A Life Worth Living - Chapter 7 - Restless Night of Peace
#7 of A Life Worth Living
A Life Worth Living - Chapter 7 - Restless Night of Peace
Again, I found myself walking through the streets towards a three-way intersection. As I approached the alleyway became clearer. As dark and non-inviting as was, curiosity got the better of me and I ventured further. However, there was something different about this time around. There was a lack of, hostility, and it was as if I could feel another spirit next to me, by my side, never wanting to leave me. The alleyway turned and there were two bears and a horse, holding down what looked like, well, what looked like me. From the darkness came a panther with a tranquilizer gun. She aimed it at his, my, who ever's chest it was, and fired.
Jolting up from my dream, or nightmare, whatever it was, I looked around in fright. Looking to the left I could have sworn I saw a feline-type figure fleeing into the night. Looking back to my right I see Kaynin's green eyes wide open starring at me.
"Did you feel"
"Like something you couldn't remember clearly" She added quickly.
"Just suddenly was made"
"Completely clear and"
"Everything started making more sense?"
"I was in an alleyway and when I turned the corner"
"There were two bears and a horse"
"Holding you or something like you down and then"
"A panther came out and"
"Shot a tranquilizer dart!"
"It was like the nightmare that has been haunting me was"
"Really just a memory you couldn't remember?" I finished.
"What the hell? What are you two doing up?? It's like three in the friggen morning!!!!" Shouted a grumpy dragon.
"Damn it Alurx I was having a damn good dream!" Cohulan said. "Not too often you have three chicks worshiping you" He mumbled, turning onto his other side.
"Hey man, you just be happy I'm too tired to get you back right now, but you just wait." Mumbled William.
Kaynin and I could only look back at each other and smirk. We laid back down with a sense of peace now knowing something that had remained elusive till now finally made sense. Eventually night took us back over and we slipped back into the peaceful night.
There was an immense pressure throbbing in my head as I awoke. My eyes felt groggy but I couldn't lift my arms to rub them.
"Look who's waking up." Said Deltrox in a slightly sadistic matter.
"What the hell?" I opened my eyes to see trees growing in the sky. Hang on; trees don't grow in the sky? I quickly realized something wasn't right. Now I understood what Deltrox meant. I was tied by my legs, upside down, hands roped behind my back.
"Ha ha ha, paybacks a bitch ain't it?" Chuckled Cohulan, pushing me into swaying back and forth.
"Your lucky William didn't tell us how to tie a noose." Deltrox added with a chuckle. My swaying caused me to turn, where I saw Kaynin dangling right side up, or upside down, whatever way I was hanging, with a slightly unpleasant look on her face.
"Don't worry Alurx, I made sure to tuck in Kaynin's shirt and threatened to gore anyone that touched her, cuz I know that if anything happened, well, I'd be down a friend." William said, sharpening his back-sheath knife.
"Well, any chance you'll let us down now?" Kaynin asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Maybe after us three eat breakfast, I'm hungry and enjoying you two upside down too damn much." Said Deltrox, adding another hearty laugh.
So Kaynin and I spent the next twenty minutes or so swaying and twisting gently in the wind. We would occasionally come face to face and smile at each other. While the rest of them started to clear the plates and wash up, it just so happened that Kaynin and I came face to face again. She quickly looked around me to see that they weren't looking, and then she gave me a playful lick on my muzzle, then looked away shyly before locking eyes with me again.
"Alright, time to get you two down." William said. He unsheathed his blade and threw it towards us from about ten paces away where I heard it dig itself into a tree.
"Missed me Will!" I said playfully.
"Did I?" He responded. Then, as if it were rehearsed, I heard my rope snap and I crashed onto the ground headfirst, sprawling out as much as my restraints would let me, then Kaynin's rope snapped and she landed on my chest with a grunt.
"Ouch, that hurt!" I said.
"Ohhhh comfy!" She responded with a giggle.
"Well, we saved you some food so eat up." William said, retrieving his knife from the tree.
Kaynin and I sat down at the table next to each other and grabbed some breakfast while the others sat around the remnants of the fire and laughed about co-workers and collage experiences and each other's flaws.
"Well guys, it was great seeing all of you guys again, but I got myself a job interview in two hours so I have to be sure to nail it." Deltrox said, standing up and stretching out.
