Sleep Keeper

by Wilcox, April

  Its dark mouth was damp and narrow, with shallow waves rolling in. The opening was barely tall enough to fit inside. Using the nearby rocks to steady my balance, I climbed into the waist deep water and waded into the darkness. Normally, you couldn’t pay me to poke my head into a dark scary cave, but this time, I wasn’t scared at all. I was drawn into it.

  I stretched out my arms and used my hands to feel my way through the water for roughly fifty feet, when I stumbled into a ledge and scraped my knee against its rocky composite. I winced as it tore a gash into my skin. It was much too dark to inspect the damage, so I ignoring the throbbing pain and glided my hands up the ledge. It ended at my chest. I hoisted my torso over and climbed out of the water. It was tall enough to stand and the cave tunneled in farther. I could see a dim light in the distance. My brain finally kicked on and warned me to go back… but I headed toward the light. My body pushed forward like a drone.

  The tunnel narrowed until all that remained was an opening so small that I had to get on knees to squeeze through. I slipped carefully in and entered a large cavern with beams of sunlight breaking through the cracks above. The cavern walls were covered from ground to ceiling in beautiful crystals that bent the light into countless rainbows. Fascinated, I watched the brilliant colors dance about. It was amazing that something so beautiful could be buried underneath some place so dark and dank.

  I heard murmurs from nearby voices. I following them to the edge of the cavern and I peered around the corner. Three figures occupied the next room. A brawny man was standing in the middle. His shoulders were carved with muscles that protruded angrily through his soiled gray shirt. Their definition continued down the ivory skin of his arms. His hair was long and dark - pulled back and pinned behind his neck. His face held sharp features with a hard expression that looked like it was permanently imbedded - yet at the same time he was quite handsome. He looked to be in his mid-twenties. He towered over another guy, who was kneeling on the floor. The guy crouched on the ground appeared younger, maybe eighteen, and diminutive. His head hung low; his sweaty blonde hair was stuck to his forehead. The third figure stayed hidden in the shadows. I couldn’t make out anything, just a phantom outline that blended into the darkness.

  “I’m disappointed in you Damien,” echoed the man’s voice, as he slowly circled the other.

  “Draco, I tried,” pleaded the young man, apparently Damien.

  “DON’T you dare speak!” scolded Draco.

  My heart began to race. Damien cringed at his hostility and cowered down farther.

  “A simple task… that’s all I asked of you and you couldn’t even complete one simple task! You are useless…” Draco waved his arm at Damien in utter disgust.

  “Please, give me another chance. I can’t get to him with her there, he’s shielded,” the timid boy cried.

  “Excuses! All I hear from you are excuses! You are a waste of life and a waste of my breath!” Draco shouted with a fierce tongue. Spit spewed as he shrilled.

  He hovered behind Damien and stared down on him with piercing black eyes. The figure in the corner glided closer, but still remained in the shadows. A wave of immense hatred crushed inside my chest and I fell to one knee. Adrenaline pumped through my veins and my body quivered with excitement. Even though I knew nothing about him, at that moment I hated the boy, Damien. I more than hated him; I loathed him.

  I stood back up as steadied myself. The unexplained rage boiled throughout. I liked it. I felt invincible. Powerful.

  “Please Draco give me more time! I will get him alone, I…” Damien begged on his knees looking up at the man who held his fate.

  Before Damien could finish his plea, Draco pulled out a long double-edged dagger from his belt. He yanked back Damien’s head with a fistful of hair, exposing the delicate skin of his neck. Even from this distance, I could hear the blood rushing through the artery of Damien’s neck. I felt the rapid thumping of his heart. It was in a strange melodic rhythm to my heavy breathing. He reeked of fear. I watched salty tears stream down his cheeks. Such a vulnerable boy, his weakness was taunting me to sever his life. I fantasized that it was my hand twisted in his sweat-soaked hair… towering above him… deciding his fate.

