Preview - Work in Progress

It had been a year. One year since his death. And each night she still woke up screaming, tears drying on her face, her bedclothes soaked in a cold sweat. She looked around nervously, but all she could see was the darkness and small candlelight’s dotted around the room. She breathed out, slowly, not realising that she’d been holding her breath. The door to her room slid open, light streamed in from outside, as did voices. It looked like another argument was brewing. But that didn’t matter to the man who was still in the process of running into her room, a smoking cigarette hanging limply from his painted face. He looked serious, horrifying and yet carefree all at the same time. His eyes scanned the room from side to side, idling a little on her just long enough and then moving on. Certain that there wasn’t any threat in the room with them he looked down at her, his eye’s belying his worry about her.

“You okay?” he asked, as he reached into his tight leather jeans for another rollup. She could never tell how many he had. Not that it mattered any more, she’d seen enough in her short life not to question the small things anymore.

“Just a nightmare. Nothing to worry yourselves about.” By this time the background noise had stopped, another two men stood in the still open doorway, there expressions both of deadly seriousness. A thought came into her mind, one she’d had many times over the last few months; “I feel sorry for anyone that gets these guys annoyed”. The men shared a look. It wasn’t one of the nicer ones she’d seen.

“We’ll be outside if you need us. Just yell, okay.” The first one said. They didn’t want to disturb her anymore. Odd that these men of all people would be such gentlemen. It still made her smile at times like this. As the last one left, he turned looking back into the room, questioningly.

“It’s alright Nails, I’ll be fine.” Satisfied he left, closing the door behind him. Alone she thought for a while, before drifting off to sleep.