Keep Holding On

chapter 31

The night hung heavy around Spencer as he tossed and turned in his sleep, trapped in the clutches of a relentless nightmare. Images flashed before his closed eyes—memories he had tried to bury but still were fresh, fears he had fought to suppress. He was back in the darkness, the suffocating weight pressing down on him with every breath.

A piercing scream tore through the silence, ripping Spencer from the depths of his subconscious. He jolted awake, his heart pounding in his chest, his body drenched in a cold sweat. Gasping for air, he struggled to shake off the remnants of the nightmare that still clung to him like a shroud.

Molly stirred beside him, her eyes fluttering open as she registered his distress. Concern etched across her features, she reached out to touch his trembling form. "Spencer? Are you okay?" she whispered, her voice soft with worry.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he replied, his voice unsteady. But even as the words left his lips, he knew they were far from the truth.

Molly's brow furrowed with concern as she sat up beside him, her gaze searching his face for any sign of deception.

"You don't look fine," she said gently, her hand coming to rest on his shoulder. "You were thrashing around, and you're covered in sweat."

Spencer's throat tightened with emotion as he struggled to find the words to explain the darkness that had plagued his dreams. "It was just a nightmare," he finally admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "Just... memories, I guess."

Molly's expression softened with understanding as she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. She locked her hands around his waist.

"You don't have to go through this alone, you know," she murmured, her voice filled with compassion. "I'm here for you, Spencer. Always."

Tears pricked at the corners of Spencer's eyes as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, allowing himself to be enveloped in her warmth.

"I know," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I just... I don't know how to stop them. I wish I could."

Molly's arms tightened around him, offering him solace in the midst of his pain. "You're not alone, Spencer," she whispered, her voice a gentle reassurance. "I'm here."

Spencer laid back on the bed, feeling Molly's comforting presence beside him. She nestled close, her head resting gently on his chest while her fingers traced soothing patterns through his hair.

Her warmth was like a balm to his troubled soul.

"You can talk to me, you know," Molly whispered softly, her voice filled with empathy and understanding.

Spencer closed his eyes, wrestling with the turmoil of emotions swirling within him.

Should he tell her everything? Would it help to unburden himself, or would it only cause her more pain?

He didn't want her to suffer because of him, but there was one truth he needed her to understand, even if it tore him apart inside.

"You know that photo you sent me..." Spencer began, his voice catching in his throat as tears welled in his eyes. "Some of the guys there... they got their hands on it and..." He trailed off, unable to find the words to express the horror of what had happened.

Molly's eyes widened with shock and guilt as she listened, her heart breaking for the pain Spencer had endured. She kissed him gently on the cheek, holding him close as he continued to speak, his voice choked with emotion.

"They were saying really horrible things, nasty things about... so I... that's why I didn't want you to visit me. I couldn't have dealt with that, and I didn't want you to... I didn't want them to be able to look at you and..." Spencer's words faltered as tears streamed down his cheeks, his vulnerability laid bare before her.