"See ya man."
"Good luck with the job."
"Nice catching up with you."
With that he leapt into the air and flew off over the trees. Soon after, Kaynin and I finished our breakfast, washed up the plates, and sat down next to William and Cohulan. With Deltrox being more of the less serious type, him being gone turned the conversation more or less serious.
"So William, how's your uncle? Still kickin in the hospital?" I asked.
"Yea he's doing just fine. Doc says that his condition's getting worse but we all know he'll pull through just fine." He said in a slightly less than serious tone. I noticed that Kaynin was looking off into the distance, sort of disconnected from us all.
"Kaynin, you alright?" William asked.
"Mmm what, oh. Yea sure." She said in a less than convincing tone. I scooted closer to her and put my arms around her.
"Kaynin, what's wrong?" I asked, looking at her eyes. She glanced away and
shrugged.
"C'mon Kaynin, somethings up. William and I both know that it sure helps a lot to talk 'bout it."
She finally mustered the courage to let it out. "Ahhg where to start. I guess it was that night where you were over and that dream, nightmare, came again. It happens over and over and over and..."
"Kaynin, it's ok, I've been having those too. From what it sounds like it's the same one. But for some reason whenever you're closer to me, I can see it better and understand it more."
"That's just what I was going to say." She said, eyes slightly watering. "Then in the morning I, I, I..."
"Got another letter from the government saying someone had died?" She could only nod her head as the tears once more began to stream down her muzzle and into my shoulder.
"I miss him soo much. My dad was always there to support me and to help me and encourage me and..." Her breath became ragged and short as her body was flooded with emotion as she completely broke down crying. All I could do was hold her tight as her pain slowly melted away through the sharp breaths and sobbed whimpers.
"It's ok Kaynin, we understand." William said while gathering the rest of his things and heading out quietly, leaving just us two. For over half an hour she remained in my arms, crying and letting loose the pain and suffering that had been suppressed. Her crying became lighter and her whimpers quieter until she had finally stopped all together. Words didn't need to be spoken to communicate the mutual feelings being passed from one another. I felt her pain and she knew I understood hers. She stood up and stumbled a little, and I was there to steady her. Her tear-matted muzzle gave a slight smile and she glanced at me, being happy to have someone by her side that would be there for her. Together we slowly walked back to civilization, side by side, mono en mono. Just before the end of the tree line, she stopped and turned to me.
"Thanks for that, I really feel much better. It's hard trying to cope with it, but with you it's a lot easier knowing I've got you." She said sincerely.
"Don't worry, I'll always be there for you, no matter what." She looked into my eyes again and we stood still, again just looking into each other's souls. I brushed my hand across the side of her face, moving some hair off her eyes. She then moved closer and hugged me tight, and I returned the hug, lightly scratching her back.
"Well, I've gotta see if I left anything burning in my house, so I'll see you later I guess, unless you want me to walk you to your house."
"No thanks, I'm fine. But again, thanks a lot for everything." With that we broke our embrace and set back to our respective homes.
When I got to my street, something seemed off. I couldn't place what it was; there was something in the air, a hint of cruelty of something. When I got to my door my nose started to cringe on its own.
"Damn what the hell is going on here?" I asked myself, opening the door. When I got inside there was essentially nothing in my house. My eyes widened with shock as I looked at the absence of all my shit. I saw the phone remained so I quickly dialed up William but got nothing but ringing. I sprinted up the stairs and found a duffle bag atop the steps. Ripping it open I saw a crap load of remote explosives.
"HOLY HELL? WHATS WITH THIS SHIT?!?!" I almost fell down the stairs trying to get out of the deathtrap. Bursting through the door I leapt into the air and shredded the sky trying to get to Kaynin's house. For some reason I felt like something was wrong there too. I dove down and barrel-rolled onto her lawn to break the fall and slammed into the front door, busting in. First thing I saw was all her things were gone too. Second was Kaynin, on the ground, tranquilizer dart in her neck.
"Why hello Alurx, we meet again." Said a voice, dark as death. Turning to it quickly I saw it was a female panther with two bears and a horse behind her, tranquilizer gun in hand, pointed directly at me.
"Ohh fuck" Was all I could get out before darkness overtook me.