Like Minds III - Asylum (American Horror Story crossover)

Chapter 26 - Assume the worst

Alex

That afternoon as they awoke-

The sunlight crept through the dusty curtains and owls created mystic sounds in the tops of the high trees. There was a silence in the cottage. A blanket of sadness, laying over the house like it kept all secrets and memories together. The fire smoldered, and the ash glowed in dark orange. Nigel and Grace still laid there, unknowingly nuzzled together with the legs curled up and the forehead pressed against each other - their hands on the middle of the blankets, barely touching each others body. They were buried under the sheet, the only source of warmth in the house. The clock in the hall had stopped ticking, and that made it almost sound and look as if the time had stopped.

Grace opened her eyes, gently and sleepy as her hands wrinkles around the bedsheets. She stared at the closed eyelids from his friend next to her, Nigel - who hadn't woke up yet. As soon as some of her skin got revealed to the cold from above the sheets, she crept further underneath it, and she shut her eyes lightly as she buried her face gently against Nigel his shoulder. Nevertheless she couldn't lay like this for long. Her breath and head seemed to get heavier, and she clenched her teeth as she inhaled deeply through the nose. Hunger - she concluded, though it wasn't the proper reason of the spontaneous action. Honestly she wasn't even hungry - as if she got over it.

In a minute the feeling left, and her hand searched for Nigel as she lightly laid her forehead back against his - just as it had laid when she woke up a few minute ago. Though she wanted to lit some new logs in the fireplace, she refused to - since it was much warmer her, safe under the blankets and somehow she still didn't trusted the mirror. It was near four or five O'clock - sunset, making the world ready to get revealed to the dark. It wasn't very handy, since they got used to a reversed sleeping period now. But okay, they needed their sleep a few hours ago. Nevertheless, Grace didn't saw the need to wake Nigel - not yet at least. She kept focusing her ears on his breathing, and kept stroking her fingers along his as she got in a sort of trance. She couldn't fall asleep again, though, but she wouldn't.

Nigel:

At first, when Grace woke up, Nigel seemed to be still fast asleep. In fact apart from the red under his eyes and the paleness of his face he looked quite peacefull, as if he was in some deep blissful sleep. However, it appeared this was not the case when suddenly he started moving. And not just moving, as in turning around in your sleep, but in a way that sent his whole body to quiver and his limbs and muscles to pulsate violently... as if he was under electricity.

Obviously Grace, - lying next to him, - noticed and Nigel got vaguely aware of the reaction of a person lying against him. His eyes shot open and within a second he had bolted up and was standing up next to the blankets on the floor, staring down at Grace and panting in terror.

He looked around panicky and his breath slowed down finally when he realized they were both safe still.. that perhaps.. it had all been just a dream.

"Jesus Christ, I'm sorry.." he said in an exhaling breath, crouching down on his heels and hiding his face in his hands, stroking his fingers through his messy and by now too long hair.

Alex:

Just as Grace almost fell asleep again, she suddenly felt how Nigel began to shake like a mad person - and luckily she was able to get away from the bed as quick as possible. She rolled away, grabbing one of the fire irons and pointing it out at Nigel as if she would stab him any moment.

Just like Nigel, her breath was speeded up - but she was more confused about her own action that Nigel's. She nodded shortly, slowly dropping the fire iron, and blinked a few times. She pressed her lips, swallowing. What had just happened?