Silent.
The truck ride home was silent. Leah couldn't go back to sleep still feeling the creepy crawlies all over her. But ever since she confessed her dire desperation for Daniel, she couldn't bring herself to break the silence.
Not when they got back to her house.
Not when they sat down with tea.
And not even when she quietly excused herself to shower- or cry in the shower.
There was guilt in her gut knowing she was denying him of any insight about what was going on in her head. Not to mention she felt it was rude to distance herself from her hero. So after she cried it out, showered and got dressed, she decided she would try her very best to at least speak to the guy.
As her open den came into view, Leah felt the heat in her cheeks when she saw a very shirtless Daniel rummaging through his bag on the couch. The dimples in his back made her bare toes curl. She bit down on her lip, watching his muscles twitch with every move. The man was a real deal. Most of the men she'd ever encountered that looked good had terrible attitudes, but not him. Thank God.
But if she thought her cheeks were red just from looking at him she was in for a rude awakening when he turned, and they caught eyes hard.
It was a spine tingling moment that trumped the negative vibes running through her body. Her breath grew short, palms sweaty and her heart was dancing the night away. With a blushing face, she crossed her arms over her thumping chest.
"Hey. I thought you went to bed?"
Leah exhaled, "No, I just needed to shower." And cry.
Daniel flexed his body over and grabbed a t-shirt from his bag before draping it over his chest. Fully clothed, his eyes pouted at her, "Are you feeling better?"
"Not really. But what's new?" She walked to the couch and sat down, pulling her knees up to her chest. Eyes of the greenest grass peered at him as her nose picked up on the scent of men's soap. "All clean?"
"Squeaky. Your guest shower water boils."
"I guess I should have warned you."
He moved his bag to the coffee table before sitting down, "Yeah but that would have required you talking to me."
It hit her like a lightning bolt. Guilt. She wrapped her arms around her legs, hoping her words didn't get tangled, "I'm sorry about that. I, I guess I didn't know what to say after what happened."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I just felt... awkward."
Daniel put his arm on the back of the couch and turned his body to face her, "Leah, you don't have to feel awkward. I told you before, I'm a nobody."
"You're not a nobody. You saved my life and you haven't left my side yet," her emotions were gulped down as she tried to focus on whatever she could summon, "I guess I don't want to ruin that. Not just because I don't want to be alone, but because I've lost too much already."
When she spoke of her loss it was irrelevant how much she tried to control her emotions, the memories caused her eyes to glisten instantly. Leah sighed, "It amazes me how you stick through me. I'm a handful."
Daniel huffed, relocating directly beside her and reached his arm behind her on the couch, "You're not a handful, you're just overwhelmed. You're going through a lot, Leah. You need someone right now."
"Im just scared one day it's gonna be to much and next thing I know, I'm alone."
"I made you a promise didn't I?"
Nobody seemed to keep promises anymore. Hell, most people couldn't even keep their lies. Leah wasn't a social butterfly partially for that reason. She believed actions over words and the actions she witnessed around her made her loathe many people. Her circle was small and she hardly ever let new people in over a fear of being screwed over.
Then she met Daniel and things were so fluid. It was strange how quickly she'd grown comfortable in his company, but he was a man of his word and his actions. She wanted to believe him. She wanted his company. As she caught his chocolate eyes again, she just wanted to drown into them until all the evil crafting was gone forever.
Leah sighed, "Yeah, you did."
"I plan on keeping my promise." He nudged her with his side waiting for the look on her face to ease up.
"Well that's good, because I really don't want to lose anymore good people in my life."
There was a pause, a very intense and overwhelming pause that made her eyes smolder in moisture. She leaned her head against her knees and glanced at him in all his good looking, good hearted glory.
Daniel pat her back and pulled her against his side, "You wont. I'm here aren't I?"
In a muffled response she bravely vocalized the phobia she had of his absence, "Yeah but it's not like this is forever."
She could feel his arm tense around her. Unsure of if it were a good reaction or bad, she scrunched her face and took a breath preparing to change the topic. But his voice interrupted her.
"Leah..."
She groaned and sat up from him, blinking back tears, "Relax. This conversation is dry, let's just-"
His hand grabbed her by her waist and pulled her right back to his side. A long exhale steamed out from his mouth as he draped his arm over her shoulder, "I'm here aren't I?"
