Reflections of Light

Illuminated

He hadn't meant to come back.

He hadn't explicitly left the house with the idea to come here, but once again, he'd found himself following a familiar path, to a familiar house.

He was mentally berating himself as he approached, telling himself to just walk on, to keep going, to leave.

He didn't know what to do.

What he knew he should do, or what he knew he wanted to do?
 
Clenching his hands, he didn't stop walking.

The house was all closed curtains, shut up for the night.

Movement of shadows behind the curtains suggested life, backlit by the glowing lamp light of the rooms, switching on and off as people moved around the house.

It looked so peaceful and calm, warm and welcoming, and yet far away.

He laughed sardonically at himself under his breath, turning to go, hands pushed deep into his pockets.

That's when he saw them.

She was at the window, not of her room this time, but of the child's room besides it.

Both she and the small girl stood framed on the window, the child perched on the windowsill, peering out through the glass, small hands and face pressed up against it, scanning the night.

She stood behind the small girl, one arm wrapped around her waist to hold her upright, cooing to the child, crouching down to her level to interact with her.

She smiled lovingly, capturing the child's attention to point out something through the window, the baby's face lighting up eagerly at the attention.

Bathed in the warm light of the room behind them, it was like looking into a window to another world, a warm, beautiful world.

Not sure if this is as good as I wanted it to be, but hey, I gave it a shot!

Also, I know I mentioned in an earlier book that I wouldn't be casting characters, and I'm not, however, I was watching The Lost Boys the other day, and couldn't help but think that Jamie Gertz's character, Star, looks pretty similar to how I picture Nyx (and therefore also Alysha), so I've included the image up top just to give a sort of visual reference.

Totally doesn't matter if you imagine her differently, this is just me conveying how I personally picture it.