The stillness was invigorating. The feeling of every fiber in your body still at one time was a rush. The feeling of your chest rising and falling, the only thing breaking into your senses. The silence that surrounded you is deafening, but provides a quiet calmness that slows your breathing. And the darkness, the darkness was the best part. The all encompassing shadow that surrounded someone was breathtaking. Just the feeling of nothing but yourself in this world made every second a moment of tranquility. The escape from reality was something Lapis treasured. It felt as if every second in her day, every grain of energy being used, was all being put into this single moment of stillness. This single moment where she could escape. there was nothing in the world, except herself and her breathing.
HIC
Lapis' eyes shot open.
HIC
She tried to close her eyes again but was interrupted a second time.
"You had better stop hiccupping."
Lapis' monotone voice interrupted the stillness. A few steps from where Lapis was laying on the couch Peridot sat on the floor, using the computer. Peridot was hiccupping loudly every thirty seconds.
"I can't -hic- control it!"
"Either I can scare it out of you or you hold your breath for thirty seconds, your choice."
Peridot fell silent. She didn't want to know what Lapis had in mind about scaring her and she didn't want to know. So Peridot tried holding her breath. Lapis watched in silence as Peridot took in a deep breath. She went six seconds before hiccupping while she was holding her breath and letting all the air out. Lapis groaned. Peridot chuckled nervously. Then hiccupped. Peridot scootched back as Lapis stood slowly to her feet. She couldn't take her eyes off of Lapis' face and the deeply rooted annoyance it held. Lapis walked quietly over to the sink, pulled out a glass, and filled it up with water.
"Drink this for thirty seconds."
Lapis said dully as she walked back to Peridot. Peridot hesitated but took the glass of water. She started drinking it slowly, but hiccupped part of the way through it and spilled water all over herself. Lapis was far from amused.
"Ehh hehe, sorry."
Peridot handed the glass back to Lapis. Lapis crushed the glass in her fist. Peridot watched in silent horror as Lapis opened her palm, let the glass shards fall to the floor, and walked back to the couch. Lapis lay herself back down and grabbed a pillow. She closed her eyes again just as Peridot hiccupped again. Lapis growled but stayed put. Peridot, though she was terrified, kept on hiccupping. Lapis flipped over and over, trying to drown out Peridot's hiccups so she could go to sleep. Finally, she snapped.
Lapis lifted herself off the couch. Slowly she extended her arm out in front of her. Peridot was too busy playing on the computer to notice the dripping tap in the sink was filling with water. Suddenly, a wall of water surrounded Peridot's head, yanking her off the ground. Peridot kicked with her feet and knocked over the computer. While struggling Peridot caught a glimpse of Lapis' face. Her pure white eyes were burning with malice. Peridot tried to scream in horror but no air could escape her. She clutched at her throat, tears burning behind her eyes as water filled her mouth. Peridot's feet kicked in a desperate attempt to escape. Her mind was rushing with thoughts of her mortality. Could this really be the end?
"28, 29, 30."
Lapis' garbled voice rang out amongst the pained screaming Peridot was emitting. Lapis put down her hand, making the water fall to the floor, and Peridot with it. Peridot hit the floor and clutched at her chest, gasping for air.
"Why... why did you do that?!"
"No more hiccups."
Peridot lay there, shocked. She wasn't wrong. Peridot didn't hiccup during the whole thing. And she wasn't hiccupping now. Lapis' face stretched with a small smile. Lapis stepped over Peridot, made her way over to the couch, lied down, and closed her eyes. Finally, she could get back to the peace.