  My mouth was parched. It ached for the satisfaction of his death. The anticipation of the kill was almost unbearable as I watched Draco slide the blade deep inside Damien’s neck. As much as my mind screamed for me to look away and run, I remained still, wide-eyed, watching… and smiling.

  What’s happening to me?

  Wet blood and air gurgled as they sprayed through the gaping slice in his throat. His lifeless body dropped to the ground with a soft thud. Draco stood over him, glaring down with a pleasing sneer.

  Panic and excitement battled each other inside of me, and the same force that drew me into the cave subdued my instinct to flee. I walked closer to the body in a crazed trance; unaware I was moving. Draco’s head snapped forward at the sound of my footsteps. I heard a whisper from the otherwise quiet third figure. Luckily, I was still in the shadows and Draco didn’t appear to know the source of the noise.

  There was three seconds of silence. In those three seconds my jumbled mind fought to gain back control. I felt the rage slip away, replacing it with fear as I snapped out of the trance. Without another thought, I turned and ran as fast as I could. My enervated limbs trembled, yet I managed to gain enough control to escape the cave and splash into the open water ahead. Crashing footsteps from the cave echoed from behind. Wading frantically through the water, I glanced back quickly but couldn’t see anyone in the darkness. Before I could turn back ahead, something grabbed my arm and I screamed in hysteria.

  “Alexis, what’s wrong?” Orion cried.

  “We have to get out of here now!” I wailed, flashing back and forth from Orion to the entrance of the cave.

  Without question, Orion took my hand and led me the shortest distance from the beach to the forest. The water splashed from behind, but I didn’t waste any time turning back to look. We ran behind a large tree and paused. Orion pushed my back against its trunk and positioned himself directly in front of me, waiting for the threat to present itself. My ears throbbed in the rhythm of my pounding heart. My vision was tunneled with fear. I tried to collect myself enough to hold still without shaking profusely.

  The crunching of dry leaves drew closer. I held my breath in horror. I wanted to run. I wanted to scream. Standing completely still was almost unbearable.

  The air was suddenly eerily quiet; we stood poised and ready for our looming attack. We waited… until I couldn’t hold my breath any further and sucked in gulps of air. I heard nothing but my heavy breathing. Orion’s breath was steady and slow. I held my breath again; slightly abashed at my apparent panting, but that only made it worse when I had to start breathing again. Beads of sweat rolled down my forehead and I wiped them quickly with my shaky hand. A chill ran down my spine. Orion turned to our left, slowly peering around the tree to see if he was gone. I moved next to Orion, peaking across the brush… nothing.

  I turned back around. Draco was standing directly in front of me. I let out a scream. Draco drew his bloodstained dagger from his belt, and with a roar, leapt toward me. I gasped. Without thinking, I held out my arms and positioned myself in front of Orion, as if to protect him. Orion yanked me by the waist, pulling me back and twisting his body in front of mine. This left his back exposed to Draco. I wrapped my arms around Orion to yank him away and squeezed my eyes shut. I wasn’t sure why, maybe from the thought of impending death, but with my arms wrapped tightly around him, my mind wandered to the first time I met Orion, near the creek. I had felt an intense connection to him from the moment we met. Maybe it was just the forest… whatever it was… but my thoughts went back to that peaceful serenity.

  The air suddenly changed. The ferocious roar of Draco’s attack was replaced with the sound of rushing water. Still clutching Orion, I opened my eyes to a creek that lay deep inside the forest. Confused and still panicked,
I flipped my head around, but there was no sign of Draco. I looked up at Orion’s equally perplexed expression.

  “Where… are… we?” I stuttered, slowly sliding my arms down his chest, but making sure not to completely break his hold.

  “You tell me,” answered Orion, staring back at me.

  “I didn’t do this.”

  “Well I certainly did not,” he stated. “How did you do that?!” he continued with wide eyes.

  “I didn’t! I don’t think I did… I don’t know… I was just thinking of this place right before…” I was too confused to complete my thought.

