Rise From The Ashes

Chapter 5 - Endless Dream

Once in a dark night, a loud scream can be heard and echoed throughout a building. The source of the scream is coming from a bedroom. Its occupant is screaming so loudly that other inhabitants in the building would wake up at his scream.

A man entered that room in a hurry. Inside the room, there is a boy lying on a bed. He wears nothing but a pair of black shorts and is severely wounded. From his ups and bottoms, all are mostly wrapped with white bandages. Some parts of his face are also covered with plasters. In his current position, his fingers are gripping at the bed sheets in agony so hard that they could rip the sheets off and out from the bed.

Upon closer look, the boy's eyes are closed, suggesting that he is actually sleeping. However, it is clearly shown that his teeth are tightly clenched in his mouth as if experiencing an enormous and unbearable amount of pain in his sleep. Cold sweats are formed and rolled down on his skins, drenching his body. The man clearly looks very worried on seeing the boy's plight.

"Hey! Hey! Wake up! It's just a dream! Come on, wake up!" he shakes the boy's body repeatedly and continuously repeating those words to wake him up.

Instead of waking up, the boy lets out another loud and painful scream that pierces the air. Even that man immediately cover his ears so his eardrums won't be ruptured by his agonizing scream.

Within a minute, the scream has ceased and the boy, still with eyes closed is now desperately hyperventilating. His head is shaking wildly, as if trying to escape from a bondage.

That previously worried man, now regained his focus and steadfastly casts two light spheres placed on both palms. He tilts forward to rub the boy's temples gently using both hands.

The boy is groaning with pain as the light spheres are being rubbed.

"Relax, relax... You'll be okay..." The man murmurs as he does his thing.

His painful groaning gradually stopped and his breathing slowly become steadier than before until it returns to a normal breathing.

The man now looks exhausted, both from the tension and his recent doing. A single tear of both relief and happiness found its way across his cheek.

He looks to the boy's face as he slowly opens his eyes and panting. Now they are looking at each other in the eyes, locked to each other.

The man sobs in relief but quickly wipes the tears off his eyes. He proceed to kindly pat on the boy's head, while the boy, still panting and drenched with sweats. He looks terrified.

"It was just a bad dream, okay?" the man whispers softly and kindly to ease the boy's fear. " ... Don't worry. You're okay now."

In his panting breath, the boy murmurs, " ... Please, please... I beg you, please ... just stay with me," and begins to cry sadly. His bandaged hand is holding to the man's hand as it rubs his cheek.

The man smiles warmly and holds the boy's hand in return.

"Yes, I will."

----------------

Jason

Knock knock

"Come on in!"

I open the wooden door with my right hand while my left one is holding a tray. "Hey there. I brought you some hot milk."

"Thank you, Jason." Sir Anders who are sitting by a bed shows his warm smile, but quickly turns to the children who are sitting on the shared bed, "Aren't you two supposed to say something?"