Noble Adelaide

Horrors

"She's pretty isn't she?" Sam said as he gently brushed a tendril of waves out of my face.

My eyes are still closed and he thinks I'm still asleep. I'm laying on my back, legs draped over, I guess, Sam's lap.

"Yes, she is." An unfamiliar voice answers. There's a long silent pause.

"What kind of person do you think she is? Honestly." Sam says seriously. Why would he ask that? It's always the same. Damaged, spoiled, stupid, lazy, bitc—

"I think she's a beautiful, hurt, scared woman," the voice said as it interrupted my thoughts. "And I... sorry. I'm starting to ramble." I could hear the smile on the face of the voice.

Sam chuckles lightly, "I worry about her a lot. She's so.. amazing. I don't know what I would do if something were to happen to her again.." With that he got up and gently placed my legs down on whatever soft surface I'm on.

"Adelaide is my only true and loyal friend. I hope you will be too. " I heard his heavy footsteps fade away.

A few minutes later I felt a dip in the surface next to my head. My head was lifted and set down on a pillow that wasn't there before. A warm soft fabric covered my body.

I couldn't stay awake any longer, sleep took over me.

—————

When I woke up it was dark.

I looked around quickly and thoroughly. Asher was sitting next to my head on the couch as I lifted it off the pillow. My movements made his eyes flutter open.

In the darkness his eyes seemed black but when he saw me sitting up and looking at him his eyes lightened so I could see the blue color in them.

"Hi." I mumbled to him lightly.

"Hey." He said with his sleep filled deep voice. "Are you okay?" He asked cautiously.

"Yes." I said as I faced straight ahead and brought my legs to my chest and rested my head on my knees.

"Why did you do it? Why did you leave?" Asher asked after a few minutes of silence.

I sighed. "I don't like being around people too much or often. I've been feeling kind of off for a while now. I guess it's because I haven't left in a few months. I promised Sam I wouldn't disappear." There was a nice silence before I continued. " l just.. I needed.. to leave. Go to my happy place, you know?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean.." We didn't say anything for a while. I wasn't going to push thoughts out of him. I barely even know him. "My happy place is a period of time. Well, more like memories of that time. It's not an actual place for me. Even though I think having a happy place or person is healthier.... Do you usually leave for that long?

I chuckled lightly. I looked into his surprised and bright eyes as I spoke. "It varies. Sometimes it's a couple of days or maybe a month. It's kind of funny how easy it is to disappear. Whether it be into nothingness or your everything." I finished with a small self deprecating, almost evil, smile on my face.

I looked up with closed eyes at his next words. "The loneliest moment is when someone watches their whole world fall apart and all they can do is stare blankly." I don't know where he was going with this but, hey, if he wants to be sad for awhile I'll join.

"Every human walks around with a certain kind of sadness. They may not wear it on their sleeves, but it's there. It will always be there." I look back at him to see he's already looking at me.

His eyes were so sad. I can only imagine what he sees in mine.

"I haven't talked about anything with anyone in a long while." He stared blankly into the distance.

"Well I'm here to listen if you need someone, even though I might not be in a good enough place to say anything back." I smiled lightly.

We stared at each other for a long time. I was first to break the eye contact. It wasn't awkward, just too intense and I felt vulnerable under his gaze. He cleared his throat but I could still feel his eyes on me.

When I looked up at him I was met with clear blue eyes in the dim light. "Come on." I say as I get up and start walking away. I couldn't hear him behind me but when I looked back there he was. He was so quiet.

I turned the corner into a small, secluded hall. There were three doors. The lonely door on the right wall was slightly ajar. I pushed it open gently and walked in. I turned on the lamp next to the bed. "Who's room is this?" Asher asked softly as he sat on the bed.

I went over to the tv to grab the remote. "Mine." I muttered as I turned on the tv and plopped onto the bed with a sigh. I offered the remote to Asher and he took it. I cuddled into a pillow before he clicked on a Netflix movie.

I felt his eyes on me for a good few moments. He eventually relaxed back on the pillows at the head of the bed. I remained curled up with my pillow for about half an hour.

The story of the movie was progressing and I was tired of my position. I crawled up to the head of the bed to sit next to Asher. My head rested in the corner between my head board and the wall.

Later the movie ended and Asher was asleep. His head was facing the direction of the tv and his hands were laced together on his abdomen.

I sighed and laid down next to him, careful not to touch him, as I let myself drift into a night of horrors.