Hush Now
Under the pale glow of the moon, a young Chinese man cowered beneath his blankets, desperately weary, yet unable to sleep. His mind was active, wandering, tortured. Each time that he closed his eyes, he was unable to shut out the scenes before him, nor cast away the feeling of sheer helplessness. In the heat of the night, he felt a chill settle around him.
Chang Wufei, delirious with exhaustion, climbed to his feet, deserted his tent and padded like a ghost through the darkness of the camp, seeking the only comfort he could find. He stumbled like a dying animal, searching for water.
A few more steps and he fell to his knees, crouching down, crawling inside the tent he had found, weak with anxiety and tiredness.
Here she was, sleeping on her side, oblivious to his presence. Her chest rose and fell calmly. " Sally," he whispered. The woman deep in slumber merely stirred. He flopped down beside her, gazing intently at her sleeping face, half reluctant to wake her. How could she be so peaceful when his own mind was a violent, raging storm?
He extended a finger and touched her eyelids, then traced it down her smooth cheek. Her lips twitched a little and she inhaled, moving a hand towards what touched her face. Maybe she thought it was some insect, but her limpid blue eyes opened at the feel of a human hand against her own. " Wufei...?"
Wufei, startled by her sudden awakening, found his breath catch in his throat.
The woman smiled affectionately; " What is wrong, Wufei?"
" Sally...I'm...I'm so cold," he whimpered. " I fear I am sick. I'm in pain. It hurts...it's hurting me...I'm cold...."
" Where is it hurting you?" she asked, gently. Wufei placed a hand over his chest, over his heart.
" I think I...might...be having a heart attack," he answered, distressed. " I...I'm cold...I'm dying..."
Sally shook her head. " No, you're not dying Wufei. I don't doubt you feel great pains across your heart, but they are not the kind you cannot heal yourself."
Feeling his jaw stiffen and his throat tighten, he trembled. " I'm tired, Sally..I'm tired of everything."
She pulled aside a pillow and eased his weary head onto it. " Hush now. Stay with me," she said softly, draping her own warm blanket over him. " I'll be here if you feel any more pain."
Wufei began to breathe quietly, letting his eyelids droop. Every so often, he would open them, each time to see Sally was comfortingly nearby. Sometimes, an old scene of horror would flash across his vision, causing him to panic and his muscles to tense. Sally would stroke the bridge of his nose to calm him, speaking soothingly. Each time she let go and moved away a little, he would feel the chill clamp around him again like shackles.
She could see he wasn't going to make it through the night without her. Reaching out a little way, she shifted her body closer and tucked his head under her chin, smoothing her hand over his hair and combing the small ponytail through her fingers. She pressed her palm tenderly against the side of his aching skull, keeping him close to her.
In her heart, she was aware of a burning anger, that against her breast, she held a poor worn-out toy, a broken plaything. The war had almost destroyed him. Almost. His life meant nothing to him any more. He was an existence, racked with guilt, regret and deprived of sleep, his only chance to escape. She could feel his tears against her neck and she wrapped her arms protectively around him, rocking him like a little child. He was just a child in a soldier's form, craving only justice, love and understanding.
Wufei was not resentful of this woman's presence. Whilst he was more than her in terms of physical strength, she had a kindness about her heart, a character strong enough to accept his views and even his insults. She understood him, she could protect him.
Inhaling her scent, weakness didn't matter anymore. He nuzzled deeply against her, aware of the power this woman held, like none other he'd met before. Wufei could sense the radiation of her body heat, her blonde hair dangling gently against his cheek. He could feel the pulse in her neck against his forehead, each throb reminding him of life, and how fragile, yet precious it was. How precious hers was, and how precious was his own.
Sally leant down, sighing contentedly, and kissed the soft tip of his nose; " Sleep well Wufei."
Chang Wufei, for once in his life, felt a need to surrender. To sleep, to Sally. Now under the starlight, they lay silently with their foreheads touching, their bodies close, arms entwined. Their hearts pumped slowly, rythmically in their chests, neither weaker than the other. Just two people in a war-torn world, a speck in the Universe, whose existences meant nothing to most but everything to each other. And being beside this secure woman, Wufei knew that - if only for tonight - he could value his life, and he could truly love himself.
*The End*
So what did u peeps think then??? I always love to know, comments, criticizims etc are welcome!
