//Ok...I don't own any of Shylaman's characters..or Mel Gibson or Joaquin
Phoenix (although I wish I owned Joaquin, and if you're reading this fic
and happen to be a fan of him please check out my website which is in my
author's profile) This story takes place after Merill says that they should
turn off the flashlights, and as you'll notice, it's all from Merill's
point of view. Hope you like//
I still felt my heart pulsing in my throat. My head and stomach ached from the large amount of adrenaline gushing through my veins. I close my eyes and saw a maddening red blob pulsating as I felt my heart in my ears and head. I inhaled deeply the scent of Bowe's hair.
The presence of another person comforted me...but I wanted to be closer to my brother and his son. We had just turned out the flash lights and he and Morgan were on the other side of the room. Nervously I patted Bowe's head in hope she wouldn't be afraid to sleep. I wouldn't be able to let anything happen to her. I couldn't let it happen, not when Morgan seemed he might be in need of some serious help.
Another thing that distressed me further was the look in Graham's eyes. If you had ever seen a tiger that they had captured from the wild, its eyes had once looked viscious and keen. Years later they start to glaze over, as if they have no interest in survival. The only thing that keeps them alive is their instinct to eat what the zoo keepers feed them. This was almost exactly the same look that my brother had. How could he give up so easily? He always had managed to get through problems, and nothing had ever stopped him before. This frightened me. If he thought it was the end of the world...then surely it must be. He had never been wrong before, as much as I hate to admit. But that still doesn't mean I have to believe it is the end of the world.
I shivered. I ran my hands over my arms, feeling the bumps on my skins creep up from the cold. I tried to curl up next to Bowe, but she was too small to offer much warmth. I raised my head in the darkness, looking over in the direction I had seen Morgan and my brother last. I was afraid...it was dead silence over there...and my imagination was getting the best of me. What if they had already taken them as the lights went out? What if they used their poison and they had died without a sound?
I shook my head to rid myself of these stupid thoughts. They were still there. I'd prove it.
"..Graham?...Graham? Are you over there?" I shut my eyes tight, desperately hoping for a reply.
"Yes Merill. I'm here. What is it?" He still sounded wide awake. Like I was.
"I-I'm cold..." My voice started to crack with that statement. It was true, I was cold, but either relief or just a passing of shock must have rattled tears out of my head. "...and I'm afraid...please come over here..I can't stop worrying. What if I wake and you're not there?" Hushed sobs. I covered my mouth with my hand, hoping that the creatures outside would not hear my distress.
"Alright...I'm coming..." Slight aggitation. I heard him shift about some, as my head tried to follow the foot steps that were coming towards me. I hated not being able to see. I felt a hand run over my face, examining. I gasped, trying to prevent myself from screaming.
"That's you, isn't it?" He asked. Without hesitating for an answer, I heard him lay down Morgan gently, whispering that he would be fine. I sure hoped he would. Another casualty and I think Graham would go insane. Soon I felt his body pressed against mine, his side to my side. He moved again and laid on his side, and lay a hand on my shoulder. For me it wasn't enough. I needed more comfort. I switched so that I was also on my side, and that my back was against his stomach. I felt his arms embrace me and his hands locked in front of my chest.
I sniffled as I reached out my arm to find Bowe. She was perhaps only a foot away from me, laying on her side as well, facing my direction. I let my hand find hers, and I set it on top of it, just to know she was there. I breathed in deeply. It had been so long since I had been so close to my family, literally. The old and dreary smell of the basement seemed that way no longer with them at hand. Their scents were impossible to explain. All they were was dear and familiar, and thats all I really cared about.
Graham's breathing was starting to slow down, as i could feel it on the back of my neck, making my hairs stand on end. Suddenly, he grasped me tighter and buried his face between my neck and breathed heavily. I knew he wanted to cry. But he was trying to be strong for me and his children, even though they were asleep. He fought the tears that wanted to come. He breathed out and nuzzled my neck.
