Short Stories

Other worlds

His hand rested on her rising bossom.
A slight tremble in his hand caused her to stir. He withdrew, hoping he didn't wake her.
She looked so peaceful. So serene.
He wondered where her dreams would lead her tonight.
Sometimes she would explore the darkest forests or travel through the driest deserts.
If only he could join her.
Oh how he yearned to join her in those lands of waves. Holding her hand, watching the stars of other worlds together.
Sharing those nights with his wife, his life.
His beloved.

Yet, that was something far removed from his reach.
His hands could stay here, in this world, to caress her skin. His mind wondering where she was in that particular moment in time.
Close, yet still so far away.
Possibly the worst cliche in the world.
His hand traveled back to her body. It found a peaceful resting place on her arm.
His fingers drew small circles, careful so she wouldn't wake up.

There were times like these where he couldn't find those lands himself.
At times like these, they were beyond his reach.
He delighted in the fact that he could still watch her travel through them.
Even though sleep itself passed him by, he could still find peace by watching her.
Her slow breath eased his mind and would sometimes bring him the sleep he so craved.
In the morning she would ask him where he had gone during their dreamy hours.
He would watch her and reply:

"I have been to a magical land with a creature so pure and beautiful that she took my breath away.
She lead me through valleys so dark that I thought we would never see the light again.
We would fly from the highest mountain tops, never thinking twice about what was to come.
Once we reached the ground, we would meet the dwarves that worked in their grand kingdoms, deep under ground.
The dewey grass stained our clothes as we dined with fairies and elves. Lovely spots of green grass leaving tiny marks on her white dress."

She would sigh dreamily, listening to his every word. Her brows would furrow when his heroes ran into peril.
He tried to make her smile by enacting her dreams for her; standing bravely on the bed with his dream sword in his hands. Showing her how he slayed the terrible beasts he encountered.
But never did he tell her about the most horrible beast at all.
The one that didn't disappear after one would wake up.

A beast so dark and overpowering that it would hunt him into the hours of light.
It didn't get spooked by the sun.
Music, poetry and love couldn't keep it away, not fully.
The beast simply kept him away from almost everything that would brighten his days.
Yet, she was still here.
The beast had tried but hadn't managed to chase her away.
Not yet.
So instead it would keep him away at night.
Lowering his defences. Keeping him to itself.

But her light was darkening his days more and more.
It clawed at the dark veil that the beast had hidden him beneath.
Light started to pour in through the small holes that she poked.
The beast started to lose the battle.
A battle of hope against pain.
Perseverance against selfloathing.
Love against the past.