Demons

...

The walls were closing in on her, and she felt her fear rise in her throat. Her eyes closed as she sought for some kind of solace against the panic threatening to consume her.

She didn't want this anymore.

She wanted to be free, but the reality was too harsh.

She wanted to be brave, but the truth frightened her.

She wanted him, but how?

She slid to the ground as voices, taunting and jeering, filled her head, swarming like bees. There were no windows, she was in a cell. Her hands were chained, her heart constricted within iron bars.

you are nothing you are nothing y o u a r e

N O T H I N G

Tears streamed down her face; she curled in on her self as her own mind attacked her. Her shaking hands clawed at her cheeks and hair, biting into her skin, blood beading along the shallow the gashes.

His face floated behind her own eyes and she grasped for it.

She wanted to be saved.

Please.

Save me.

.

.

.

"Sophie!"

That voice, warm and strong and filled with worry somehow cut through the jagged screams that were richoting around her skull. She tried to open her eyes. Tried to reach out to him.

But it was not enough.

Steady, warm hands pulled at her arms, brushed over her skin, and wrapped themselves around her waist. She was pressed against something living and breathing, the regular thumping of a heart beneath her ear.

You are NOTHING!

"Sophie don't do this," that beautiful voice pleaded in her ear.

youarenothing

"Sophie, stay with me. listen to me."

She wanted to. She tried to.

But -

Youarenothing

"Fight it. Please fight it. Sophie, come back. Stay here with me."

She was. She was fighting with all she had. The screams were lessening, their hold weakening.

youarenothing

"Sophie," he whispered, and she felt a tear fall on her ear.

nothing

"I love you."

.

.

.

Her eyes opened slowly to the feeling of a gentle hand running along the length of her scar. Her cheek felt wet, and her arms were weak but the body holding her was warm and rocking back and forth slowly, as if to some far away music.

She became aware of a low murmuring and the voice behind it slowly registered.

It was Gideon and he was clutching her tightly in his arms.

She blinked, attempting to focus on the words he was murmuring.

It slowly dawned on her when he leaned closer to her, his lips brushing along her ear, her scar.

It was her name. Just her name.

.

.

.

"Thank you," She whispered.

He gave a start and then leant his head down once more, resting his rough cheek against her scarred one.

"Don't thank me. Sophie - "

"I'm sorry," she interrupted and even though she knew she should, she didn't pull away from him. "I am so sorry." She paused. "You should leave me."

"Don't," he said slowly, "Don't ever say that. Whatever it is that's haunting you, we will see it through. I love you, Sophie Colins. and I'm going to stay right here with you."

His words caused her insides to glow and for her heart to warm.

She wasn't alone.

Finally removing her face from his chest, she reached up with a hand to pull his face down to her.

"I love you."

And then she kissed him.