The Dead Of Night

• Lara Krzelj
• Short Story
• 2021

You shivered from the freezing sharpness of the cold winds that flowed in the sweetest melody, as I embraced you in my arms like a stuffed animal. You needed the support, the feeling that someone cared, and you deserve nothing less. So tonight, as the stars looked down upon us, shimmering with joy as the moon smiled along. I felt my stomach fill up with butterflies as you cried on my shoulder. It was everything to me that you wanted me to be your comfort, your refuge in the darkest of storms. You have suffered the weight of everyone and the world hasn’t been kind to you for too long. As you grip me in the softest embrace, I reassured you that it all will get better and I will always be here. All of your fear, sadness and doubt flowed into me, allowing me to share with you the pain you’ve felt for years. The relief you felt, signified by your exasperated sigh, like you had been holding your breath and it was getting hard to breathe, as I wiped the tears from your soft, rosy cheeks. The twinkling shine of the stars in the night sky engulfed us in their light and once more we would make it till daylight.

We fell to the floor, hands tangled in a warm grip, tears of joy escaped the darkness and deep pain of our eyes as we caught each others glare, now I saw hope in your shimmering, golden gaze. You’d turned my dark grey skies to a kaleidoscope of colours, pinks and oranges, and I only wished I could do that for you. The light that now illuminated from your eyes, brought me peace as the day commenced like any other. But for us, the nights are the hardest hours as all our demons meet and conspire to lead us to our demise. Every glooming night, with all the stars and the moon there to watch, we protect each other from the grasps of the evil spirits, who only want to pry on the pain within us. Every time the darkness approaches, we know exactly what to do, trust in and hold onto each other, every night has been far from different. We’ve been alright each time, except the first.

The first time the demons came knocking, demanding us to suffer, I didn’t have you and you didn't have me. Alone we fought the battle against hell, barely making it out, the suffering and pain shattered our souls, trust became a luxury we couldn’t have anymore. Only trust in each other. We jump at the slightest of sounds, kids cried out ‘Please stop, you’re scaring me.’

We’re very well acquainted with villains that live in our heads, they wait for us to fight them so we can never escape them. As if we are stuck in a bad dream, that’s played on a loop, the same outcome each night. The same pain, the same fear and the same memories of a life before this agony. Cursed images swim through the air, you and I have to look away. It brings back visions of the past we long for, a life we took for granted until it was striped from us. Now as you hold me tight in this dark unridden night, remember one thing honey. I have you and you have me all the same, that’s all we need to banish these demons even if it’s only for one night a day.