Linger in Silence (a Pokémon-based fan fiction)

Trust

Jamie's eyelids blinked wide open. His heart was pounding and he felt dizzy as his head swarmed with alarms of danger. He quickly turned on the lamp to find the room empty, but he could feel the presence of invisible beings all around him. He heard creaks and moans that he immediately thought were sounds of intruders with the intention to hurt him and his family. Jamie wanted to jump out of bed, but he couldn't move a muscle. He tried to scream, but his fear suppressed it. His strained breathing was the only sound he couldn't force back.

He heard a growl as something suddenly jumped out from under the bed. Jamie completely lost it. His heart drummed so hard, he felt a pain in his chest and he thought he were having a heart attack. He couldn't tell if he was dying or going insane. Yet he still felt as though his were paralyzed from head to toe and the chocking sensation stifled him from screaming for his mother.

Something suddenly jumped onto the bed and Jamie jumped back on impulse only to hit his head and back hard against the wall. The pain made him want to curse, but the cry was caught in his sharp gasps. When he looked up, his vision focused and he realized it was only the Poochyena. His eyes seemed to be glowing in the light of the lamp. His body was crouched and his expression looked worried and frightened. Not because of any hidden presence in the room. If there really was danger, the Poochyena would have alerted the intruders. He had only been set off by his panicking.

Even though Jamie was aware there was no real threat, he couldn't calm himself down. The false alarm had set him off to the point where he didn't know how to stop.

The Pokémon slowly moved to the side of him near his immobile left arm. He started sniffing his hand, which was frozen to the bed. Carefully, he scooted his nose under Jamie's hand and lifted it on top of his head. It limply slid over his ears and ruffled back the tuft of fur on his head before staying latched on his scruff. The Pokémon laid down, resting his head on top of his leg.

Jamie twitched his fingers as they felt through his shaggy fur. After a while, his hand started to move and he petted the Pokémon along the back. He could feel his fear gradually easing and his muscles relax. Minutes pass and feeling the Poochyena's body rising and falling with each breath helps Jamie regain control of his own breathing.

Eventually, Jamie was unable to remember what he was afraid of in the first place. But he felt calm and safe with the Poochyena beside him. Aware his pulse had returned to normal, the Pokémon sat up.

"Hey," Jamie said quietly. "Thanks."

The Poochyena ignored him and he lifted a hind leg to scratch behind his ear.

"I know you're probably still angry at me, and I can live with that. But I have to ask, would you still have done that if I hadn't broken the Poké Ball?"

He cautiously flattened his ears and he moved his eyes to the side to avoid his gaze.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

The Poochyena glanced at him and sunk his head into his shoulders in some kind of shrugging motion.

"Ok, then, can you blink if you at least feel different?"

The Pokémon stared for a few seconds before making a slight nod motion as he blinked.

"That's good enough. Well, goodnight."

Jamie turned over on his side and stared ahead at the wall. After a few moments pass, he felt the Poochyena circle a few times before laying down next to him.