"Are you scared?" I asked. It was a stupid question I already knew the answer to, but I felt that I had to say something.
"I can't deny it. Yes...I am afraid..."
"...It..It'll be alright..." I replied, not even believing the words that had slipped from my mouth.
"You really think so...?" Those words stung me. They were harsh. Especially from the person who had once believed everything was going to be alright.
I sank back against him, feeling beaten. "You listen to me. We're going to get through this, no matter what? Alright?" Tears poured down my face again. I didn't want to believe the possibility of death. I was too young. I hadn't even had a steady girlfriend yet!
"Shhh..." was his only reply. I heard him sniff my hair a couples times, and it sent shivers coursing through my spine.
"...I don't want to die...I'm too young..I'm too young...I'm afraid..." My voice was down to a whisper, a voice on the verge of tears once again.
"Shhh....whatever happens...we'll be there with you..."
I placed my free hand on one of Graham's that encircled me. I hated him for being weak, and yet I loved him for just being there. My emotions were so strong I couldn't think straight. "If we do die..."
"Shhh...don't think about it. Go to sleep. We have no idea what to expect tomorrow."
I sighed. There was no use in trying. He always won every fight we ever had, as long as I can remember. I wanted him to say a prayer. To lift my sins, just in case. When the children had mentioned prayer however, it didn't go over very well.
My thoughts drifted and wandered over many subjects. My baseball games when I was little, my friends I had in highschool who I never saw again after they left for college. The small things in life that had made it a life. It was funny..in a twisted sort of way. How could everything that meant something in life have no purpose at all? It would just vanish as quickly as the person who carried the memories does. I wouldn't even know to believe in life after death, especially after an expercience like this.
Snoring woke me from my thoughts. Graham had fallen asleep. I didn't expect he would be able to, but he had. Well, if he could do it, I could do it too. Snuggling closer against him, trying to keep warm, I closed my eyes, trying to block out any thoughts. Soon enough, a thin veil of weakness seemed to wash over me, and I felt that I couldn't move. Too comfortable, too tired.I can't remember what happened afterwards. Sleep must have claimed me.
//Don't worry. More chapters to come. Will Graham be there when Merill wakes up?//
I still felt my heart pulsing in my throat. My head and stomach ached from the large amount of adrenaline gushing through my veins. I close my eyes and saw a maddening red blob pulsating as I felt my heart in my ears and head. I inhaled deeply the scent of Bowe's hair.
The presence of another person comforted me...but I wanted to be closer to my brother and his son. We had just turned out the flash lights and he and Morgan were on the other side of the room. Nervously I patted Bowe's head in hope she wouldn't be afraid to sleep. I wouldn't be able to let anything happen to her. I couldn't let it happen, not when Morgan seemed he might be in need of some serious help.
Another thing that distressed me further was the look in Graham's eyes. If you had ever seen a tiger that they had captured from the wild, its eyes had once looked viscious and keen. Years later they start to glaze over, as if they have no interest in survival. The only thing that keeps them alive is their instinct to eat what the zoo keepers feed them. This was almost exactly the same look that my brother had. How could he give up so easily? He always had managed to get through problems, and nothing had ever stopped him before. This frightened me. If he thought it was the end of the world...then surely it must be. He had never been wrong before, as much as I hate to admit. But that still doesn't mean I have to believe it is the end of the world.
I shivered. I ran my hands over my arms, feeling the bumps on my skins creep up from the cold. I tried to curl up next to Bowe, but she was too small to offer much warmth. I raised my head in the darkness, looking over in the direction I had seen Morgan and my brother last. I was afraid...it was dead silence over there...and my imagination was getting the best of me. What if they had already taken them as the lights went out? What if they used their poison and they had died without a sound?
I shook my head to rid myself of these stupid thoughts. They were still there. I'd prove it.
"..Graham?...Graham? Are you over there?" I shut my eyes tight, desperately hoping for a reply.
"Yes Merill. I'm here. What is it?" He still sounded wide awake. Like I was.
