Real Nightmares

If you like listening to music whilst reading I suggest the song "Sweden" from the Mimecraft soundtrack (yes, Minecraft. It has good classical music!!)

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And below is the start of the story :)

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Ilsa woke with a jump. Sweat ran from her forehead and across her neck and she felt the remnants of tears around her eyes. She lay on her side facing away from Ethan, him laying flat on his back. The duvet was barely covering her side but she wasn't cold.

Ilsa listened to Ethan's heavy breathing and decided he was still asleep. She silently lifted her hand to wipe the tears from under her eyes, and sniffed. Then she stared blankly at the wall.

Ethan watched as she lay completely still. He focused on the drips of sweat running into her hair. He listened as her breathing slowed and she shuffled her toes in the bottom of the duvet.

The crashes and the screams were still with her now even though she had woken. Blood and burning mixed together to form a remnant scent of sleep. She couldn't escape that day. The scenes painted themselves on the blank wall in front of her. She wanted to blink them away but couldn't - she had no choice.

Ethan continued to watch, forcing his heavy eyes to stay open. He saw her shoulders tense and a jolt ran through his stomach.

Ilsa could hear the sounds and she could see everything, but for whatever reason she could never ever talk about it. She just let it haunt her slumber for weeks. No wonder she was less witty now, no wonder she hardly wore heels. She was tired. Tired of getting no sleep and tired of having to relive something she needs to forget every night. Ilsa was also tired of being quiet about it all.

Her eyes darted to the right and she blinked a couple times, Ethan gazing across the room to see what she saw. There was nothing there. She shifted her legs and moved the duvet over her shoulders. He noticed goosebumps on her skin; contradicting the sweat on her forehead. Ethan let the duvet slip off of him as she pulled, quickly closing his eyes as he saw her begin to turn to look at him. He heard a sigh escape her lips as she rolled back over and he had to use all his strength not to bundle her into his arms.

He knew it was for the best that he should just listen and watch. Other nights he had cuddled and caressed until she drifted off to sleep again. Those nights she never spoke; only looked and smiled. Those nights he learnt nothing more.

But this night was going to be different. Ethan couldn't bare to see her in such a state. Gently helping her to talk was his only hope of making her feel better. He loved her with all of his heart after all, so he stayed quiet - watching.

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Ethan snapped awake and groaned internally as he looked over at Ilsa. She was in the same position.

Thank God he thought as he recalled his 'mission'. He had only slept for a few seconds.

He watched her intently, slightly worried for her thoughts. He watched as she breathed but was stopped as he noticed her glitched movements. Her side rose and fell at different times, as if she was struggling to breathe. Ethan silently shifted to get a better look, now to see the light reveal her tear stricken cheek.

His stomach pained inside as he saw more and more tears roll down to her ears and across her neck. She breathed out of her nose harder now, as if to conceal the strongest of weeps.

They stayed like this for a moment, Ethan watching, heart-broken as the love of his life wept silently to herself. Ilsa still stared at the wall, her eyes blinking slowly every now and then, and tears escaping in the process. There was a strange silence, until Ilsa reached a hand up and placed it on her forehead. She seemed to be telling herself to stop, and Ethan made sure to make no sound.