Fallen For The Dead (#Wattys2015)

Fallen For The Dead [ Prologue ]

Fallen For The Dead [ Prologue ]

I awoke with a start, sitting upright, back hammered straight. Continuously gasping softly I rubbed my eyes with my five year old hands.

"Are you there?" I whispered, straining my ears. "You didn't leave did you?" I sat still starting to panic. I didn't want a repeat of events.

"Shhh, I'm right here!" She reassured me firmly. "And I'll always be here." I felt my heartbeat slow down. I stared at her. My eyes occasionally flickering to her own five year old hand in the semi darkness of my Sponge Bob nightlight. Thankfully my little bed was big enough to hold the both of us. It's plain brown wood brightened by the bright yellow sheets and comforter.

I refrained from the urge to grab it and hold on till I fell back asleep. She had given me her word. That she would never leave me again. As long as I kept from touching her. Ever. At the time my five year old brain did not question her odd request but used it as a scapegoat. 'If only I hadn't tried to grab her!' I'd think.

And so it became my number one rule.

I even went out of my way to avoid touching ANYBODY at all. Except my mother - there's now way I would give up those hugs. My no touch rule made it easier to avoid contact with her. I spent all day around people I never even brushed up against. So it came naturally to include her into the group instead of singling her out as the one I never touch.

"These plaaaces we go..." She started singing. "Places the world takes us..." She was sitting cross legged beside me on the bed running her fingers through her hair. She had a far away look in her eyes, as she kept singing. I strained to keep my eyes open.

"Just until the end" I reasoned with myself as the barely visible Patric posters on my wall started to fade with my vision. Just this once!" But I couldn't stay awake. Just like all the times she would sing me this song, I fell into the dark abyss called sleep - never hearing the end of the song. Or even knowing weather or not she would ever fall asleep too.