Sleep Keeper

by Wilcox, April

  His puzzled expression confirmed my description. “Have you been there?”

  “The night before I met you, I dreamt about it! I was standing near the waterfall when he attacked,” I recalled the details of the nightmare and shuddered. I had forgotten about it completely until now and never connected that the dark shadow coming toward me was Erebus.

  “Interesting... you said it is before we met?” he pondered.

  “What are you thinking?” I probed.

  “I’m thinking that I’m going to Nobel Falls tomorrow night,” he declared.

  “Tomorrow night? Why would you go at night...” the words barely escaped my mouth when I realized why. “You’re trying to go without me?” I gasped.

  He puts his hands on my arms, “You have to go back soon and I would rather fight Erebus alone. That way I know you’ll be safe. It’s not safe for you to come with me, Alexis. I can’t bear to lose you.”

  “But I can protect you. You’ve seen it before,” I rebutted.

  “I’m not going to put you at risk,” he said, firmer than I liked.

  Jolts of anger shot inside of me.

  How dare he tell me what to do!

  Then panic hit as I thought of losing him. I bolted to my knees.

  “I can’t just sit around while you go into battle, not knowing where you are or if you’re even alive! I will be hysterical! I may not be able to get back here!”

  Orion grunted, rose to his feet, and paced in the sand. I followed, waiting for his rebuttal. He walked out toward to shore and stood in silence. I glided behind him and rested my head on his back, draping my arms around him.

  “Orion,” I whispered.

  He slid his hand down my forearm and turned around to face me. I could tell from his face that my pouting was working. Wrapping his arms around my back, he lifted me off the ground and kissed me. I ran my fingers through his hair and savored his sweet taste as I kissed him back. Tears roll down my cheeks as I thought that this could be our last kiss.

  He put me down and wiped away my tears. “Please don’t cry, my love,” he asked softly.

  “Please don’t leave me,” I begged.

  “Oh, Alexis,” he pulled me close and held me tightly against his chest. “I will never leave you. I promise.”

  I held onto him tightly. My eyes burned from the salt and smoke. My nose was so congested I can no longer breathe right. I wiped away the rest of the tears with the back of my hand.

  “We will leave together, today, okay?” he offered.

  I nodded my head in victory and he kissed my forehead.

  “But, we both know that eventually, you will have to go back home,” he added.

  Home. The word stung more than then thought of going back. That place was no longer my home. Yet he was right, eventually I would wake up and be alone once again, not knowing when or if I would return to this world. The mere thought of being without Orion was excruciating.

  “We’ll need supplies. Come, let’s see what we can forage from the town,” he suggested.

  He took my hand and we head toward the trail to town.

  Chapter 12

  We entered the town’s border. Devastation replaced my previous memory of a pristine town. Crumpled buildings scattered across the cobblestone path. Burned homes lined the streets as far down as I could see, some still ablaze. Citizens were working diligently to put out the remaining fires. Other townsfolk wandered in dismay, covering their faces from the smoke. A young man sat on the ground clutching his arm while, what appeared to be a nurse, was examining the burns. Nearby a young mother held her crying baby with an older child covered in soot clad to her leg. Her eyes held a deep and pensive sadness.

  “Oh my God,” I gasped. I’d seen plenty of tragedies in pictures and television, but to witness it brought a new level of sorrow I’d never felt before.

  Orion clenched his fists and yelled into the air, “He will die for this! I will not rest until his soul has been destroyed!”

  His tone was frightening; I took several steps back. He marched further into town and I followed behind at a short distance. An older man hobbled quickly toward us, waving his hands into the air. His suspenders dug tightly over a soiled shirt and into his stocky shoulders.

  “Orion! Orion!” he paused, hunching over to catch his breath. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and ran his hand through the thinning patches of his dark hair. He looked up at Orion with wide-set blue eyes.

  “Hector,” Orion acknowledged, as he placed his hand on the man’s arm to offer support.

