Am I lying in my bed? No, inconceivable. My mattress and sheets feel different under my touch. This… However, its base is a tad… Sturdier, for lack of a better word, and more defined but not unpleasant or painful, quite the contrary, actually. It's as warm and cozy as they come. I fear moving, for I refuse to let even a shred of this comfort go to waste. I love the way it envelopes my senses but most of all, I love the way it… It has a… Heartbeat? What?
My eyes flutter open, only to be greeted by the interior of the cabin, yet again. Except, it is no longer doused in daylight. I must have fallen asleep, but I can't exactly recall when it happened. All I know is that hours have gone by, and night has fallen.
My eyes travel towards what lies beneath me and immediately, my breath hitches in my throat. I realize that my body has been resting on Nathanael's all along. I try to look upwards to see if he's awake, hoping he's not, of course. I want to spare myself the embarrassment of the century. We were just sitting next to each other on this couch so, what the hell happened?
The lord has thankfully answered my prayers. My gaze lingers on his face for a moment and my heart melts in my chest. He looks so peaceful in his sleep, so comfortable. One's resting face in their sleep reveals a lot about them, it's almost like I can feel the weight that has fallen off his shoulders, with the way his features seem so relaxed in his slumber. I also feel like a creep, right now but… Just a little bit.
Unfortunately for him… Or for me? … For us? This moment of serenity doesn't last, because one's heart rate speaks just as loud as their expression. I hear his pound faster under my ear, "You're not sleeping, are you?" I murmur.
"No," he whispers back as he opens one eye.
"I am sorry… I must've fallen asleep a while ago…," I apologize for using him as a sleeping bag and gently push my body off him as fast as I can, praying my face will no longer be red by the time he fully opens his eyes.
"Two hours ago," he says with a playful smile.
I halt all movement, "Wha… Two hours? Why didn't you wake me up?"
"I didn't want to disrupt your sleep. You seemed so peaceful. Please, don't apologize,"
"You seemed peaceful too for a moment there, I…," I pause and contemplate for a second. And here I was, thinking I was being creepy for watching him sleep for a few seconds, "You didn't sleep at all, did you?" I finish.
"Not really. I couldn't allow myself to, considering our situation," he says.
I look down at him for a moment, pondering my next actions. But seeing as he isn't moving from his spot, I take it as an invitation to do what I want to do. I lie back down on him like I did before. Screw feeling embarrassed, it won't get me anywhere.
We remain completely silent for a while. Time during which, I had many thoughts and questions cross my mind. Questions such as, is it safe for us to go out now? Why doesn't he use a spell or a talisman or whatever bullshit witchcraft Ava used in order to get me here? Does he have one? Is he pretending not to, just to keep me in here?
And then thoughts such as; Izzy must be worried about me, unless she found a boyfriend, that is… Because if that's the case, then I dare to imagine that my existence has totally been eclipsed from her mind. I chuckle.
"What is it? What are you thinking about?" he asks.
"Oh… I was just thinking back to our date and remembering how crazy I must've looked with the way I ended it," I lie. I do think I am crazy, but I don't want him to know it just yet. I want to enjoy this moment for everything it has to offer. Although, I must admit, it is a good segue into the conversation I wanted to have with him anyway, "I've been beating myself up for it since… Well, since I exited the restaurant. It's just that I knew it was unnatural, it felt unnatural but… I couldn't find any explanation to it then," I add.
"Until I showed you the spell jar earlier, I assume," he says, his smile gradually fading away.
"Do you have… Like an idea of who would want to do that? Or why?"
"I'd like to say I do but, to be honest I don't even know where or with who to begin,"
"Thing is, the spell wasn't the only odd happening of the night. I mean, I don't need to remind you of what happened afterwards," I feel my voice vibrate through my body as I speak. No doubt because of the way my throat is resting on Nathanael as I am lying down on him. He grunts in response and lets silence fall back between us, until I break it again, "Why didn't you call me? Not that I wanted you to. Actually, I was scared you would but… Only because I expected you to contact me after what I saw you do,"
He takes a deep breath before answering, "Because you asked me not to," he says simply.