  “I never knew you could move here like that… interesting.”

  Silence hung in there air while I stood there bewildered.

  “You are my protector,” he smirked.

  Embarrassment flashed over me. “Protector, don’t be silly,” I muttered, and looked down at my feet.

  I looked back up to meet his gaze and my desires melted away the embarrassment. I studied the perfect features of his face and mouth. My fast breaths grew slower and deeper as my eyes focused on the contours of his rosy lips. How would those soft lips feel against mine… would they taste as sweet as his scent?

  “Hey, you’re bleeding!” he exclaimed.

  “Huh?” I muttered in a daze. “Oh, yeah, I know,” I shrugged and looked down at my leg to assess the damage.

  Orion appeared baffled. He must have expected me to act more like a victim.

  “Here, let me take a look,” he offered as he bent down to examine my wound. “Hmm, doesn’t look too bad, but we should get this clean this up.”

  “I’m fine, just a little scratch,” I dismissed his concern with a wave of my hand.

  Orion rolled his eyes at my obstinacy and stood up.

  “What happened near the cave? Who was that?” he asked.

  “Um, I’m not sure. The other guy called him Draco.”

  “Draco…” he whispered, as if he recognized the name.

  “You know him?”

  His brow compressed and his expression became a distant stare. He let his arms fall to his side, releasing my hold and paced. “No…” his voice trailed off.

  “You know something… He tried to kill me, I have a right to know,” I shot back, more aggressive than I meant to sound.

  He let out a sigh, more out of reluctance than irritation. “Every living thing on this land is connected in spirit and we all share a mutual respect for the balance of life. If you close your eyes and clear your mind, you can feel the energy flowing around you,” he explained.

  He closed his eyes and stretched his arms out toward his sides with his palms up. I followed his lead, closing my eyes and holding very still, concentrating on the energy. My fingers tingled intensely. The intensity slowly crept up my arms and through my entire body. I did noticed a strange energy flow every time I came to this world, but wasn’t sure what it was. I opened my eyes as Orion continued.

  “Our people never had a leader because we never needed one. Everyone and everything plays a part in this world and the connection between us is what keeps everything in harmony. That is, until a great evil threw off that balance.

  “About Three hundred years ago, a man name Erebus was born with a special gift. He could manipulate those energy forces and use his own energy to influence others. He wasn’t very old when he discovered he could use this for his own benefit…” Orion paused, eyes unfocused staring into the forest.

  “By the time he was in his mid-teens, he decided he wanted to be a leader. Those he couldn’t control, he enslaved. Most people in the villages were peaceful and were never prepared for a fight, making Erebus and his early followers unstoppable. They wiped out dozens of villages, growing his army larger with every defeat.

  “His growing power threw off the balance of the land and drowned out the sunlight. Darkness and destruction spread like a plague. Legend has it that a young maiden named Selena stood up to Erebus to protect her older brother from joining him. She had a special gift of her own and banished Erebus to another dimension under the Earth. During the chaos, Selena’s brother was never found. That night, Selena set out to find him and never returned. Some say that when the moon is full, you can see her spirit, searching the land and sky for her brother, Draco. Some say Draco was pulled under with Erebus, and they are still down there, waiting for a time when Erebus can rule again.”

  “Wow. That’s a great story… but there is no way that’s the same Draco,” I huffed.

  He shrugged his shoulders. “It’s hard to tell. I hear stories of people who have strong connections to the life around them and their spirit becomes suspended. Maybe that’s what happened to Draco? Besides, that name’s not very popular, for obvious reasons.”

  “But you said that was three hundred years ago,” I refuted, clearly unconvinced.

  “And you question this after what, coming here from another world, and transporting me to safety?” he argued.

  His lip twitched in the slightest smile at his strong rebuttal. He walked over to a log and sat down.

  “Okay, you got me there,” I surrendered and strolled over to sit next to him, a little too close with my body toward his.

