The Visitor

Ch. 9 - The Realization

That night Jared tossed and turned restlessly. For some reason he couldn't seem to sleep. His thoughts turned to the day's events and how helpless Al had been. She seemed upset ... especially after Ben came in ...

What did she mean? 

How does she know Ben?

"Ugh. Just stop it already!" He said to himself before shoving his pillow over his head in an attempt to drown out his own thoughts.

"Mmfh RaAahh hah" Were the only garbled sounds to escape his lips as his mouth was muffled by the pillow.

He bolted upright.

"Why don't I just go ask her?"

Jared stood up and made his way to the door before promptly turning around again. He fell back onto the bed in frustration.

"But this is personal," he thought aloud.

"What if she doesn't want to share?"

At least it shows you're making an effort.

"Or poking my nose where it doesn't belong." He retorted back to his own comment.

Jared sighed and collapsed further into his bed exhausted from the internal war he was waging.

As he stared up at the ceiling he thought of the stars and constellations; and all the friendly lights visible just beyond his roof. They reminded him of all the times he had wished for a friend to comfort him in times of despair and sorrow.

"That's it." And with that, the war was decided, and he strode across his room once more, opening the door and practically flying to Alysa's room.

He knocked briefly before entering only to find Alysa asleep on the bed in a sobbing shaking mess.

"Oh Al ... what happened to you?" Realizing she was asleep he carefully made his way over to her.

He gently crossed the room and went to sit on the bed, but the simple motion made Al jump in her sleep.

"It's okay, it's me. It's Jared."

His voice seemed to soothe whatever was plaguing her mind at the moment, as her body relaxed and the shaking began to lessen.

He reached out to touch her gently on the shoulder ...

And she froze before jolting awake.

Alysa felt Jared's hand; but it was not Jared's hand she imagined.

She had been trapped in the nightmare of Benjamin's pleas and abuse to keep her in the prison of her home and village.