It took me a moment to register the meaning of his answer. Boundaries is his middle name, it seems. I feel my mouth open and then close again but I don't hear my voice so, that must mean that I didn't say anything, but considering the way I am still stunned, it's no surprise.
He breaks me out of my trance when he asks, "Are… You okay?"
"Yeah, yeah. I am good. Sorry, it's just such a contrast from having to deal with Izzy's shenanigans. I guess I am not used to having someone I care about respect my wishes,"
He chuckles at my words and then he says, "As concerning as that last part sounds, my mind can't help but focus on the part where you said that you care about me,"
I feel my blood rush up towards my face as the temperature rises around that area of my body, "Slightly," is all I say at first, but then I let more of my thoughts out, "I like your company. Same as you do mine, I guess,"
I want to share even more but I sense his entire body go stiff under mine. I lift my head up to get a better look at his face and notice the grave expression his features are reflecting. His eyes on the window, he finally moves his hands towards my arms, but he doesn't press or squeeze on them, he doesn't nudge me to get up, he's just waiting for me to get the hint and move on my own accord.
So, I do. I push myself off of him again. Only this time, he doesn't remain in place. He slowly stands up and very carefully steps towards the window, as though expecting something to happen.
I am spared the questions when a faint, far away sounding voice finally reaches my ears. One that I can tell is filled with distress. I focus my hearing on it and realize that it is getting closer and louder by the second.
My heart begins its journey downwards as it sinks a little deeper in my guts, the more I am coming to terms that there is someone out there, begging for their life, screaming and crying for help.
From what I am given, I make the conclusion that the voice is coming from a young man or a boy as they're running through the forest, in an attempt to escape whatever is after them. I trudge closer to Nathanael, but he puts his hand up abruptly, shielding me from the window. I stop and follow his gaze. I wait and wait… But while my eyes can't perceive anything outside of the ordinary, my ears, however, are able to distinguish a change.
The cries for help are now accompanied by something I don't think I've ever heard before. An otherworldly, ungodly and inhuman shrieking that shook me to my core, "What… the hell?" my words tremble just as much as the rest of my body does.
"Kelpies," Nathanael states as a matter of fact.
As soon as he finished speaking, a figure ran into view, in the area that's illuminated by moonlight. He fell right in front of the cabin, in front of us. But our presence remains hidden to his knowledge, no doubt thanks to the spell Nathanael showed me earlier. I was right, it's a young boy. I can't make every detail about him out, but I can make just enough, to tell who he is for sure, "Oh my god! It's Kevin Brown… He's only seventeen…," the words evade my mouth before I know it.
"You know him?" Nathanael turns to me as he asks.
"Not really, it's… I just know who he is," I blurt out. I don't think now is the appropriate time for me to open up about my unconventional quirks and what I do in my spare time.
"Okay, stay here and whatever happens, do not exit the cabin, do you understand me?"
"What?" I manage to grab his hand right as he was about to become out of my reach.
"Just trust me. I don't have time to explain now. He doesn't have much time," he nods towards Kevin through the window.
"Yeah, but what are you going to do? You said it's too dangerous out there!" I can't remember the last time I freaked out this much… Oh… No, never mind, I did that yesterday.
"It's dangerous for you, not for me," he looks away from me towards Kevin as he says that and his eyes widen, "They are here,"
"What? Who?" I look outside.
he uses my moment of distraction to free his hand from mine. When I turned to look at him, he was no longer with me in the cabin. I switch my focus to the window again and that's where I find him standing.
But… He's not alone with Kevin out there… I see them as they walk into the light… Six of them…These kelpies or whatever. They're creatures of the likes I've never witnessed before in my life… Creatures I've never thought I'd ever live to see… Not in a million lifetimes, if I could have more than one.