  I remained skeptical, but there was no way I was going to argue with him over this right now. He was way too cute to disagree with. He placed his hand on top of mine and I gazed into his alluring eyes. My heart fluttered. I was breathing so hard that he could probably hear me panting again. I put my other hand on top of his… my body burned for his. His skin was warm and soft.

  “If it really is Draco trying to harm you, then something’s wrong. I wonder if Erebus has somehow awakened… that would explain the restlessness. Tell me everything you saw,” he demanded. His face was full of apprehension.

  “Orion, are you really going to chase a fairytale?” I mocked and laughed.

  He jerked his hand away and jumped to his feet. I instantly regretted my words, but I couldn’t help but speak my mind. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it how it sounded,” I apologized.

  Actually, I did mean it.

  I rose to my feet to stop him from leaving. My hand grazed his shoulder and he didn’t pull away. He sat back down and I followed, this time giving him some space. I explained what happened in the cave, sparing no details. It didn’t help my case at all. I could tell that Orion was even more convinced that something big was happening.

  “Alexis, I know in your world bad things happen all the time. You tell me of the pain and sadness that constantly surrounds you. Even now, you are sitting here relatively calm given the events that just occurred, clearly numb from the evil in your life.”

  I rolled my eyes without meaning to. He ignored it.

  “You have to understand, in my world, things like this don’t happen, at least not in a long time,” he explained.

  “You’re right, every day in my world I see or hear about pain, sorrow, and indescribable acts that I can’t comprehend. But that’s not why I’m calm right now,” I said whiled locked onto his gaze.

  There was silence for a moment. “I trust you, Orion. If you think this is Erebus, then I do too,” I caved, but still remained doubtful. “Tell me what to do. How can I help? I know this isn’t my world but I feel like it should be. I want to help protect it… and you,” I teased, although I actually meant it.

  Orion laughed, not in a mocking way - more like he was pleased with my response. At least that was how I chose to interpret it.

  “You said you were lost before. Maybe you have found your way home,” he said.

  I wanted to laugh away his words, but I just sat there in silence. In a strange way, this place felt more like home than anywhere else I’d known. I looked around the forest and felt like I belonged. I looked back at Orion. Looking into his eyes gave me a strange comfort. I followed the shape of his eyes to his cheekbones, studying the curve of his jaw and his moist lips.

  His lips.

  I leaned it closer and his face twisted out of focus. Everyth
ing became a blur… then darkness.

  I felt the pressure of the bed against my back; the strong suck of gravity holding me down. I stretched my arms and legs as far as they could go. My muscles ached in protest. I slowly cracked open my eyes and stared a moment at the ceiling above. I peeled back the sheet and lifted my leg to inspect my wound, but there was only a faint scar - a sliver of white tissue where the gash once was. I stretched my sore arms again and yawned. I was too young to feel this worn out.

  The shutters were already open and the sun was beating down on my skin. I took a deep breath in preparation for the day and caught a faint floral scent in the air. I sat up and looked around. The bed was sprinkled with red rose pedals with an extra bouquet on my nightstand. Mitchell appeared around the corner holding a tray of food.

  “Morning sunshine!” he welcomed me with a pleasant smile.

  Setting down the tray on my lap, he planted a kiss on my lips that startled me and made me feel uneasy, “Happy anniversary babe!”

  “Oh… Mitchell… you didn’t have to do this. Thank you… and happy anniversary to you too,” I sputtered, still trying to wake up. I had completely forgotten it was the anniversary of our first kiss, the turning point that moved us from ‘friends’ to ‘more-than-friends’. I took inventory of the pancakes, sausage, and coffee on the tray. My mouth began to water. “This looks delicious. And the flowers are beautiful,” I admired.

  My stomach grumbled and I began to eat as Mitchell slid in bed next to me.

  “What do you want to do today?” he asked.

  “Well, if you don’t have any plans, I thought we could go kayaking at the lake then have a picnic,” I suggested, thinking on my feet.