I'll Be the Only Light
I'll Be The Only Light
I gently poke Jaime’s cheek and whisper his name. “Jaime?” The tour bus is quiet, so even the softness of my voice booms like a crack of thunder. Yet, he doesn’t stir. I try again, but a bit harder and louder.
”Jaime.” This time, he responses with incoherent mumbling and an attempt to swipe away my finger. I sigh aloud, no longer caring if I woke the others. I make my third attempt by jabbing my finger into his side rather than his cheek and loom on him as he groans, indicating his awakening. When his eyelids flutter open, he squints at me, scrunching up his nose.
”Vic? What are you doing?” I stand there, gripping a corner of my blanket tightly in one hand and constricting the body of my stuffed monkey with the opposite arm. Pushing my lower lip out and, feeling it tremble, I whisper, “I had a bad dream.”
He sits up in his bunk, looking at me with concern. “Again?” He asks without needing an answer. This is the fourth night in a row that I have woken him up because of a bad dream. I can’t help it though. The night terrors are preventing me from getting any sleep, and sleeping with Hime after one happens seems to help me. Still waiting for him to speak, I feel my left foot begin to fidget. Jaime scoots over, making room, then pats the space next to him. “Come here,” he says, a hint of a smile on his face.
I eagerly climb into his bed, squirming around to get totally comfortable. Jaime patiently waits for me and, when I finally cease my squirming, pulls me close to him. Since I am facing him, I bury my face into his chest and inhale his essence, my nerves calming down. With his arms wrapped around me, a sense of security and warmth spreads through me. All is quiet once more, save the hushed sounds of our breathing, but it doesn’t seem to be enough. Minutes pass as my mind is still racing, images of my nightmare embedded into my mind’s eye. I tilt my head up to look at Jaime. “I still can’t sleep, Hime.”
For a short moment, he thinks, before laying on his side and suggesting that I tell him about my dream. I frantically shake my head, fearing the mere idea of purposefully thinking about such horror. Seeing my reaction, he lifts his hand, which had previously been draped over my side, and strokes my hair to calm me down. “Alright then,” he says, “How about I sing you to sleep?”
I smile, thinking about the sweet soothing melody that is Jaime Preciado’s voice. My thoughts are interrupted by Jaime clearing his throat, prepping his voice. Then, I hear him sing one of our songs.
"Self-medicated, while we sleep
we let the night chase
evil things away.”
I am slowing drifting off to the sound of his voice, and I hear him sing the last line as my mind shuts itself off from the world. "I’ll be the only light."
”Jaime.” This time, he responses with incoherent mumbling and an attempt to swipe away my finger. I sigh aloud, no longer caring if I woke the others. I make my third attempt by jabbing my finger into his side rather than his cheek and loom on him as he groans, indicating his awakening. When his eyelids flutter open, he squints at me, scrunching up his nose.
”Vic? What are you doing?” I stand there, gripping a corner of my blanket tightly in one hand and constricting the body of my stuffed monkey with the opposite arm. Pushing my lower lip out and, feeling it tremble, I whisper, “I had a bad dream.”
He sits up in his bunk, looking at me with concern. “Again?” He asks without needing an answer. This is the fourth night in a row that I have woken him up because of a bad dream. I can’t help it though. The night terrors are preventing me from getting any sleep, and sleeping with Hime after one happens seems to help me. Still waiting for him to speak, I feel my left foot begin to fidget. Jaime scoots over, making room, then pats the space next to him. “Come here,” he says, a hint of a smile on his face.
I eagerly climb into his bed, squirming around to get totally comfortable. Jaime patiently waits for me and, when I finally cease my squirming, pulls me close to him. Since I am facing him, I bury my face into his chest and inhale his essence, my nerves calming down. With his arms wrapped around me, a sense of security and warmth spreads through me. All is quiet once more, save the hushed sounds of our breathing, but it doesn’t seem to be enough. Minutes pass as my mind is still racing, images of my nightmare embedded into my mind’s eye. I tilt my head up to look at Jaime. “I still can’t sleep, Hime.”
For a short moment, he thinks, before laying on his side and suggesting that I tell him about my dream. I frantically shake my head, fearing the mere idea of purposefully thinking about such horror. Seeing my reaction, he lifts his hand, which had previously been draped over my side, and strokes my hair to calm me down. “Alright then,” he says, “How about I sing you to sleep?”
I smile, thinking about the sweet soothing melody that is Jaime Preciado’s voice. My thoughts are interrupted by Jaime clearing his throat, prepping his voice. Then, I hear him sing one of our songs.
"Self-medicated, while we sleep
we let the night chase
evil things away.”
I am slowing drifting off to the sound of his voice, and I hear him sing the last line as my mind shuts itself off from the world. "I’ll be the only light."