Reflections of Light

Panic

Nyx could now add claustrophobia and possibly even Taphophobia to the list of things that haunted her nightmares, after being awoken in a pool of sweat and heap of tangled sheets by a worried looking Selene and Travis, after a very vivid dream of being buried under a thousand tons of faintly glowing rock, the weight crushing down on her chest, pushing the air out of her lungs, constricting her breath.
Her mouth sandy dry with thirst, her stomach empty and hollow with hunger...

Travis had heard the sounds of panic from his room, and he and Selene had rushed to her aid, gently waking her and soothing her fears.

"Hey, hey, Nyx, hey, it's okay, you're alright..." Selene began.

"Will everybody just stop saying that!" Nyx choked through resisted sobs. "It's not all okay and alright, and it's just... It's all... Stop babying me! You're all walking on eggshells around me, treating me weird, saying 'it's okay'... Oh my God, I don't want to hear it! You're all so self conscious around me, it's almost painful! Just... I don't know... Treat me normally, but not falsely normally... Just... Say what you actually want to say to me."

She collapsed limply against Selene, who rubbed her back gently.

"I'm tired. I don't think I feel well."

"Okay, Nyx, okay." Selene said kindly, going to help her lie down.

Nyx gave her a dry look.

Selene chuckled. "Okay, I got it... No, now I got it.
Damn, this is hard. It's a natural default, just to go sympathetic."

"I'm not saying you can't be sympathetic, it's just... It feels like everybody's just seeing me as poor little Nyx. Just poor little Nyx.
And I love that you all care about me, and yes, I am scared and hurt because of what happened, and... It's going to be a while...

But I'm still... I'm not just a victim. I want to be strong. I need help, but...
Oh my God, I don't know what I'm asking."

She pressed her head into her hands, a total wreck.

"I'm so scared. I don't want to be, but I am."

Selene pressed a cool hand to Nyx's forehead. "Honey, I really don't think you're very well."