Here With You

Pain flowed through my body as I laid in the dark, wherever I was, with her smiling and watching from over me. “I told you don’t underestimate me Sapphire. It was a mistake” Medea warned before she disappeared into the darkness that had taken over everything. I scram again, knowing that no one would hear me.

The pain made my legs and arms jerk and tears to spring from my eyes as I prayed that it was almost over. It felt like someone was driving knives through every part of my body even though there was no one around anymore. The cold of the darkness nipped violently at my skin, although over the other pain it was hard to feel, but I was still sweating heavily. The tears were drying on my cheeks as more fell from my eyes. I felt helpless, and I felt that way because the truth is I am helpless.

More screams violently erupted from my lips, as the pain sank right through my bones and Medea’s laugh filled the air. I waited as the cycle continued since there was nothing else I could do anyway.

Finally the pain slowly began easing until it was completely gone. I slowly felt myself coming back to the present, and I started regaining consciousness. Unfortunately my hearing hadn’t returned and my vision was still too blurred to see anything, so I kept my eyes shut. I still felt cold and I could feel tears that were drying on my cheeks.

I just waited and stayed silent, hoping no one would notice, until I could hear and see everything again. As the pain faded away completely I could feel two arms wrapped around me protectively and I knew they were Matt’s. Slowly my hearing started coming back and I could see light through my eyelids. I decided it was time to open my eyes and look around. But as soon as I did I scram again.

Everyone was circled around me and was watching my every move. I quickly realized that I was curled up against Matt’s side and that is why his arms were around me. I buried my face against his shoulder so I could avoid the worried gazes of my friends. I hated having them be worried about me. “Saph? Are you okay? What happened?” Matt’s voice asked, dripping with worry.

“I d-don’t know. My hearing just blocked and my vision blurred then I was in this dark place with Medea, and I was in horrible pain. I was screaming but it didn’t help.” I explained as I kept my face hidden, mostly due to the fact that the light hurt my eyes.

“You were screaming here two. Ear piercing scrams. And you were crying, and sweating, and shaking. You also jerked violently a bunch of times and you were stiff. Are you okay now though?”

“Yeah I think so. I’m just sore.”
“You scared the hell out of us Sapphire!” Lilly exclaimed.

“What do you think it was?” Dani asked.

“Yeah do you think it was caused by her?” Mary added in.

“Okay everyone, lets just back off. We’ll ask questions later.” Sarah chimed in, beating Matt to it.

“Yeah, I’m going to take Sapphire up to her room.” Matt announced moving slightly and releasing me from his embrace.

“I can walk Matt, you don’t have to take me. But will you please come with me?” I stood up and felt pain shoot through my legs reminding me of how sore they were.

“I’m not leaving you alone. Come on, lets go.” I felt Matt place his hand on the small of my back as we walked and I knew it was because he didn’t trust my balance. Once in my room I laid down in my bed and moved over so Matt could join me. But he just sat next to me and watched as I moved around, trying to get comfortable. “Are you sure that you are alright? Do you want me to go get your mom?”

“I’m okay, really. Just scared Matt that’s all.” I finally found a position that didn’t hurt my already sore body and settled in, enjoying the feeling of my soft bed underneath me. “Do you think it could be another vision Matt?”

“I don’t know. It might be, or maybe something that she can do to you even though she can’t control your mind. I really don’t know Saph.”

“I just wish this would all go away.”

“I know.” Matt settled in beside me and we both fell into a comfortable silence as we thought of our own thoughts. The rain was still pouring outside and the sound of the raindrops comforted me until I finally fell asleep.

“Is she okay?” I heard my mom’s voice faintly asked, she was being quiet but I could hear the worry that was evident in her voice.

“I think so. She kept saying that she was, and then she finally fell asleep. I didn’t want to wake her up Ms. Heart. She seemed relaxed while she slept so I thought it would help.” Matt answered back in a shushed voice.

“I’m okay really. Just tired, that’s all. And kind of sore.” I mumbled as I woke up and sat up in bed. My mom sat down and placed her hand on my forehead, it seemed like I was sick or something but I didn’t mind.

“Maybe you should get some more sleep, you like tired sweetheart,” She suggested before looking over at Matt. “Matt maybe you should go home.”

