I spent the night tossing about, unable to sleep because no matter how hard I tried, all I saw when I closed my eyes was my mom biting into Derek's throat or the way Noah's eyes no longer showed him in them. I woke up, drenched in my sweat, full of memories and fear. My breathing quickened, and my heart was eagerly trying to beat itself out of me. I wiped a hand across my forehead and pulled at my hair that hung loose behind me as if I could pull out the bad inside.
When I had gained the courage to move my feet onto the cold ground, I walked to the kitchen and grabbed a glass from the cabinet. Making my way to the sink, I turned it on and set the glass underneath the stream. When the water reached the brim, I moved the glass aside and continued to let the cool water run. Letting its soothing touch move across my shaky hands. I splashed some onto my flushed face, waking up my senses.
I lifted my head and looked out the window, noticing how bright the sky was. Usually, I was never able to see the stars like this. It was funny how bright something was able to shine when no one was hurting it.
Walking to the front door, I undid the locks and stepped out onto the porch. Sitting in the swing, I gently rocked back and forth. Allowing the cold air and wind to blow my hair around. Noah and I used to spend hours on this swing, seeing who could rock it the hardest.
The street lights weren't working, but I was still able to notice a dark figure moving from across the street. "Hey, Kid.", the General stepped closer towards the porch steps. "Don't call me that." I stood quickly and moved backward. Anything he had to say, I didn't want to hear it. The General had taken over the neighborhood before had a chance to realize what was going on. Tall gates meant to keep us safe now locked us in and kept any news from the outside away. Our guns were confiscated, and strict rules were regularly enforced by his soldiers. "Listen, believe it or not, I am here to help you." he set his foot on the first step, and I edged closer towards the door, "You don't need to be afraid." He climbed the last step and was now only a few feet away. I opened the screen door and slammed it shut. My fingers worked as quickly as they could to turn all the locks. I ran to the back door and made sure it was still shut as well.
When I was confident that there was no way he could get in, I fell onto the couch. A kitchen knife was clutched, in my hand, my knuckles turning white. I wasn't sure when I'd fallen asleep or when the General had left, but I woke the next morning still on the couch with a blanket laid across my lap.