Fort Callibus (IN HEAVY REPAIR)

Chapter 13

I woke up, gasping for air. It was still nighttime. These dreams of drowning, being tortured, suffering…they’re scaring me. HP surrounded me, comforting me, making me feel safe. I curled up in a ball and nuzzled into him, trembling.

“Bad dream?” I jumped at the sound of Candor’s voice. He stood over me carrying firewood and panting. I traced my finger over HP’s barely touchable features, being careful not to stick my hand through him. He would be very handsome if he were a person.

“Yes.” I whispered. He chuckled and threw some sticks into the fire. It cackled, then calmed down again.

“He says ‘It’s alright. Everything’s going to be okay.’”

I looked up at Candor, my eyes resting on a scar that I didn’t see before. “Who?” I asked.

“HP. He’s not who you think, though.”

“What do you know about HP?” I snapped.

He laughed deeply and sat on a log across from me. “I know more than you think.”

I cursed at him silently and fixed the rag on my head. My body felt a lot better, but still not 100%. Candor’s silhouette played with a knife throwing it up and down, blowing on it, and scraping the end with rocks. He continued amusing himself until he noticed me watching him. I ducked my head behind HP and giggled.

“I can still see you. HP is just a presence, not a thing.” He told me.

“HP is my friend.” I said softly.

“Do you want to know who he really is? I can tell you Nami.”

I looked up at him again, a little curious as to HP’s real identity. “Who is he?”

“Yuki.”

My eyes welled up with tears at the thought of him. “Please don’t joke around with me like that. Yuki is gone and he’s probably never coming back. HP is my only friend in the living realm now. He’s all I have. So don’t insult him by telling me he’s someone who broke my heart.”

Candor got up and walked over to me, smiling. He outstretched his hand for me to take. I did, hesitantly, not sure of his true intentions. “I have something to show you.” He told me.

He helped me onto my feet, putting a firm hand on my back to steady me when I stumbled a little. “Thank you.” I looked up at him, my face coming inches from his. My heart rate picked up. We locked gazed, him still cradling me. I got lost in his sparkling blue eyes for a moment. They were so lively and warm. They reminded me of clear skies on a sunny day in the Imperial Castle of Prodice, with the older kids playing ball outside in the marketplace, and the ripe red apples glistening at the local food mart. They reminded me most of my father’s eyes. His bubbly, sparkling blue eyes that gazed into mine. They reminded me of how he used to hug me, his strong arms wrapping around my tiny toddler body, his soft smile, the way he always used to look at me. My father’s words echoed in my head. ‘I love you.’

Hot tears spilled out over my eyelashes and my breathing became shallow. Candor only smiled and kissed the droplets than ran down my face. I stood there, nervous, stunned, not knowing how to react to his rather romantic gesture. He smiled gently at me. My face shot down to the ground as I turned around in his grasp, my back facing him. I took in a shaky breath. “Um…why did you get me up?” I asked weakly.

“To show you that I was not lying.” He wrapped his strong arms around my waist from behind and pulled me into his hard body, breathing softly into my hair. My heart rate spiked, drumming loudly in my ears and making me sweat a little. The world started to fade to blue, everything becoming clearer and lightening a little. My eyes were still planted to the ground, not daring to move in Candor’s bold embrace. “Look up.” He whispered in my ear. I obeyed him, slowing lifting my head and closing my eyes, not ready for anything he was about to show me.