On the fifth night, Shiloh felt better. Or at least he tried to feel better. He didn't want to talk about his brother or Hensley's sister, so he brought up something that happened earlier that day.
"I saw you today." His voice was quiet and he listened to Hensley's breathing.
Her eyes drooped - like she wanted more than anything to sleep, but something was holding her back. Her lips were parted only slightly.
"Mhm" it was her only way of telling him she was listening.
"I saw you with a woman - I think it was your mom. She looked like a mom." He looked at her.
"You were at the super market and you looked so happy. You didn't look as tired. I mean, I could still see it - how tired you were, but you hid it well. You were laughing and goofing around and you looked kinda perfect." he let the words longer on the tip of his tongue. Silence engulfed them.
Her head drooped on his shoulder and she hummed.
It was a sweet little tune, nothing he was familiar with. He could tell she had an amazing voice although she wasn't singing. Her humming was beautiful and he wished that she'd open her mouth and sing the words.
Together they nodded off and it was the first that either of them had slept at night in ages.
YOU ARE READING
S H I L O H (a short story)
Teen FictionIn which a boy with nyctophilia meets a girl with insomnia * "My name is Shiloh", he replied, and she said he looked like a Shiloh. He asked her name. "Hensley." it was a short clipped reply, one he grew accustomed to. He knew it was because she was...
