The Way Things Work

Chapter Forty Eight

You lay still as Harry’s soft breath stroked your neck. He had fallen asleep hours ago but you couldn’t. You were afraid. The night tremor is a nightmare in itself to deal with. Everyone calls them nightmares but there is a significant difference. A nightmare is caused by an emotion or a food that doesn’t agree with your system and your body wakes itself up. But a night tremor? Now that was far different. A night tremor was something you couldn’t avoid by not eating dinner before bed or thinking happy thoughts. A night tremor is a horrible image created by the mind and no matter what happens, you don’t wake up until it’s over no matter how much you twist and turn. The thing that makes it even worse? The scenario isn’t outrageous and impossible, it’s an all too real event. Every time you had one it was the night that your parents were killed and the twisted look on the man’s face as he brought the knife to your jaw line and threatened the very scream on the verge of your lips and in your sleep you have been reliving the abuse you were put through every night by your brother. It scared you not knowing where he was in the world. 

You remained still in Harry’s arms as the rain continued its slow beat. You slowly moved his arm off of your waist and slipped out of bed. Luckily you weren’t attached to any IV fluids or even a heart rate monitor; they assumed it was hard enough for you to sleep without the commotion since they took away the sleeping pills. You got on your feet and shuffled over to the window sill. You sat and rested your head against the cool glass as the lightning arrayed in the distance and the thunder played a slow, steady beat. You looked over at Harry who was peacefully sleeping in the small bed. ‘How could he fall for someone like me?’ ‘I’m not worth any of the pain he’s been put through.’ Your mind raced at record speed with insecurities and pain filled thoughts, but this time it was different. You didn’t want to hurt yourself or end it. You guessed the medications just pushed you over the edge. You walked out of the sliding glass doors with a slow, smooth motion, leaving Harry asleep.

“Sam! What are you doing out of bed?” Myra, the nurses’ aid, called from the circular desk in the middle of the ward. She had a joking tone as she knew you were perfectly strong enough to walk around. 

“Hey Myra, I was wondering of you could do me a favor.” You smiled sweetly.

“Honey it’s two in the morning, what could you possibly need?”

“A change of clothes?” You whispered with a tedious smile.

“Sam I’d love to give your clothes back but you know the guidelines-“

“No, I know I can’t have my clothes but is there any way you could snatch me a spare pair of scrubs.”

“That should be fine.” She warmly smiled back. She pulled herself out of her seat and walked around back. She came in multiple times today to check on you and she was quite sweet. She was a darker skinned woman with a bigger size, yet she still rocked her figure and was stunningly beautiful. “These should fit you easily.” She held up a flimsy pair of light blue scrubs and handed them to you.

“They’re only a medium.” 

“You’re point?”

“I-I can’t f-fit into a medium.”

“Sweetie are you blind? You will fit into those perfectly. Now shoo, get some rest. Dr. Shadley will have my head if he finds out I let you wander.” She waved you good night as you slipped back into the dark room and closed the blinds. You quickly did a change of clothes in the room and walked back over to the bed. You slipped under the covers but remained on the edge, in fear of waking Harry. But as soon as you slipped under the covers, as if by instinct, Harry’s arms found you and pulled you into his chest. His grip got firmer, almost as if he knew you were gone. He seemed to murmur in his sleep and you could faintly make out the words.

“I-love you, -Sam.” You smiled as you realized you were literally all he thought about. He whispered on and on about your days together and what he loved about you, all in his sleep. A tear welled in your eye as you truly discovered what you meant to him. You nuzzled the back of your head into his neck and he subconsciously shifted his head onto your shoulder. 

“I love you too Harry.” You whispered before falling asleep.

“SECURITY!” A high pitched voice called waking up both you and Harry.

“What the Hell?” Harry mumbled. “Are you okay?” He checked to see if it was you.

“SECURITY! ROOM 412!” 

“I-Isn’t that o-our roo-“ You were cut off as a tall, built figure knocked the sliding glass door off of the hinges and onto the floor. The glass shattered into a thousand little pieces on the floor. You and Harry both shot up, still sitting in bed and his arm never left the protective grasp over your waist. The man stumbled into the room through the door and turned toward you as your mouth gaped.

“GET THE HELL OFF OF MY SISTER YOU BASTARD!” The too familiar stranger yelled at the bed. It was your brother.