Under the pale glow of the moon, a young Chinese man cowered beneath his blankets, desperately weary, yet unable to sleep. His mind was active, wandering, tortured. Each time that he closed his eyes, he was unable to shut out the scenes before him, nor cast away the feeling of sheer helplessness. In the heat of the night, he felt a chill settle around him.
Chang Wufei, delirious with exhaustion, climbed to his feet, deserted his tent and padded like a ghost through the darkness of the camp, seeking the only comfort he could find. He stumbled like a dying animal, searching for water.
A few more steps and he fell to his knees, crouching down, crawling inside the tent he had found, weak with anxiety and tiredness.
Here she was, sleeping on her side, oblivious to his presence. Her chest rose and fell calmly. " Sally," he whispered. The woman deep in slumber merely stirred. He flopped down beside her, gazing intently at her sleeping face, half reluctant to wake her. How could she be so peaceful when his own mind was a violent, raging storm?
He extended a finger and touched her eyelids, then traced it down her smooth cheek. Her lips twitched a little and she inhaled, moving a hand towards what touched her face. Maybe she thought it was some insect, but her limpid blue eyes opened at the feel of a human hand against her own. " Wufei...?"
Wufei, startled by her sudden awakening, found his breath catch in his throat.
The woman smiled affectionately; " What is wrong, Wufei?"
" Sally...I'm...I'm so cold," he whimpered. " I fear I am sick. I'm in pain. It hurts...it's hurting me...I'm cold...."
" Where is it hurting you?" she asked, gently. Wufei placed a hand over his chest, over his heart.
" I think I...might...be having a heart attack," he answered, distressed. " I...I'm cold...I'm dying..."
Sally shook her head. " No, you're not dying Wufei. I don't doubt you feel great pains across your heart, but they are not the kind you cannot heal yourself."
Feeling his jaw stiffen and his throat tighten, he trembled. " I'm tired, Sally..I'm tired of everything."
She pulled aside a pillow and eased his weary head onto it. " Hush now. Stay with me," she said softly, draping her own warm blanket over him. " I'll be here if you feel any more pain."
Wufei began to breathe quietly, letting his eyelids droop. Every so often, he would open them, each time to see Sally was comfortingly nearby. Sometimes, an old scene of horror would flash across his vision, causing him to panic and his muscles to tense. Sally would stroke the bridge of his nose to calm him, speaking soothingly. Each time she let go and moved away a little, he would feel the chill clamp around him again like shackles.
She could see he wasn't going to make it through the night without her. Reaching out a little way, she shifted her body closer and tucked his head under her chin, smoothing her hand over his hair and combing the small ponytail through her fingers. She pressed her palm tenderly against the side of his aching skull, keeping him close to her.
In her heart, she was aware of a burning anger, that against her breast, she held a poor worn-out toy, a broken plaything. The war had almost destroyed him. Almost. His life meant nothing to him any more. He was an existence, racked with guilt, regret and deprived of sleep, his only chance to escape. She could feel his tears against her neck and she wrapped her arms protectively around him, rocking him like a little child. He was just a child in a soldier's form, craving only justice, love and understanding.
Wufei was not resentful of this woman's presence. Whilst he was more than her in terms of physical strength, she had a kindness about her heart, a character strong enough to accept his views and even his insults. She understood him, she could protect him.
Inhaling her scent, weakness didn't matter anymore. He nuzzled deeply against her, aware of the power this woman held, like none other he'd met before. Wufei could sense the radiation of her body heat, her blonde hair dangling gently against his cheek. He could feel the pulse in her neck against his forehead, each throb reminding him of life, and how fragile, yet precious it was. How precious hers was, and how precious was his own.
Sally leant down, sighing contentedly, and kissed the soft tip of his nose; " Sleep well Wufei."
Chang Wufei, for once in his life, felt a need to surrender. To sleep, to Sally. Now under the starlight, they lay silently with their foreheads touching, their bodies close, arms entwined. Their hearts pumped slowly, rythmically in their chests, neither weaker than the other. Just two people in a war-torn world, a speck in the Universe, whose existences meant nothing to most but everything to each other. And being beside this secure woman, Wufei knew that - if only for tonight - he could value his life, and he could truly love himself.
*The End*
So what did u peeps think then??? I always love to know, comments, criticizims etc are welcome!