Warm tears escaped her eyes but Leah didn't bother to wipe them away. Hidden beside his body, head leaning on his chest she curled her legs up on the couch and accepted the fact that she needed to enjoy his company then and there- just in case.
She didn't know what he was trying to say. But didn't want to be up all night trying to beat it out of him. So she let the tears go and buried her face in his chest, listening to his breathing until her den faded away.
--
Thunder booming.
Lightning illuminating the sky. A foggy place welcomed her back that night.
The white house standing above her bent over, asking her to step inside. Leah didn't want to. She didn't want to be swallowed up by all the details of her old home, or what had happened. But her body was not under her control, and when the back door swung open she slowly entered.
A darkness engulfed her as her feet walked her deeper into the house. Her heart soared high in her chest, fluttering around like a free bird trapped for the first time. Each boom hurt, literally.
Her feet had never walked so far in the old house and Leah was sure it was all a part of the mind games. She trembled when noises began to peep around her. Was it a squeaky chair? Was that a footstep? It all became a long and dark guessing game the more her feet moved her.
I never wanted to come back.
I never wanted to come in.
I don't belong here.
Please...
A click snapped loudly before her surroundings were revealed. It twisted her stomach, but not in a way she expected. There was absolutely no way she could have even seen it coming. The strong feeling of hysteria zapped her like the lightning outside.
Before her eyes, all around her- was her own living room. And on her couch, her body and Daniel remain fast asleep.
It didn't make any sense. It worried her.
How is this even possible?
Leah felt her eyes leaking.
And then there was a knock on the door.
Her body began to amble towards it, slowly moving her past the couch. Eyes stinging she got a close glimpse of how much her appearance had truly changed. Even asleep she looked exhausted. And she resembled her mother so much. I am the reminder.
Passing the couch, the energy in control brought her to the door; in which loud thumping began. It was a powerful hand that beat at the wooden surface.
Whatever or whoever was pounding away, must have been there the night of her car accident. It was the same heavy hitting strength. They're here...
Leah tried hard to gain control and steer herself away from the door, but there was no use. Her hand reached for the handle. She winced, prepared for the worst.
Wish granted.
The door opened and beneath the porch light stood the hooded intruder from before. Her heart zoomed up into her throat and she wanted to scream yet nothing came out. They had their back to her, still spooking her with just their proximity to her.
It was scary being only inches away, but even more when slowly they began to rotate around. Leah didn't know what was about to happen, but her poor heart couldn't take much more.
They turned and turned and she couldn't turn away. She Was forced to witness them up closer than ever, and much more personal than before.
Facing Her finally, still hidden in the shadow of the hood, the presence took a deep breath as if it were waiting for a cue. She knew it wasn't Simon anymore, so who was playing with her?
Find the person, find the reason, find the solution.
Leah felt her face tingle and something rising up in her throat. She was going to say something, and it was the only thing she could control at that point.
In the fatigue, the stress, the anger and the sheer curiosity; her voice rose up and belted in the doorway, "Who are you?!"
The figure reached up painted hands and pulled the hood back. Suddenly, she couldn't breathe. The oxygen was gone. Her skin was on fire. Her very own heart abandoned her. Nothing worked on her body, not even her voice enough to make the slightest whimper.
She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe who was standing before her.
This can't be real.
--
Leah opened her eyes, horrified. She was still on the couch, leaning against Daniel the way she had in her nightmare. Everything around them was exactly the same and even the feeling she had inside her body was there. She jumped off the couch, startling Daniel. He snatched his attention to her, "What's wrong?!"
Not bothering to reply, she jolted to her front door, unlocked it and swung it open.
They weren't there.
But Leah looked down on her porch. Where it had been before, the symbol stared up at her. This time it wasn't just in powder. No such luck. No, this time where the figure had been standing, the symbol was burned into the wooden porch.
Her legs jiggled and she couldn't hold herself up anymore. She collapsed and caught herself with her palms. Tears poured from her eyes as hitching breaths shook her chest.
Daniel dropped to his kneee beside her, pulling her off her hands, "What is it, Leah? What's happened?"
She weeped hard barely able to get a single sentence out, "It was my brother..."