  “Orion, he came looking for you! He gave me a message,” he spurted out between breaths.

  Orion shot a quick glance my way then turned back toward Hector. “What did he say?”

  “He said to tell you that he’ll return, and next time, no lives will be spared.”

  Chills ran down my spine as his words spilled out. Orion quickly scanned the immediate area, and then he turned back toward Hector.

  “Thank you,” he whispered. His tone was different, contrite.

  “One more thing - he said to thank you for Leyland. Does that mean anything to you?”

  Orion winced, but did not respond. He didn’t need to. His tortured face confirmed. Hector backed away and hobbled back across the pathway.

  “Orion, what does Erebus want with you?” I asked.

  “Come, sit please.”

  I sat down on a nearby planter and Orion sat next to me. He took a deep breath and slowly let it release.

  “Do you remember when I told you the story of how Erebus and Draco met?” he asked.

  I nodded.

  “Well, back then, Erebus’ power had grown so strong that some, including him, thought he was a God. His army was massive and wiped out much of the land. Erebus’ power has now weakened, but that’s not because of his reduction in army,” he began.

  He shifted tensely.

  “When Selena banished him to the underworld, she stripped most of his power and locked it away. She knew eventually he’d find a way out, so she hid his power somewhere in this world. Erebus thinks I know its location,” he explained.

  “Do you?” I asked directly.

  “Only Selena’s descendants know the whereabouts of his power.”

  “Are you a descendant?” I asked, noticing that he failed to answer my original question.

  He looked down, confirming the answer. He turned back with eyes of remorse.

  “You have to believe me… I never meant to put anyone in danger. For this reason, I have always been a drifter, never staying in one town for very long,” he pled, as if he was trying to convince me that this was not his fault.

  “My family’s scattered across the lands and we rarely gather. We can’t afford to be vulnerable and never allow ourselves to get close to anyone. Never. Except for you,” he said.

  “This isn’t your fault, Orion. This wasn’t your choice. It’s a burden cast upon you at birth.”

  Orion shook his head and placed his hand over his heart. “An honor,” he corrected me.

  I smiled. His noble demeanor was endearing. “You truly are devoted... a knight,” I winked.

  Orion blushed.

  “I don’t understand how I fit into all of this,” I said.

  “Can’t you see? You play a part in this too. You’ve protected me. We were meant to be together. I loved you from the moment I saw you,” he admitted.

  I wide smile creased my face as I remembered the handsome stranger sitting on the boulder near the creek.

  “You’ve saved me more time that I have saved you,” I reminded me.

  “Okay, together we are strong. No force can mess with us. How was that?” he teased.

  “I like that,” I laughed.

  “Thank you for entering my world. For sacrificing so much in your own for me.”

  “I can’t take any credit. I didn’t have a choice in the matter. But this is my world now. You are my world.”

  “Let’s go make our world right again.
”

  He rose and pulled me to my feet. I joined him, hand-in-hand, walking through the fallen town. Orion gathered the essentials for the journey and we headed back to the fresh air of the beach.

  “Do you think you can take us there?” he asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know... do your flashy thing and transport us there?”

  “Oh… I’m not sure. I can try, I guess.”

  I took his hands into mine and closed my eyes. I focused on the rushing water of the grand waterfall from my dream. Taking deep slow breaths, I concentrated as hard as I could. I opened my eyes… to the same spot.

  “Sorry...” I was embarrassed by my failure.

  “What’s wrong? Why didn’t it work?” Orion asked.

  “I don’t know! It didn’t come with a manual,” I shot back.

  Orion shook his head at my tone then glanced over at the horses. “Do you know how to ride a horse?”

  “Um, I rode one once at a fair… actually it was a pony… on a rope… and I was eight. Does that count?”

  “Uh No. Don’t worry. These horses are obedient. You shouldn’t have any trouble,” he promised, although his nervous expression said otherwise.

