As Long As You've Known Her

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"I swear, Travis, I'm going insane." Dec grumbled, scrubbing mindlessly at the same glass for the billionth time.
Travis, worried at his friend's lack of concentration, carefully removed the cup from his hand and placed it to the side.

"It's reasonable." Travis comforted, once again for the billionth time. "There's a lot going on right now, I get that. Some freaky dreams are nothing to worry about."

Dec grit his teeth like he was struggling to formulate words, for a moment clenching and unclenching his first. "That's the thing... I'm not sure it's just that."

"What," Travis asked. "You're not sure that the hands grabbing you in your sleep are just dreams? I'd think I'd rather you'd cracked."

Declan sighed. "Oh, I don't know." He muttered. A guest came over to order a drink; Dec served it, waving away the small talk he usually engaged in. Immediately he turned back to Travis.

"Trav... My Mum... Does she seem paranoid to you?"

Travis raised an eyebrow. "... Not exceptionally. On the list of most overtly paranoid people I know, she's far from top three. Why, did something happen?"

Dec thought back to how she very obviously wasn't telling him something. "... Not particularly. Just... a feeling." He shrugged. "There are just... some gaps, you know?" He frowned some more.
"Hey, Trav... Do you remember how I would take you round to hers when you were younger?"

"Wasn't that much younger." Travis teased. "I was what, mid-teens?" Then he sobered up. "Yes."

"And she'd show you all her old photographs..."

"Hippy fairs and music festivals." Travis nodded with a grin. "Travelling up country with her pals. I coveted her beetle so bad."

"Yeah, so at what point did that lady become my conservative Christian mother?"

The bite to his words struck them both into silence.

"Oh..." Travis started. "She's been that way as long as you've known her..."

"I found iron horseshoes nailed to the side of the house. She keeps salt on the windowsills. Holy oil by the door."

The look of grim realisation on their faces was all that was needed.

After a moment's sombre pause, Travis coughed, looking at the ground. "Alysha may have nearly found Nyx today, in the park..."

Sorry it's late! I actually got so caught up in Uni work, I forgot it was Monday! Also, for some reason, my reminder on my phone has stopped working XD
Anyway, a bit rushed, but hope you like!

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