Reflections Of Angels

Shattered

Nyx woke alone, abandoned in a mess of sheets, sprawled across her mattress. Blinking awake, she eased herself upright and frowned, looking at the space where she half-expected another body to be. Memories of the night before were a blur.

Carefully, she swung her legs over the side of the mattress. Everything ached. She felt drained, bruised even, the blood pounding a heartbeat in her head as she tried to stand. Carefully, she eased herself up, and in a daze, stumbled to the bathroom. Her skin itself felt tender and raw, like the damaged flesh of a fruit. As to why this would be, she was drawing a blank.

Almost ritualistically, she washed herself and dressed, the water making her feel refreshed and renewed, breaking her from her dreamlike numbness and invigorating her for the day. Her stomach growled low as she slipped a loose blouse on over her head, and she realised how starving she actually was.

Dragging a comb quickly through her wildly messed-up hair, she then exited the room and hurried to the stairs. As she did so, she passed the nursery; and shuddered automatically as she remembered the happenings from the night before. The evil, animalistic hiss, the look of pure hatred in the child's eyes... Nyx decided a few more minutes wouldn't harm the baby. She just needed some time to clear her head.

Going downstairs into the kitchen, she was surprised to see he was already up; sitting at the head of the table with his head hidden in his hand, looking as beaten and bedraggled as she felt. Gliding into the kitchen, Nyx put on the kettle. Coffee, she thought, was a good idea. Reaching up into the cupboard above her, she took out a bowl. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

He was so very still. "Nyx..." Intrigued, she turned to him, bowl clutched in both her hands. His tone was soft and haunted, and it immediately sent chills down her spine. "After I left you in the hall... I don't remember what happened last night."

The bottom dropped out of Nyx's stomach.

The bowl shattered into pieces as it hit the ground.