The Bewitching - Book 1

Chapter 14 - Awakening

It was early morning and the sun was just beginning to peek over the ocean in the distance, bathing it in an extraordinary array of colors. The birds had already started their early morning ritual of song and the waves were happily crashing down upon the beach. By most people's standards it would have been considered a beautiful day, but the feeling inside Dantes' home was far different.

Annette and her mom sat on the bedside, a place they hadn't moved from in nearly three long days other than to sleep. To them it didn't matter how beautiful the day was, or what chaos may have been happening outside for that matter. All that did matter was the limp body of Elyssa that was now laying between them on the bed, a body that hadn't moved at all itself in three days. The only sign of life that she had was the occasional slow raising and lowering of her chest as she took shallow breaths.

Alicia reached over and grabbed a neatly folded dry rag from the nightstand which she placed into a small bowel of water. After ringing it out to leave it only slightly damp, she removed the old one from Elyssa's forehead and replaced it with the one she had just wet down.

"Mom you should really get some sleep," said Annette, even though it was obvious that both of them could have used some shut eye from the dark circles under their eyes.

"I will soon. I'm not too tired yet," she responded although the yawn a few seconds after she spoke gave away the exhaustion she was trying to hide.

There was a long silence between the two of them as they looked back down at Elyssa hoping that she might at the very least move or show some sign that she'd recover.

"Where is he?" Alicia asked as she stood up.

"Same place. He hasn't moved since we got here. He might as well be laying beside her. He's been as still as she is," Annette said as she motioned to the patio outside the large sliding door.

"Hmm....He's taking it hard isn't he..." she stated to which Annette could only nod.

"I'm gonna grab a cup. Did you want one," Alicia asked as she started to head towards the door.

"Please, with a bit of cream," she respond as her mom nodded and then disappeared from the room.

Annette shook her head as she looked down upon Elyssa's unconscious body. "What were you thinking...silly girl, you should have known better," she spoke softly as she ran her hand through Elyssa's hair.

"He's just..." Annette started to say before trailing off.

"...He's just what?" Dantes voice flowed into the room, quiet and melancholy in nature.

Annette jumped, somewhat startled and turned to see him leaning against the sliding door that was open allowing in a cool breeze from the outside.

"Nothing. I wasn't going to say anything," she smiled apprehensively as she spoke.

"No, but you were thinking it. Go ahead say it. I need to hear it." He looked away as the words left his lips, unable to look her in the eyes.

"Irresponsible. You were irresponsible and you could have killed her," she looked back down grabbing Elyssa's hand in her own and squeezing it tightly at the thought of how much worse things could have gone.

Dantes didn't respond, he just stared into nothingness with a look of sadness in his eyes.

"I don't blame you though. I know how hard it must be for you to be this close to her after all this. I can feel it around you, so intense...painful. I couldn't imagine feeling that way about someone, being torn between so many conflicts and having to endure at a level that even beings such as yourself probably couldn't endure." Annette looked back over to Dantes as she finished. "It's going to be okay though."