Jem was sweating, tied to the chair. His parents were slumped over, barely alive. The demons came in the room, pumping more and more of the drug into him. He was in intense pain, his limbs tightened and his eyes swimming with tears. A voice called out to him through the pain, but Jem thought it was just a drug hallucination. His parents woke up and started screaming, but instead of screaming for him, they screamed insults.
You'll never be good enough.
I hope you die.
His eyes blurred and the pain intensified. He screamed an thrashed around, trying to get free. Jem suddenly felt strong arms around him. He jerked awake, snapping open his eyes to Will's face. Will was holding his shoulders. Jem sat up and was breathing heavily, tears streaming down his cheeks. He let himself fall into his parabatia's arms, seeking any comfort he could find. This was the third night this week he had woken from a nightmare, but only the second time that Will had been there. Will ran his hand along Jem's hairline, trying to calm his friend's breathing. Jem's breathing slowed, and he had stopped crying.
Will took this opportunity to talk to his friend.
"Jem? Was it the same one?"
Jem nodded, still to upset to speak. Will's mind wandered back to when he and Jem were still little boys. When either of them had a nightmare, they'd crawl into bed with the other, wordless understanding and comfort. They never asked questions, and it was the only time that either if them reveiled weakness. Now, after all those years, Jem was suffering again. Will abandoned all shame and lay down on Jem's bed, pulling the other boy next to him, untill silver hair lay on his chest. It now felt to them as if they were once again children. There was no shame in a brother comforting a brother. So that's the way Will and Jem stayed untill morn Iing. Jem was not plagued for the remainder of the night, and slept peacefully, as he had with Will as a boy
