the pretty little ponies."

My heart stopped and sweat pooled in my hand. "Rikki? Are you ok?" He asked, noticing the calamine as of my hand and how hard it was shaking.

"My mom. She-she sang that to me when I was little. I could never fall asleep, so she'd sing to me." The voice repeated the first verse and I was transported to a different time and place. My room was pink with horses everywhere, and I was terrified of the dark. A rocking chair was placed by my bed so that mom could sing to me or read to me. It was a place long before she or dad could ever die.

I shook my head and came back to the present. It was too coincidental that this giggling thing in the darkness new my moms song. We had always sung that song. Every night. The only one who could know was mom, my step-dad, I, and the night.

My eyes scanned Leo's face. "Maybe we should turn ba-" his eyes widened in terror. The flames on his hand stopped flickering and seemed to be frozen in midair.

"Leo? Leo!" I yelled. His hand was tight in mine, but I couldn't let go. Leo was frozen in place just as much as his flame was.

The giggle came again, this time closer and more high pitched. "He can't hear you, dear. Come and sit by me." My head spun to the new speaker. Leo's light cast enough for me to see a beautiful woman in a long black dress sitting on a random pink couch. "I really hate this color. Too bright." The woman said disgustedly at the bright couch.