Stolen Hearts (2012 Wattys Finalist)

Chapter 5 - The Dream

Robert was looking for the key and there was only one place left it could be. He didn't want to search the girl, but he knew she had it. It was his only chance of escape. She got up from the desk and walked up to him, looking at him with her intense gaze. When she stood in front of him, it was so quiet he could hear her breathing. "I can show you I don't have it," she said softly, her eyes wide and a vivid blue.

She started unbuttoning her shirt, making him feel uneasy. He didn't want to watch this, but she was looking at him so intensely he was paralyzed. When she opened her shirt and pulled it out of her skirt, he saw a trace of her nipples under her slip and realized with a shock, she wasn't wearing a bra.

She turned around, taking her hair out of its braid, shaking it out. It looked silky, cascading in dark brown waves halfway down her back. She turned to face him, unbuttoned her skirt, pushing it down. When she stepped out of it, her hair fell forward framing her pale face. She reached under her slip to reach for her hold ups and her slip fell forward, letting him see the top of her breasts. She did it again and he looked even though he knew he shouldn't.

When she was only wearing her slip she said softly, "I don't want to take this off." He knew it was because she was naked underneath. She was standing so close to him, her face pale and pretty, her hair rippling down in dark silky waves, her eyes a vivid blue. He grabbed her and pulled her to him, kissing her as she struggled to get away. Her hair was silky against his arms as he pulled her down to the floor and she started screaming.

The screaming woke Robert up. He felt like he was still in the dream. His body was feeling the effects of wanting her and he could hear her screaming. He suddenly sat up in bed. The girl was screaming. Something terrible was happening to her. He jumped out of bed and opened his door. Her bedroom door was half way open and he could clearly hear her. The screams were long and agonizing, with choking sobs at the end of them. It sounded horrible, like she was being tortured. He was unsure if he should go to her, but everything in him told him it was wrong to stand there doing nothing while she was in trouble.

He walked quickly to her bedroom, wondering who could possibly be hurting her. When he walked in, he saw her in her bed, tangled in her bedding and struggling as if she was fighting someone but there was no one there, she was having a terrible nightmare. Her screams were dreadful to hear up close, like something from a horror film. While he was trying to decide what he should do, she fell out of her bed and landed on the floor with a thud. After the loudness of her screams, the sudden silence was almost deafening. He knew he should leave, but he couldn't move. She started sobbing loudly, untangling herself from her bedding and sat up.

Just before he knew she was going to see him, he regretted not leaving, he didn't want her to know he'd seen her. When she noticed him, she froze, taking deep shuddering breaths. He stood perfectly still, certain she could see him as easily as he could see her in the dim light from the windows. Then she looked away and slowly got up sobbing again, picking up her bedding as she stood.

He slipped out of her room and walked back to his room. He looked at the clock on the bedside table as he climbed back in bed. It was after one in the morning. As he tried to fall asleep, he was conflicted by what he'd seen. He didn't want to feel sorry for her, but the nightmare sounded dreadful. Then he remembered what he'd dreamt, with horror. What the hell was that about? He didn't want to think about either her dream or his, and forced himself to think about the story he was reading so he could fall sleep.

When he woke up, it was late morning. He was hungry, but dreaded seeing the girl. How awkward was it going to be because he'd gone in her bedroom and seen her having a nightmare? And he was horrified remembering his dream. What if he saw her and was attracted to her? He made a decision before he went to get his breakfast, he would not allow her to get to him.