Holding Back Tears

Chapter 20

 really enjoyed making this chap.

Ten o' clock

Shellington's POV: I knew Dashi was trying to be quiet, but I could hear her stifled giggles echoing down the silent halls of the Octopod. "Hey, Dashi, you're supposed to be quiet." I said as I grinned widely. It had only been two hours since we last saw each other, which is not a long time. I had dimmed the lights to just the right atmosphere, and also made sure the lights could not be seen down the hall. I closed all the doors for an extra precaution. Dashi's eyes sparkled with something I could not decode. Mischief maybe? She sat on my bed, in high spirits since the death of Captain Barnacles. " Hey Dashi, I wanted to ask you, where are you from? We have been to the rest of the Octonauts homes except yours. I sort of want you to take us there one day" I asked as I twirled a strand of her hair. "Shel, we would sacrifice ourselves for each other, but you don't know where I'm from?" Dashi snickered. "No," I replied sheepishly. "So what type of reef are you taking me to tomorrow?" Dashi changed the topic quickly. I felt she was holding something back. "Dashi? Why don't you want to talk about your home? Do you feel homesick? It will make you feel better if you talk about it,-" I blabbered. " No, Shel, I'm just really tired, ok?" "Ok." I replied. I hopped off the bed and rolled out the cot. I had neatly made the bed earlier, because I did not want Dashi to think I was messy. She lay down on the cot. I kissed her forehead. It was warm. Maybe to warm. "Dashi, you're boiling up. Are you sure you're-" I asked worriedly. "I am fine Shelly. It's nothing. At night I get quite warm. It's fine." Dashi reassured me. "Ok." I turned off the light. "Good night babe." "Good night Shelly." I crawled into bed, listening to Dashi's soft, peaceful snores.

Dashi's Dream.

"Out now." Emilia, Dashi's mother said. "Get out now you worthless thing." A young four year old Dashi braced for the pain of the hot iron about to be pressed to her skin. Emilia brought the iron close to Dashi's stomach. Dashi started to run. Good thing she was faster than her mother. Dashi looked frantically for a place to hide. Dashi had exhausted all the hiding spaces. No, not all. Little Dashi scurried up the wood ladder and tucked herself into the small space of the attic. "I'm coming for you, you can't hide, Dashi" Emilia called from below with a sinister smile. Dashi squeezed her eyes and willed herself to become invisible. She so badly wanted everything to go back to normal. She wanted her father's cool attitude to come back and dowse her mother's fury. "I found you!" Emilia climbed the old wooden ladder unfazed at all of the splinters. Emilia pressed a steaming hot iron to young Dashi's stomach. Emilia loved the sound of her daughter screaming. "That's what you get for being a loser. No one is ever going to understand your pain and fury, and everyone will want to forget about you."

Shellington's POV: I was awakened by a scream. Dashi's scream, so full of pain, and hopelessness. It sent shivers up and down my spine. "Dashi, are you sure you're ok?" She shivered as she twisted to lay on her side. "Shellington please please don't ever leave me. Please."