The King's Luna

Chapter 26: Down in the Dumps

Claire's POV

They think I'm a Witch, and they are scared of me. Which means that they won't trust me easily, and if there is ever a chance for one of them to get rid of me, they will.

"I need to get them to like me" I muttered to myself, as I laid on the bed in my new room. Tossing and turning. Trying to get comfortable on what is probably considered a comfy bed, but I just couldn't relax into sleep. It was probably because I'd gotten so used to sleeping on a stiff, and pretty thin mattress for four months.

It still baffles me how much things have changed in the past week. I still haven't dealt with the fact that I am free now, it hasn't really sunk in yet. Maybe that's why I can't sleep, I'm too afraid that, when I close my eyes I'll wake up to realize that this was all a dream.

Giving up on sleep, I quietly exited my room. My bare feet padding on the cold, hardwood, floor. I was wearing a very soft pair of Pajamas, courtesy of  Sienna. They had Winnie the pooh stamped all over them, and I couldn't love them more than I do now. One thing for sure is that, I am not giving these back.

I walked into the kitchen, considering if I should get something to eat. Just as I was about to open the fridge, my brother's voice startled me from behind.

"Couldn't sleep?"

I turned round too fast, and my feet got tangled up in each other,  causing me to fall backwards.

"Woah" he said, quickly catching me, before I could crash onto the floor. Once I had gotten upright on my own, I glanced up and smiled at him sheepishly

"You okay?"

I nodded in reply, then moved to sit behind the counter, so I wasn't blocking the fridge anymore. I could see Keith better from here, he was wearing a white muscle top, and a pair of Pajama pants, that from where I was seated, seemed to be covered in hundreds of mini sponge Bob's. They made him look so approachable.

"Do you want any food?" He said looking back at me, while holding the fridge door open.

I shrugged my shoulders hesitantly, not really sure if I was hungry.

"Claire, you need to use your voice. I need you to speak up more, can you do that?" He said softly, but I still flinched at his words.

He took a few steps closer to me, so that the only barrier between us was the island in the middle of the kitchen.

"I need you to believe that no one here is going to hurt you, I just want you to feel safe again,  and eventually you are going to have to tell me what happened to you to make you so scared of people,  but only when you're ready, okay."

I began to nod but he cut me off, "I need the words Claire."

"Okay." I said with a slight smile,  and he walked back to the the fridge, opening it and taking out some bread.

"I'm going to have a sandwich, do you want one."

"Sure."

He immediately went to work on the sandwiches and we stayed in a very comfortable silence, for a while.

When he was done, he passed my my sandwich, on a small plate, and he sat down next to me with his.

"So, what is keeping you up." Keith asked between bites.

I swallowed what was in my mouth before answering, "A lot of things" I sighed.

"Like what?"

"Your people, they think I'm a Witch, and it is not safe for me, if they keep thinking this. Witch's are shunned by werewolves,  and if I am shunned by them, then they won't trust me." I began to panic, at the seriousness of my new situation, completely forgetting how to breathe normally.

"If they don't trust me, that means they won't accept me, and if they don't except me, then they won't mind giving me back t-"

"Claire! You need to calm down" Keith said softly, interrupting my train of thought.

"As soon as my people get to know you, they will start to accept you. Just go out and introduce yourself tomorrow." I looked at him like he was crazy.

"What do you expect me to say... Hello, my name is Claire, and I was kidnapped four months ago. The guy who promised to always keep me safe, let me down, and I'm too afraid to look people in the eye, because I unconsciously expect to be beaten up if I do... What's your name?" I said sarcastically, with noticeable anger in my voice. I took a breath and hesitantly  looked back up to his face, expecting to see pity in his eyes, but instead I saw a flash of an emotion that I couldn't recognize, and with a shrug he said, "well, if that's what you want to say then go right ahead,  but your not going to make any friends with that attitude."

I just stared at him in shock, and a little bit of awe, (but I won't publicly admit to that). He didn't pity me at all, which is something I was a little afraid of, seeing pity in peoples eyes. As far as I was concerned, I was a survivor, and I don't want anyone to think less then that, when it comes to what happened to me.

"Close your mouth or you'll catch flies" he said suddenly, with a smile in his voice.

I closed my mouth. Then we sat in another round of comfortable silence, as we finished our sandwiches, but the whole time I was trying to get the courage to ask him something. I finally just blurted it out, before I lost my nerve completely.

"What were they like?!" Keith looked at me with a confused expression on his face, trying to figure out what I was talking about.

"Who are you talki... Oh, you mean our parents?"

I nodded, feeling a bit shy all of a sudden.

His face went soft, as he processed my question. Then softly he said,

"They were awesome, the best parents a kid could ask for. You look just like Mom, but we both have dad's eyes. When they brought me here to live with our grandparents, they would call me at the end of every day, I always looked foreword to speaking with them." I scooted my chair closer to him, in an attempt to get caught up in his memories. I quickly thought about soul connecting with him, but it felt like too much, for one night, so instead I imagined what he was telling me.

"You still miss them?" I asked softly, and he nodded lightly, looking down at his hands.

"Everyday" his whispered, and I took it upon myself to try and give him the same comfort he gave me that afternoon. But it ended up being an awkward pat on the shoulders. I think I have actually forgotten how to initiate a hug, this deeply worries me.

A light laugh brought me back to reality, it belonged to Keith.

"Claire,  you look like your thinking too hard about something, that doesn't require much thought."

I shrugged my shoulders in reply.

Keith Lazily got up from his chair, took both of our now empty plates, and carried them to the sink.

"Do you think you'll be able to get some sleep now?"he asked with has back towards me, as he washed the plates.

"Yeah, I think so." I said getting up from my chair, when he was finished. Just as I was about to say good night, beginning to walk towards the guest room, Keith called my name.

My head softly looked back towards him.

"Claire, the people here will come around, you just need to give them a reason to trust you, so don't give up okay?"

I nodded lightly.

"Thank you" I whispered to him, "and good night"

"Good night," he said back to me, and I walked back to the room.

I looked to the bed, and knew that I wouldn't be able to sleep on it, so I grabbed a pillow and a blanket, then laid down on the carpeted floor.

"How am I going to get them to like me, when I don't even like myself anymore."

That was the last thought I had, before I succumbed to the pull of sleep.