"I-I'm cold..." My voice started to crack with that statement. It was true, I was cold, but either relief or just a passing of shock must have rattled tears out of my head. "...and I'm afraid...please come over here..I can't stop worrying. What if I wake and you're not there?" Hushed sobs. I covered my mouth with my hand, hoping that the creatures outside would not hear my distress.
"Alright...I'm coming..." Slight aggitation. I heard him shift about some, as my head tried to follow the foot steps that were coming towards me. I hated not being able to see. I felt a hand run over my face, examining. I gasped, trying to prevent myself from screaming.
"That's you, isn't it?" He asked. Without hesitating for an answer, I heard him lay down Morgan gently, whispering that he would be fine. I sure hoped he would. Another casualty and I think Graham would go insane. Soon I felt his body pressed against mine, his side to my side. He moved again and laid on his side, and lay a hand on my shoulder. For me it wasn't enough. I needed more comfort. I switched so that I was also on my side, and that my back was against his stomach. I felt his arms embrace me and his hands locked in front of my chest.
I sniffled as I reached out my arm to find Bowe. She was perhaps only a foot away from me, laying on her side as well, facing my direction. I let my hand find hers, and I set it on top of it, just to know she was there. I breathed in deeply. It had been so long since I had been so close to my family, literally. The old and dreary smell of the basement seemed that way no longer with them at hand. Their scents were impossible to explain. All they were was dear and familiar, and thats all I really cared about.
Graham's breathing was starting to slow down, as i could feel it on the back of my neck, making my hairs stand on end. Suddenly, he grasped me tighter and buried his face between my neck and breathed heavily. I knew he wanted to cry. But he was trying to be strong for me and his children, even though they were asleep. He fought the tears that wanted to come. He breathed out and nuzzled my neck.
"Are you scared?" I asked. It was a stupid question I already knew the answer to, but I felt that I had to say something.
"I can't deny it. Yes...I am afraid..."
"...It..It'll be alright..." I replied, not even believing the words that had slipped from my mouth.
"You really think so...?" Those words stung me. They were harsh. Especially from the person who had once believed everything was going to be alright.
I sank back against him, feeling beaten. "You listen to me. We're going to get through this, no matter what? Alright?" Tears poured down my face again. I didn't want to believe the possibility of death. I was too young. I hadn't even had a steady girlfriend yet!
"Shhh..." was his only reply. I heard him sniff my hair a couples times, and it sent shivers coursing through my spine.
"...I don't want to die...I'm too young..I'm too young...I'm afraid..." My voice was down to a whisper, a voice on the verge of tears once again.
"Shhh....whatever happens...we'll be there with you..."
I placed my free hand on one of Graham's that encircled me. I hated him for being weak, and yet I loved him for just being there. My emotions were so strong I couldn't think straight. "If we do die..."
"Shhh...don't think about it. Go to sleep. We have no idea what to expect tomorrow."
I sighed. There was no use in trying. He always won every fight we ever had, as long as I can remember. I wanted him to say a prayer. To lift my sins, just in case. When the children had mentioned prayer however, it didn't go over very well.
My thoughts drifted and wandered over many subjects. My baseball games when I was little, my friends I had in highschool who I never saw again after they left for college. The small things in life that had made it a life. It was funny..in a twisted sort of way. How could everything that meant something in life have no purpose at all? It would just vanish as quickly as the person who carried the memories does. I wouldn't even know to believe in life after death, especially after an expercience like this.
Snoring woke me from my thoughts. Graham had fallen asleep. I didn't expect he would be able to, but he had. Well, if he could do it, I could do it too. Snuggling closer against him, trying to keep warm, I closed my eyes, trying to block out any thoughts. Soon enough, a thin veil of weakness seemed to wash over me, and I felt that I couldn't move. Too comfortable, too tired.I can't remember what happened afterwards. Sleep must have claimed me.
//Don't worry. More chapters to come. Will Graham be there when Merill wakes up?//