Fall

Chapter Seven

When Daisy and Phoebe dozed off in front of the TV, Jay put them in their rooms and probably they went to sleep, too. Fizzy, Lottie, Louis, and I are left in the couch, watching ‘I know what you did last summer.’ The whole film was just Lottie and Fizzy trying their best not to squeal and to shriek out loud and me and Louis pigging out his burritos and pop tarts. I want to take a picture of us right now, but I didn’t refill the polaroid after I consumed the stored photo papers earlier. So I’m just gonna write this to the journal, I guess. After a quick clean up on the living room, we all make our way upstairs, climbing up to bed and me, well crashing on Lottie and Fizzy’s floor.

“You sure you’re okay there with the mattress, V?” Fizzy asked once again. “Yeah, thanks.” Lottie gave me a pillow and a blanket when suddenly the door opened. It’s Louis. “You can sleep in my room, Veronica.” He stated. “I’m okay here, Lou.” I said, giving him an assuring smile. “Okay, when you guys need anything don’t hesitate to call me.”

“Yeah.  Good night Lou. Thanks again.” I said, smiling. “Good night, love.” He said, and made his way to his bed room. I finally found a comfortable spot and dozed myself to sleep.

“mom? Mom, where are you?” I asked with a small voice. I heard a loud thud and I saw a man with a big kitchen knife.

“Where are you, little kitten?” He calls out as he roams around the area. He was so much closer to me, letting out a loud laugh and a grin. I’m scared. I’m really scared. I hugged Mr. Teddy pumpkins tighter and hot tears are starting to stream in my eyes, making my red cheeks wet.

“What are you doing here, little kitten?” the man said harshly. I don’t know what to say, I need mommy by my side.

“wh- where’s mommy?” i asked, almost gasping. He points the back of the knife he’s holding in my neck, slowly.. slowly caressing my neck, down to my nape, to the middle of my chest, with the metal he’s holding. I started letting out hiccups, honestly trying not to cry, and honestly failed not to.

He then landed his filth, rough hands on my shoulder, looking at me with his eyes wide open. “Hush, little kitten. We are going somewhere.” He said, dropping his knife and slowly carrying me up. “Where will you take me? I want my mommy back!”

He took me inside of his car, driving really fast and laughing with his crazy man voice. I shouted mommy a thousand times, and it seems like no one heard me. “I’m taking you to the beach. But it’s too hot there.”

“Little kitten, it’s not the beach.” He tells me. He looked at me once more, touching my thighs harshly, “It’s hell.”

I let out a loud cry and hugged Mr. Teddy pumpkin, crying simultaneously and panting vigorously. I found myself falling to an endless hole, screaming and yelling out for mom and for Mr. Teddy pumpkins, but no one caught me when I was falling.

“Veronica, baby! I’m here! Mum’s not home. Wake up, Veronica.” I woke up with Lou wrapping me in his arms, finding myself crying and full of sweat. I looked at Louis and he looks so worried. I hugged him and cried harder and harder.

I checked on Lottie and Fizzy to see if I bothered them, but thankfully they aren’t and still sleeping peacefully.

“You’re having a nightmare, babe. But it’s okay now, I’m here with you.” Louis said to me, cupping my cheeks and bringing me back to his arms again. He kissed the top of my head and constantly rubbing my back, making me feel safe and secure.

“You.. you heard me, Louis.” I muttered, still scared and shaky. “No one heard me when I was yelling.” He keep hushing me and telling that everything’s okay now, but I’m still bummed about my nightmares.

Last night, I didn’t have them, but they come occasionally. They ruin my sleep for four times a week, or sometimes I don’t sleep the whole week at all. I just felt weaker at night.

“Are you okay now, love?” Louis asked me, covering me with the blanket. “Yeah, thanks.” I said.

“Don’t you want to talk about it? Or write it in your journal or so, if that makes you better.” He suggested.

I got up and went out with the journal and the voice recorder, making my way to their backyard. Louis was there with me, accompanying me in the swing set they have.

“What time is it, by the way?” I asked, turning the voice recorder on. “Midnight, maybe. Hiiiii.” Louis said, saying ‘hi’ to the voice recorder.

“Sorry for destroying your sleep, Lou.” I said. The nightmare flashed in my mind and I started crying again. He stood up, making his way in front of me and hugs me again. I hugged him back, soaking his shirt with my tears.

“Penny for your thoughts?” He asked.

He sat down on the grass, pulling me to sit on his side. We looked at the dark sky, the moon giving a little light on our site. The stars are slowly fading, losing the bright, twinkling, impression of the sky.

“I had these nightmares, and I don’t sleep every time I got them. In a month, I would have six or seven proper sleeps and the rest of them sucked.” I said.

“I used to have nightmares, too.” Louis blurted out and continued to speak of his nightmare. “I am too scared of fucking clowns when I was a kid that my mum had to take me to a therapist.” I jotted his words to my journal, and after his nightmare I wrote down mine.

“Can I sleep with you?” I asked, hoping for a ‘yes’. “Thought you never asked.” He said, and we went back inside.

“Sorry, I’m being a big burden to you this day.” I let out a few tears to run in my cheeks, but they seem to be more than I just thought. He walked up to me again and hugged me tightly, bringing me to his arm and burying my head to my chest. He caressed my back gently, and kissed the top of my head while constantly hushing me. What would I do if I don’t have Louis by my side?

The demons that disturbed me are slowly burning down whenever Lou hugs me. “Come on, let’s sleep.”

I was on the left side of his bed and he was on the right, not facing each other until we fall asleep.