Eternity - The Beginning
A short story I wrote a year ago, to illustrate my skill. I have no intention of continuing the story, but the characters remain mine.
"You're still awake?"
It was one of the most stupid questions I'd heard Evelyn ask lately. She probably realized this as soon as it was out of her mouth. I looked for a way to mock her inquiry, but I was tired and simply slumped lower in my window seat.
"I'm always awake."
I stared up at the moon, pressing my face against the cold window pane. Uncrossing my arms only long enough to pull up my black Chiodos hoodie over my head, tugging it forward to block as much of my face as I could; I knew I was being rude to her. I didn't want to see what her reaction might be.
I heard her sigh, and from the reflection on the window I could see her rubbing her eyes. My mate looked at me with such sorry emerald eyes, as if she wanted to take my burdens from my shoulders. She didn't even know what they were tonight, she barely knew me, and yet she looked at me that way. For a moment I felt regret at the biting way I had responded to her - then the moment was gone, leaving me to my morose thoughts.
"What's wrong tonight, Lorraine?"
I shrugged her off.
There wasn't always a problem on the nights I couldn't sleep. I had a case of undiagnosed insomnia, and the more there was on my mind, the harder it was for dreamland to attain me. Evelyn didn't know me well enough to know all that, and I didn't trust her enough to tell her.
Even if I had, it wouldn't matter. There actually was something wrong tonight - Evelyn's overly kind personality meant she would have asked even if she did know it could be nothing. I grumbled quietly to myself and sat in stony silence until she finally tried again.
"Would you like some tea?"
If she had asked me what was wrong again, I probably would have snapped. Instead, I heard her offer what I could not refuse. I nodded my consent. As she walked away, I pulled my knees up to my chest and leaned harder on the window.
If I moved away from the glass just a little, I could see my own reflection. Doing so gave me the opportunity to see what Evelyn saw when she looked at me. There were bags under my eyes, my black hair was greasy, and my brown-amber eyes were dull and glossy. Even to myself I looked filthy. I wondered how it was that the Tribe Leaders expected me to share a bed with someone like Evelyn. I was unruly, unkempt, moody, and I didn't take care of myself like most those in my tribe did. At least, not on weeks like this...
A warm cup being thrust into my hands interrupted me. I sniffed the air and breathed a sigh of gratitude - maybe Evelyn knew me a little better than I thought. I wrapped my fingers around the mug and allowed the scent of the earl gray to calm me.
"Mother always used to make me earl gray when I couldn't sleep."
Then again, maybe she just liked the tea as well as I did. The sip I had taken turned bitter in my mouth as I was hit once more by the same problem that had been keeping me up for the last few days.
I had been life-mated by my Tribe to a woman I didn't even know.