Things take a turn in the ever-so-popular Luke Raynott's life when his night-terrors manifest into physical form as bruises and the involvement of a boy who holds his attention like a magnet.
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↞[Luke]↠
The bruise around my neck was almost gone as new lines stroked my skin every night. I stared at my naked body and saw red marks racing along my stomach, my chest, and my waist-line. A fissure of gratefulness cracked within me as the wounds didn't hurt; however ugly they appeared. Clasping my jaw, I observed my reflection. The lack of sleep had taken a toll on me. Sunken eyes were simple to deal with than scars.
I stopped trying to reason with everything. Ken wouldn't believe me when I said I was cursed, but nothing else made sense. The way Ken had described the bruises being formed took any doctor out of the scenario.
As I exited the washroom and opened my closet, I wondered if anyone hated me enough to curse me. Heaving a sigh, I realized how insane my train of thoughts sounded. There must be some other reason. My phone buzzed, and I saw a new message.
(Ken) Yo I got a bit of work to deal w (Ken) can u drop by the mech garage? We can leave together from there
Yeah fine by me (Me) See ya soon ;) (Me)
(Ken) YEaj (Ken) **yeah
The boy managed to sound flustered and cute even in his messages. A smile pulled my lips as I grabbed a clean t-shirt and a mossy-green overshirt. My neck's discoloration was light enough that I didn't need a scarf, which was a relief.
Reaching downstairs, I noticed my dad was reading the newspaper and sipping from a tea-cup.
"Morning," he said when he saw me.
"Hey." I sat down in front of the plate, stacked with layers of fluffy pancakes. I loved waking up after Dad made breakfast. It only happened on the weekends, but it was still something to look forward to.
I started pouring melted caramel on top of the pancake mountain. My dad cleared his throat, making me look at him.
"There's a job opening." He waited incredulously, expecting me to say something, and I would if my mouth wasn't busy savoring the pancake. "As a fire lookout, two towns away. It has good pay."
"Mm-hmm," I said while swallowing my bite before I took another mouthful. Warm pancake blending with sweet caramel melted over my tastebuds.
"I'll be gone for two weeks straight."
Trying hard not to gulp down the whole thing like an animal, I spoke slowly, with my mouth half-stuffed, "Dad, I'm not a kid anymore. You should take the job."
He sighed and placed the newspaper down on the table, removing his glasses to rub his eyes. "Luke, you're still in school, and your nightmares are getting worse. You look tired all the time."
![↞[Luke]↠](https://img.wattpad.com/945dc615807737f0a940690d92c00f31b0764ea9/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f786f6c4b694a34415337554975773d3d2d3735363535383037322e313562386230306462626636356438623434393535363236353631362e6a7067?s=fit&w=720&h=720)
