Emily ◇ Cinderella

Chapter 10

We heard a scream from upstairs. Will and I jumped away from each other, both of us turning a little red at our intimacy. I threw down the pan and flew up the stairs as if my life depended on it, Will not far behind; he was nearly running on the back of my heels, panic constricting both of our chests.

I ran to Ana' s room. I stood in the doorway, and saw her thrashing, still fast asleep. It took me less than a second to realize she was having a nightmare. "Will, hold her down! She's going to hurt herself like this!" I ordered. He did as I told, holding her arms in one hand and legs in another. I ran around to the other side of the bed, putting both my hands on either sides of her head, tapping her cheeks lightly.

"Ana? Ana, wake up, it's just a dream, you're safe." It took nearly five minutes of this process to finally work, bestowing the rewards when Ana's eyes flew open, a gasp ripping through her throat. She was crying, I realized, shaken from whatever she had conjured in her own mind. I was shocked at first, seeing her translate to two entirely different emotions all at once. I hugged her to me, whispering words of comfort into her ear as her sobs wracked her body. Ana had stopped thrashing, and, comforted in my arms, drifted into more of a quiet and peaceful sleep.

I stood from the bed, gently tugging Will's hand out the door to let her sleep. Once it was shut behind us, we both turned to look at each other. "My sister used to have nightmares after our father died. I was used to them, until I spent my nights working..." I trailed off, feeling suddenly guilty for leaving my sister for as long as I had.

My gaze sunk to the floor, prompting a loose strand of hair to slip around my eyes. Will's hand came into my sight, gently pushing the strand behind my ear. I lifted my head, watching his eyes fix onto mine, the pupils dilating. I gave him a small, reassuring smile, tucking my cheek lightly into his palm to encourage his affection. He looked like a deer caught in headlights, unsure of what to do or what he was feeling. Awkwardly, he retracted his hand and swiftly turned, leaving me for the second time confused in the corridor.

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An hour later, I had changed into a simple purple dress, one that reminded me of my time with Ella at the village. It was slightly creased, but the colour was so deep it made my skin almost glow, and quickly became one of my favourites. Throwing my hair into a pony tail, I headed back to the kitchens, finding the maids and the cooks busily peeling potatoes or frying eggs. From there, I took a bowl of freshly made soup and some bread, placing them on a plate and heading back up to Ana's room.

I opened Ana's door, to see her sweating, her skin bright red, and her head thrashing back and forth lightly. I put my hand on her forehead and immediately retracted it, fearing that I would burn my own skin if I left it there for too long. It didn't take long for me to come to the conclusion that I needed a doctor immediately. Placing the food onto her bedside table, I all but ran to Will's room, charging in through the door. His head rose and he smiled at me, his lips parting to say something, although I cut him off.

"It's Ana. I think she's sick. We need a doctor, now." I said, seriousness and urgency surging into my tone. His smile vanished and he stormed to the room Ana was sleeping in with me by his side, both of us behaving like overprotective parents. He felt her forehead and immediately retracted it, hissing. Will turned to me, his face cloudy with insecurity.

"She's hotter than boiling water. I'll call a doctor, there's a telephone in the hallway." He said, not waiting for my answer before striding out of the room in search for the telephone. I sat beside Ana, the young woman I had learned to love so dearly, holding her hand in my own and checking her pulse. It was slow, too slow to be healthy. It was then that I started to worry, just as Will came back with a maid, who was carrying a basin of water and a cloth.