  He adjusted the saddle on one of the chocolate brown horses. I walked nearby and paused a few feet away, unsure how to approach. Orion motioned me over to the left side of the horse and handed me the reins.

  “Take these in one hand. Put your left foot in the stirrup, push upward and swing your right leg over the back of the horse. Got it?” he asked.

  I stared at him and blinked. “Put my hands where?”

  “How about I just give you a boost?” he chuckled, and bent down with his hands looped together.

  I stepped into his hands and mounted the horse. Orion adjusted the stirrups then gave me a brief lesson on how to command the horse. I just nodded and prayed that I wouldn’t be thrown off. He mounted his horse, yelled out some commands and his horse led the way toward the forest. My horse followed without command and we rode at a slow and steady pace.

  Piece of cake.

  Not long later though, Orion’s horse transitioned to a trot and mine followed his lead. My body bounced uncomfortably up and down. After a few minutes, and a sore bottom, I figured out how to move my hips with the rhythm of the horse and slowed my bouncing some.

  After several hours, we reached deep into the forest, untouched by the devastation. I took a deep breath and tasted the sweet savory flavor that I have longed for these past weeks. Home. My body tingled and I felt one with the horse. As if she sensed my satisfaction, she suddenly increased her speed to a gallop. I raised my body from hers, rocking back and force in synchrony. I felt alive again as the fresh air rushed against my face. I looked up at the sky and noted that dawn was slowly approaching. No doubt Mom would be worried soon, which meant I would be woken.

  Within the hour the sun began to rise, casting arrays of orange and red across the lavender sky. Soft rays illuminated from the treetops and shot down beams of sunshine. I reached through them and could feel their warmth. They lit up the forest grass and moss-covered trees into an animated green. I watched the bright yellow glow of the sun break through the horizon and shower the sky with light, like a divine star showing the path to enlightenment. The experience was equally as moving as the sunset on the beach.

  Orion slowed his horse and motioned mine to ride beside him. Soon he halted both horses and we dismounted. The horses galloped over to a nearby river for a drink, as I stretched my sore legs. Orion moved behind me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. I reached up and clasped my hands around his; our hands intertwined at the center of my breasts. He kissed the side of neck, sending goose bumps down my arm. I closed my eyes and focused on the sensation of his lips continuing across my cheek as he glided his body in front of me and kissed me. I draped my arms around his neck and pushed my mouth deeper into his. He pulled me tighter into his chest. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect setting, wrapped in the arms of the love of my life.

  He pulled us down to the lush grass and lay beside me. We gazed into each other eyes; his electrifying stare put me in a light trance and sent my thoughts to mush. Their perfect shades of amber, blue and green commingled in symmetry was invigorating. My heart raced as lust burned through my body. Orion grazed his hand against my cheek. All I could think about is his naked body against mine.

  “You’re beautiful. I love you, with all that I am,” his eyes sparkled as he spoke intensely. A mix of emotions spilled out. It was hard to describe - love, admiration, bashfulness, lust.

  “Without you, I’m lost,” I said in return.

  He moved on top of me and kissed me fervidly. I surrendered easily to his desires and we made love under the rising sun, surrounded by the spirited forest.

  The sun was fully blazed in the sky. Orion prepared us a snack of blueberry oatmeal bread and apples. After we ate, we washed in the river then mounted our horses to continue our journey to the unknown. As the time passed, I grew increasingly restless. The sun’s high position reminded me that night had fallen in my world. As I glanced at Orion with my sullen frown, a familiar voice echoed in my head.

  “Alexis... wake up,” snapped a harsh voice.

  My torso shook… I awoke in bed with Mom nudging my shoulder. I sat up, disoriented. She removed her hands and hovered over with a stern stance.

  “I’ve been calling you for two hours! I was worried sick about you,” she lectured.

  Sick... ugh, I felt sick. Nausea rolled through my stomach and my mouth watered. I quickly pulled the covers off and ran into the bathroom. Kneeled over the toilet, I puked.

