Sang is chosen for the Culling, a series of fights to the death that are generally played by men. In fact, Sang is the first woman selected, well, ever. As the games start, and Sang forms bonds with a group of nine men, she comes to realize that the...
I could feel that there was something wrong with this situation. This didn't seem like an ordinary nightmare. She whimpered in her sleep and started shaking. I needed to wake her up.
"Miss Sorenson?" I knelt down beside her on the floor and nudged her shoulder a little harder.
Suddenly, her eyes popped open and she let out a barely there gasp.
She blinked up at me and her face turned pink.
"Mr Blackbourne?" She whispered my name in that soft voice of hers before she let out the most charming squeak and backed away slightly. I let my hand fall down to my side, it wouldn't do to make her nervous. It was way too early for that kind of relationship, no matter if it was destined or not.
She put her finger to her lip, looking upset. "Mr Blackbourne, I'm so sorry. Did I wake you?"
"No." I studied her, she was adorable when flustered. Her previous signs of distress had faded, that was good. "I was just about to go to bed, you didn't wake me. Was it a nightmare?"
"It's not a big deal..."
I frowned at her statement, my senses were screaming that something was off, but her eyes were downcast as she drew patterns into the duvet with her finger.
"I hadn't gotten them for a long time. You don't need to worry about it."
That remains to be seen. "Do you think you could go back to sleep. You really need to rest."
Sang's eyes met mine - the bright green mesmerizing. I almost forgot where we were before her quiet "I usually don't go back to sleep after these." redirected my attention back to the matter at hand.
"You get nightmares often? Would you like to talk about it?" I hoped she trusted me enough, but then again we had only just met.
She looked back down again, looking worried. "Not really."
I locked my jaw. It hadn't even been a day and already I wanted to do nothing more than chase away anything that caused her distress. I could do nothing though because she didn't want to talk about it. Clearly, I couldn't comfort her physically at this point. Maybe-
"I'll hold your hand until you fall asleep, so you know that you are safe." That seemed like a logical thing to do.
I wasn't saying that for any kind of selfish reason whatsoever.
I'll just keep telling myself that.
I grabbed her hand in both of mine, her hand fit in mine so perfectly - I never wanted to let her go.
"Ah." She turned bright red as she looked at our hands.
I think that's a good sign?
Or she could just be embarrassed because she didn't like holding hands, but I somehow doubted it. "I... I couldn't ask you to..."
"It's alright, Miss Sorenson." I smiled at her. "You'll be much more functional tomorrow with some more sleep. Go back to sleep."
"O... ok." She laid back down on the pillow and turned to face me. I could just make out her features in the darkness. "Will you go to sleep soon?" She asked with a yawn, her eyes already drifting shut again.
"Yes, Miss Sorenson. I will get some sleep too. Goodnight."
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