Trepidation [Book 1]

Chapter 37: a deal's a deal

What has me waking this early on this cold Christmas day morning , isn't the smell of freshly baked cookies, my parents soft voices as they shake me awake, it's the scream of pure terror coming from Ethan beside me.

It has me jolting awake, my heart dropping to my stomach, and I'm quick to check on him, sitting up, cupping his face with both hands. He's tossing ever so slight, his face screwed up, muttering incoherent words over and over again.

"Hey, it's okay. Ethan, it's Francesca. You're okay. Wake up for me, baby." I say, trying to keep my voice steady as I project it loud enough, and he chokes on a sob, making my heart break. "Ethan, come on."

I've never been on the other end of this before, I don't know how to help or anything. How do you even wake someone up from a nightmare?

"Baby, come on, you're okay, you're safe with me. Ethan, wake up." I beg, shaking him slightly, but he's still in his torturous state. "Ethan, please wake up!"

I'm wary of the other people in this apartment as well as the fact it being Christmas day morning, so I'm trying to keep my voice low, but I'm terrified, trying to get him out of this. I know how horrific nightmares are, and you just want someone to save you from it, wake you, just anyone.

There's a knock on the door, and I let out a sigh of relief but I get up, ignoring the distant, nearly faint pain, as well as the outfit I'm currently wearing (a white tank top, and some grey joggers of Ethan's), and swing it open, revealing Scar.

"Is he having a nightmare?" He asks, and I nod, letting him.

"I can't wake him up. What shall I do?" I whisper, pushing my hair out of the way.

"He's going to be okay. Can you go get a bottle of water, an ice pack, and put the kettle on? Try to keep quiet though." He asks, his voice low. I really don't want to leave him right now, but I comply.

"How are you going to wake him up?" I ask wearily, and he hesitates, looking at me.

"He's aware of these nightmares, no one can get through to him, and he asks me to do this – I'm not doing this because I want to." He checks, and I frown, ready for him to continue. "I have to hit him."

"You can't hit him; he's having a nightmare?!" I hiss lowly.

"A nightmare that he won't come out of until he's ready. None of us want this to continue on longer than it already has. Go in the kitchen, I promise, he'll be fine – he's a boxer, I'm not going to hit him hard. His face will still be intact for you." He says with a little smile, and I just turn around, walking away because I know I never will.

The first thing I do is put the kettle on before I open the fridge/freezer, grabbing a bottle of water and then an ice pack. When I turn back around, Felix is walking out of his bedroom, his shorts hanging low on his hips as he rubs his eyes, pushing back his hair before he notices me.

"Nightmare?" He whispers, and I nod, gulping down the knot in my throat. "He'll be okay."

"How long does it usually take?" I ask.

"Not long, the first hit doesn't affect him, and Scar hates doing it, so just wait a minute." He says, and I look over his shoulder towards Ethan's bedroom.

My heart breaks when I'm suddenly hearing broken sobs, and I'm racing towards the door, seeing him sat up, Scar sat at the edge of the bed, holding the back of his neck to keep him upright.

"Hey." I whisper, and his eyes reach mine, broken and tearful.

"Fran." Scar gestures for me to come in, and I take steady steps, like I'm approaching a spooked horse, but I seriously don't want to freak him out.