  “Alexis, are you okay?” Mom called from the bedroom. Her voice was etched with concern instead of the previous irritation.

  I peeled my tired body off the floor and flushed the toilet. Yuck, it had a bluish tint. I was reminded of the debilitating effects from my dream world. I slumped over the bathroom sink and brushed my teeth, trying to remove the stench of puke from my mouth. Mom wandered over and placed her hand on my back.

  “Are you sick, honey?” she asked in her motherly tone.

  Oh, good idea.

  “Yes, Mom, I think I caught something,” I stuttered and looked up at her with a pout. I moved my hands over my stomach and twisted my face. Actually, I was starting to feel better already, but the faster I could get Mom out of here, the faster I could see Orion again.

  “Well you should have called me,” she softly scolded and led me back into bed.

  I crawled in and she pulled the covers up to my waist.

  “I’m going to go make you some soup and tea. Here’s the trash in case you get sick again.” She pulled the trashcan over to the side of the bed.

  “Thanks Mom,” I whimpered in my most pathetic voice. Maybe I was being a little too melodramatic.

  She placed her hand on my forehead to check my temperature, and then left for the kitchen. I wondered how long it would take her. From our previous calculations, Orion would reach Noble Falls in another two hours or so. That gave me an hour and a half to eat and get rid of Mom, then another half hour to fall back asleep. I hoped Mom would go for the canned soup, instead of feeling ‘motherly’ and trying the homemade version. That would surely take too long. I heard the familiar beeps of the microwave. Yes… she went for the canned soup.

  I sat quietly waiting for my meal. One minute. Two minutes. Three minutes…. I looked around the room impatiently for something to kill the time. A hot shower sounded great right now, and surely a sick person would do that. I snuck out of bed and walked in the bathroom, closing the door gently. I turned on the shower and let the steam fill the room. I peeled off my clothes and climbed in.

  The hot water washed the back of my neck, rolling across my shoulders and chest. The warmth of the water and thick steam in the air encompassed me. I curled my head back and let the hot water flow over my face and encase my entire body. It felt like Orion’s sheltered embrace. I missed
him already. My mind quickly filled with the thought that I may never see him again. Panic shot up and I pushed my head farther under the cascading water to drown it out. When my body felt relaxed, I turned off the shower and emerged from the bathroom. Mom was sitting on my bed welcoming me back with a tray of food.

  “Did the shower help at all?” she asked.

  “A little,” I replied weakly.

  Truthfully, a lot, but I didn’t want to open any doors to a longer visit. I crawled back in bed and she handed me the tray of chicken noodle soup, crackers, and herbal tea. Although it didn’t look very appealing, my stomach growled in approval.

  “Thank you, Mom. I really appreciate it,” I whimpered with half-closed eyes, and began to eat.

  An hour later, I convinced Mom that I was desperately need to go back to sleep. She offered to stay but I rebutted that utter silence was essential for my recovery and promised to call her if I needed anything. After she left, I called my boss and left a message, claiming debilitating illness and apologized that I thought my mom had called her earlier. I said the doctor thought I should stay home another few days to rest. I really didn’t care if she believed me or not, but I didn’t want to take the chance of someone calling in the morning and waking me up. I closed my eyes and tried to fall back asleep.

  An hour later, I still lay in bed wide-awake. My stomach grew queasy again. There was no way I could sleep filled with this anxiety about Orion. I crawled out of bed and opened the medicine cabinet, shuffling through the pill bottles.

  Ah ha!

  I popped off the cap and chugged down a couple of expired sleeping pills. I hopped back in bed and stared at the ceiling, waiting for the pills to disintegrate. The cedar knots stared back down, like an estranged companion deciding if they should let me back in. We had so many memories together; some amazing, and some I shuddered away from. These past few months encompassed more emotion than I could recall from the past few years, or my entire lifetime for that matter. I had a feeling that the next few would be just as memorable. A half hour later, my eyes finally grew heavy. The darkness swirled around and I fell into a deep slumber.