Because I Love You✔️

Chapter 95: The Sound of a Soul

Chapter Ninety-Five: The Sound of a Soul

That night, it began to storm terribly. 

Bursts of thunder cracked across the sky outside and the sound of rain hitting the rooftop filled the entire lodge. Muffled by the rain was the slow breathing and snoring of Xaphile's friends.

He couldn't stop shaking, but at the same time, he couldn't move.

All he could do was stare up at the ceiling, frozen with terror.

As soon as he'd fallen asleep... as soon as his mind had fallen open and become vulnerable in unconsciousness... visions and flashes of horrible images had whipped through his head like the relentless crashing of ocean waves. Ella Richardson lying dead... Vrael being surrounded by dark, unknown figures... the nightmares had dragged him into a bottomless, depthless pit. 

And now that he was awake, he still couldn't escape, couldn't breathe. 

He was drowning. 

He opened his mouth to scream, but not a single sound came out of his mouth.

Not even a squeak.

Then he heard the shuffling... heard the sound of footsteps drawing closer.

His heart flew up his throat and his hair stood on end.

His half-open eyes snapped shut when the sound stopped beside his head.

He was going to die.

He really believed he was going to die all over again.

Some monster had come.

But instead of an attack... two small, soft hands came to rest on his burning cheeks. 

The sensation gave his his whole body a shock and he cringed, still unable to move.

"Shhh," someone soothed, speaking softly. "You're all right. You're safe."

He knew that voice.

Knew it like the back of his hand.

His eyes drifted open and flicked around, looking for her.

Sure enough, Ella was right there, looking at him with a sleep-addled expression of concern.

It was as if she'd flipped a switch turning on the light within his mind.

His body came out of its paralyzed state of raw, unadulterated terror and he gasped, breaking out into a cold sweat. His shivers became less pronounced as consciousness descended over him and lucidity washed across him in waves upon waves of relief. He closed his eyes again for a few seconds, getting his breathing under control, then he lifted a hand a clasped her wrist. 

"Thank you," he breathed, not opening his eyes. "Seriously."

"You were... experiencing so much terror that it woke me up," Ella said in low, worried tone, giving him an inquisitive glance when he finally looked at her. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine... it was just sleep paralysis. I had a nightmare, and it triggered an attack."

Her eyes widened a little.

"So that is what sleep paralysis is?" she demanded. "That horrible sensation?!"

"Yeah."

She looked thunderstruck.

"You said," she whispered, looking into his eyes with a shocking amount of seriousness, "that it is an illness of the mind, correct? But what is the root cause of this unpleasant sickness?"