Where AM I? And more importantly.... does it matter?
I shrug, thereby becoming aware of my shoulders for the first time in what could have been days, noting their attachment to me, and then the fact that I possess an entire body.
My eyes open, and I see whiteness all around me. Glaring, bright whiteness, untouched by shade or any color or tone. I blink, and close my eyes again, knowing my eyes will not adjust to the bright of... wherever this is, and reach out my arms to see if there is anything to touch. After a moment of reaching, I find nothing, and sigh, resigning myself to being here in this, wherever I am, when suddenly, I feel a sharp pain in my back. It feels like lightning. An electric pulse running through me and making my body convulse wildly, arching my back and forcing a sharp scream out of my lips. But in a moment, it is gone, and I am left, panting and weakened, and it is only then that I realize, I can't move. I can turn my head, I can extend my arms, but I can't go anywhere. Shaking, I move my hands together, collecting my psyche and weakly beginning to form a crackling barrier around myself to protect me until I can figure this out, when the electric pain happens again, only harder this time. It wracks through my body with an unearthly scream that I almost cannot believe comes from me, leaving me senseless and shaking, and it is only then that I open my eyes.
As my eyes flutter open weakly, it takes them a moment to notice that the bright white has been replaced by stark blackness, and it is only then that they light on the skeletal figure above me. It reeks of evil, it's mind shooting out terror and insanity like ribbons of discomfort out into the air around it, assaulting my mind and almost causing me to close my eyes in pain again. I yank my consciousness back close, and take the creature in with a gasping breath. Wrapped in tattered cloth, almost like a mummy, it is reaching out toward me, it's hands sparking with dark, black energy rimmed with an evil looking purple, almost as if to mock the white and blue of my own energy. It opens its evil looking mouth, sucking in air with a rattle, it's eyes, or rather, lack of eyes locking with mine. I can't look away, much as I try, and it is then that I hear the voice... it's voice... echoing in my brain.
"Give in to the pain, Lilly Warren. Give in to me, and let me own you... together we can be stronger than you will ever be... all I need is your mind..."
With the word, "mind" I feel it touch me again, and the pain lances through me like icy cold lightning, but this time, this time it lances through my consciousness as well, lighting my brain on fire with pain, tearing at it like vultures at carrion. But I've been waiting this time, and with the last of my strength, I push my hands up into the creature, and let out a blast of sparking blue and white psychic energy. Touching it brings another wrack of pain through me, and I scream, but it's mind is tearing away from mine, and I feel freedom again. But as the last touches of it fade, I make sure that the last thing it hears as our minds disconnect is one word: "NEVER."
And that's when I wake up with a scream, in my own bed. I sit bolt upright, covered in sweat and panting, only to find myself in my own apartment, with an extremely concerned Will sitting next to me, one hand outstretched, as though not sure if I need comforting or not, and also a little scared to touch me. After a moment, he places the hand on my shoulder and softly says, "...was it the dream again?" At the sound of his voice, I wilt, my head falling into my hands, and my body wracking with weak sobs as I nod tiredly. I can't see it, but I can feel his face tensing with concern, and his hand tightens on my shoulder before he carefully pulls me into his arms. After many moments, my sobs turn into soft sniffles, and I feel the question come into his mind before he even says it, answering him before he can get the words out. "I CAN'T tell them about it Will. You know I can't. I don't want to be locked up for having a dangerous mind again. I almost... things could have been a lot worse last time... I'll... I'll just keep working on it. I can figure this out... I think..." He sighs. "You know sometimes I wish you couldn't read my mind... I feel like I could convince you of things a lot better..." He sits back, and looks at me, concern written all over his face, "I just want YOU to be safe, Lilly. You know that. And this doesn't feel safe. I won't force you to do anything, but just..." I stop him there, "I know, if it gets worse, then I'll do something. But it hasn't changed yet... so hopefully, it won't?" I force out a weak smile at him, trying to make the joke stick. It doesn't, and I feel my words fall flat into the heavy fog of concern that is all around us in the air, so thick it almost feels like I could choke on it. I squeeze my eyes shut, pressing my palms into my eyes, "Let's just... go back to sleep, okay? Please?" I feel him, wanting to protest, still so very worried, but knowing his argument will go nowhere, nod slowly. "Sure... let's go back to sleep."
We silently adjust ourselves, picking the blankets up off the floor where they had fallen while I tossed and turned, and placing them back on top of us neatly before lying down again. Before he slips back into sleep, Will wraps his arms around me, placing a gentle kiss on the back of my neck. "I love you Lilly... try to sleep well, okay?" A small smile flicks across my face, and I nod, "I'll try. I... I love you too..." His arms tighten around me, and after a few moments, he is once again asleep. For a minute, I listen to his peaceful breathing, and wish that my sleep would be as untroubled, but then I shake my head, and slowly begin constructing a psychic barrier around us, in hopes that it might keep whatever... or whoever... was invading my dreams away. At least for the moment...
