A Week With You

17

Iain came down the stairs, expecting to see Lily on the sofa, however she had lit the fire and was curled up with some cushions on the floor in front of the roaring heat.

He went into the  kitchen and made Lily some herbal tea. She'd been feeling snuffly all day, but as the evening went on, she felt worse and they decided to leave the pub early. Iain placed the mug on the coffee table beside her and knelt down to see that she had fallen asleep. He stroked her hair and smiled, before giving her a light kiss on the cheek.

"Lil?" She stirred slightly and opened an eye. "Come on, let's get you to bed."
"No. I want to sleep here." She muttered, half asleep. He chuckled to himself.

"You can't, you're on the floor. Come on, I'll give you a lift if you want."

She shook her head adamantly and closed her eyes again. "I like the heater." She slurred.

He smiled and decided that she wasn't to be moved. He left her be and went upstairs, returning a few minutes later laden with duvets and pillows. He proceeded to make a makeshift bed on the floor in front of the heater, and settled in the duvet beside Lily.

"What are you doing?" She asked, smiling slightly in her dazed state, upon realising what he had done.

"Well, if you won't come up to bed with me, we'll both sleep down here tonight." He stroked her hair out of her face and smiled down at her.

"Don't." She said turning her face away from him. "I'm all snotty and disgusting." She said sniffing."

"No, you're not." He kissed her head. "And anyway, it's your fault for making us go out into the last night." He reached behind him for the mug.

"It wasn't raining at first." She replied from where she had buried her face in the pillows.

"Fair point. Sit up for me, I've made you some tea." Lily began sitting up without hesitation, and leaned against Iain as he handed her the cup.

"Thank you." She said gratefully, as she sipped the soothing, hot liquid.

"I know, I'm amazing."

"So modest." Lily smiled slightly and finished off her tea. She handed him the mug and he went to turn the lights off before getting back into the covers. He wrapped his arms around a seemingly sleeping Lily and curled his body around hers. She held his hands where they rested on her stomach and they both drifted to sleep, the fire roaring beside them.

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Lily woke up, and groaning she closed her eyes again. She wanted to fall asleep again, despite being on the floor, she was extremely comfortable in the piles of duvets that Iain had brought down. She also had work in the morning, so she wanted a good rest so she could get through her shift. She turned around and curled into Iain's side.

She was just about to drift off again, when she felt Iain kick her leg. She ignored it, however he kicked again and again. Confused, she sat up in the darkness. As sleep left her and she woke up, she realised that Iain wasn't just kicking. Both his legs, seemingly spastic, kicked around in the covers. She looked at his face, which was contorted in pain, teeth gritted, skin covered in a sheen of shimmering sweat and his eyes were tightly shut. He pushed his wrists against the floor as groans of pain escaped from his mouth.

"Naveed, what's up? Training's not till tomorrow." I walk over to the young boy, who gives me his usual grin.

"Just come." He beckons me to follow him.

"Where we going?" I say, following him towards the cars.

"What, you shy?" He teases, in his regular, jokey manner.

"Well, where we going?"

"Don't be shy." He laughs, then turns around to face me. "I need you to wait here." He gestures with his hands and I point at the spot, and he confirms with a nod.

"Please, don't move. Promise me, huh?" Naveed smiles as he walks away from me.

"Oi, if this is another one of your jokes?" I call after him, smiling.

Naveed laughs, walking towards the rest of them. What's he doing, I wonder. He looks back at me and gives a smile. I watch him. That's all I do. I stand here, motionless, watching him walk over to the rest of them. I stand here, motionless, watching him unzip his jacket and throw me one last look. I stand here motionless, watching him throw a hand it the air, a detonator clasped in his hand. I stand here motionless, as his finger presses down-

"Iain?" Terrified, Lily sat up on her knees and with a trembling hand, shook Iain's arm. What was happening to him? Eyes wide, she ran her eyes up and down his body, to see his stomach and chest rising with heavy, panting breaths beneath his sweat-soaked t-shirt. Was he fitting? No, this wasn't a fit. What was happening to him?

Strained grunts of the word "no" escaped from his mouth. Lily shouted his name and shook him furiously.

Iain's entire body relaxed and in one swift motion his eyes snapped open and he sat up sharply, hitting his head on the corner of the coffee table.

He looked around frantically in the dark, eyes wide in alarm, panting for breath.

"Iain? Iain, are you ok?" Lily held his hand and spoke to him, however he remained oblivious to the contact and speech, eyes still flitting around in the darkness.

"You're bleeding." Lily touched his cheek, which had a stream of blood flowing down it from where he hit his head. As her finger tips touched his cheek, he jumped violently, as if he'd only just woke up. His eyes snapped towards her and in the small stream of light sneaking in between the blinds, Lily saw his pupils dilate.

"No. No. No no no." Iain repeated the word in between gasps for breath as he untangle himself from the sweaty covers.

"Iain, it's ok." Lily held his arm and tried to calm him down, repeating the three words over and over again. He was oblivious to her efforts however, and was frenzied, panicking. Tears choked his voice as he stumbled to his feet. Lily scrambled to her own feet and called him relentlessly, but he couldn't hear her, the booms echoing in his ears. He paced around the room, hands covering his face, with breaths coming out in shuddering sobs. She followed him and held his arm, trying to offer him consolation, but she had no effect on his state.

He threw her off his arm and she stumbled back slightly, terrified. She watched him race towards the front door, bloodstained hands shaking he found the key and unlocked the door, the icy blast penetrating through the house. 

"Iain!" She shouted and ran after him, hand grabbing his just before he dashed out. He looked up at her, glassy eyes with more fear in them than she had ever seen before. He immediately began struggling, his other hand prying at her fingers to release him.

"Iain, where are you going? Look, I'm here, I can help you." Tears sprung to her eyes and her voice weakened. "I can help you." She whispered to him, desperate. Her words weakened his resolve and he stopped struggling and looked up at her. The streak of blood down his face glistened in the glare of the streetlight, but he was oblivious to the injury.

"Lily, you don't know." His voice was broken, weak and exhausted. "You don't know about this." Fresh tears escaped from his eyes, and Lily felt something break inside her as he pleaded with her. "I need to go. Please."

His fingers, them same fingers she was used to such a delicate touch from prised her hand from his. It was something in his eyes, a desperacy which implored her to listen to him.

She let go. For a few seconds he stared at her, an empty coldness in his expression. Then he quickly squeezed her fingers and turned. He raced down the street and soon, Lily couldn't see him anymore.