“Mom no! Please let him stay! I feel better when he is around.” I pleaded as I looked back and forth from my mom and Matt, hoping that he wouldn’t have to leave. For some reason I did feel better when he is around and I don’t know why.

“Okay but I’ll be back to check on you later. Tomorrow I want you to try and figure out what happened okay?”

“Okay mom.” She smiled and waited a few minutes before leaving my room and I laid back down. I snuggled up to Matt’s side and closed my eyes again. I listened to the raindrops outside again, the comforting rhythm made me forget the day’s events and quickly put me back to sleep again.

The sun is what woke me up hours later. It was shinning into my room dimly, telling me that it was still cloudy outside. Matt was asleep by now too so I moved slowly so that I wouldn’t wake him up. I needed to go for a walk or something outside. I needed fresh air desperately bad.

Everyone else was asleep by the time I’d brushed my hair out and made it down stairs. I slipped out the front door and zipped up my hoodie before walking out into the rain. The cool drops felt nice against my skin as I walked away from the dorm house. I could feel it deep inside that I didn’t have to worry about running into Medea, she was inside and sound asleep by now.

Thankfully my body wasn’t so sore anymore and I could forget about what had happened as I walked and took in the wonderfully fresh scent. I’d always loved the way it smelled outside after or as it rained. As the sun shined through the gray clouds, illuminating the school grounds it was hard to image the recent happenings.

I’d just started to feel semi-normal when this had all hit. I’d felt like I belonged, like this is where I should have been all along. Even now if I didn’t think about any of it I could still feel like that, and I loved that feeling more than I knew how to describe. I loved being here with my mom, my friends, and Matt. Now as I walked through the morning light and rain I made my decision.

Medea may have an evil plan which I wasn’t sure about but in the end she’d stand alone. Anyone that she will have on her side will be under control. My friends would willingly be on my side, I wouldn’t have to control their minds to make them. In the end it didn’t matter because I’d always have my mom and friends. The people that really mattered to me. That was one thing she couldn’t take from me.

Finally I’d had enough of a walk and fresh air so I turned around and headed back, just as the rain clouds were darkening again and the rain coming down harder. I made it back to the dorm house just before the lightening started. When I got inside I unzipped the hoodie and took it off before turning around and finding Matt sitting on the couch. “Hey.”

“Hey Saph. Feeling better? Where’d you go?” Matt stood up and walked over to hug me.

“Yeah, thanks. Just went to go walk around outside, clear my head out a bit.”

“Okay. Well I’m going to go over and take a shower and change, then get some more sleep. You should try to get some more too Saph. I’ll see you later.” Matt pressed his lips against mine and I smiled.

“Okay. See you later.”

“I love you Sapphire.”

“I love you too Matt.” After Matt left I went in the kitchen to get something to eat. I settled for a bowl of cereal and ate it without thinking of anything. When I finished it I placed the now empty bowl in the sink and went up to my room. After a shower and changing into my pajamas I crawled into bed.

I wasn’t sure if I could sleep yet but I didn’t feel like moving around too much, for whatever reason I didn’t know. Somewhere deep inside myself I knew that I didn’t need to try to figure out what had happened. It had been a vision, a warning. How or if it would come try I wasn’t sure, but I knew what it was.

My room was darker than normal, due to the lingering clouds, but it didn’t seem to bother me. It only made it easier on my eyes, which in the past few months had grown very accustomed to the dark and hurt in sunlight if I didn’t cover them with sunglasses, allowing me to lay in bed and look around my bedroom. I knew that bad things were coming but I felt oddly at ease. Bad things were coming, I knew that was true, but they weren’t coming today or tomorrow. And in that I could find ease for now.

The feeling of Matt’s lips on mine lingered as his words played over in my mind. He always made me feel safe and at ease, no matter what the situation was. I was thankful beyond words for that as well. But I could feel that even in the midst of this crap that my love for him was only growing stronger, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he felt the same way with me.

I pulled my blankets closer to me and settled in against my pillow. I might as well try and get some more sleep, after all I did feel tired. How I still felt tired was a mystery to me, like many other things. I closed my eyes again and paid attention to the sound that was coming from outside. I listened to the raindrops that were falling peacefully onto the top of the dorm house and everything around it. Knowing that at least as they fell their sound was a somewhat peaceful rhythm. And with that I fell into a deep, calming, sleep.