Stubborn and the Mutt

thirty one | that night

Chattering and laughter is what I can hear, and when I open my eyes to witness it, it's almost like some lucid dream almost. Surreal, with the colours exaggerated and glowing. I'm back in the back seat, staring at my bare feet momentarily before I lift my head. I see the road through the windscreen. My sister stares at my mother with a smile of her own, and my mother does the exact same.

She turns around and gazes at me for a moment, just to say that line once again: "What do you think?"

Just like that, just like every other nightmare that almost distinctively reflects the reality of it, everything goes white when something hits the car. A piercing scream is heard, ringing in my ears as loud as ever.

I feel my shoulders being roughly jolted repeatedly until my eyes eyes burst open in fear, and I'm gasping for air. Hovering over me is almost a disfigured Micah who keeps shaking me for a moment before he stops. His lips move for a moment but I can't hear a word he utters. He cradles my face in his palms and then wipes my forehead, then fans his hand over my face.

All of my senses slowly start to kick in. My vision starts to clear out right until I see every last detail of his face — or at least, what the low light of his laptop not too far from us will allow me. My body feels like it's been rocked to whichever way, the way it's so numb, and my heart is thrusting against my chest in such an unpleasant manner, that I painfully place my hand on my chest. Feeling comes in, so with my other hand, I grab hold of his hand on my face and close my eyes, sobbing a bit at the flashbacks of that night.

Then I hear him. It's a fade in, sort of, so one moment I hear nothing but my racing heart and pants, and suddenly I hear him calling me.

"Mate. Mate... hey, hey. Open your eyes for me, mate." His voice carries a wave of concern, there's an aspect of uncertainty and pain. His fanning hand then cradles the side of my neck, and his thumb rubs the corner of my jaw. "Gertrude. Come on, mate."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I mumble under my breath, then swallow the gulp a lump of saliva. I then open my eyes a bit.

He has a deep frown on his face. His blue eyes with dilated pupils observe the fear laced expression of mine. His hair us up by the jaw-hairband, so his full face is on reveal. He sighs softly, then moves back to help me up.

Once I am in a seated position, I gaze around his backyard. We're still in his garden, but it's quite dark out with the half moon providing some light. The stars are out tonight. The forest looks darker in the night, understandably, and when I glance over at the mansion of his house, I see that some lights are now on. I'm sure his family members are back from whatever they did today.

I sigh and glance at Micah who sits very close besides me, staring at me as though trying to read me like some open book. I lick my lips then rub my forehead. This isn't awkward, it's just something I never thought I'd experience with him being a witness.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep. I don't even remember me falling asleep."

"Don't worry about it. I didn't have the heart to wake you up when I noticed." He sighs a bit. "Can you... do you think you can spend the night?"

I shake my head. "Not possible. My father won't agree, and we aren't on the greatest of terms for me to ask for permission."

He hums a bit. I clear my throat and reach over for what remains of my drink. I take a sip, glancing at Micah from the corner of my eye. My breath hitches when I notice him still observing me carefully.

"I should be leaving soon." I mumble after I swallow the content in my mouth. "I'll request an Uber—"

"I'll take you home. It's kind of late and unsafe to use one at this time."