Peter looked around. He was standing by the door in a fairly
large room painted a soft, sky blue. Across from him, against the far wall
was mid size waterbed with pillows fluffed up, and a comforter with the
design two white tigers lying across each other on it. To the right of him
was the closet and to the left was a dresser with a stereo on it. There
were various posters of white tigers, dragons, and other things on the
walls. The carpet was a beige color.
Peter couldn't figure out where he was, let alone why he was there. He turned around and on the back of the door was a full-length mirror. He was wearing an all white suit again, and his hair was slicked back as well. He was beginning to feel like one of those movie angels that appear wearing all white, since it's supposed to be the color of purity.
Peter jumped away from the door as it was swung open. It missed him by inches, slamming into the wall instead. Aurora came pummeling into the room, landing hard on the floor. She was wearing a pair of jeans with a green midriff that was torn at the neckline exposing some of her matching bra. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, making it easy for Peter to see the damage.
Aurora had a cut above her forehead, and was bleeding from her nose and mouth. Bruises covered her arms all the way down and there was a deep abrasion where the shirt was torn. Where blood touched the green it turned into a deep purple.
A man walked in behind her. It was the same man from before. The one who was beating the hell out of her and wouldn't stop. This time he was wearing black slacks, and a white shirt. Peter assumed that this was Tom.
"You little slut!" He yelled. "I told you to dress nice for dinner tonight! Instead you come down dressed like a whore!"
Peter tried to stop Tom from kicking her in the stomach, but walked right through him. He looked down and his gun was again missing. He charged Tom as he grabbed Aurora by her hair, dragging her to her feet, but went through him.
Peter felt like a ghost. He couldn't touch them, and apparently they couldn't see him. His anger rose as he watched Tom beat Aurora. Watched as Tom slapped her across the face, and threw her into the wall. He was beating the hell out her, and there was nothing Peter could do to stop it.
"Leave her alone you bastard!" he yelled, but to no avail. It was as if he wasn't even there.
He clenched and unclenched his fist, not able to control the anger. Peter could see the fear in Aurora's eyes. In fact he could feel it emanating off of her. He stopped clenching his fist and looked at her. He didn't really need to look, to feel the power, but he knew it was coming from her. Aurora's fear had triggered it.
Tom stopped hitting her and took a step back. Peter diverted his gaze to him. Something in Tom's eyes had changed. They went from powerful, to fearful in an instant. Peter looked back and forth from Aurora to Tom.
"You can feel her power," Peter said, to no one.
Tom didn't say anything to Aurora. He turned around and walked out, slamming the door behind him. The power was still floating in the air like a thick wave. Aurora was on her knees on the floor. She was crying and with every tear, the power grew stronger. Peter felt it building, welling inside her.
Aurora rocked back and forth, whimpering in pain and fear. The power was still raw with her emotions. It still needed a place to go. Peter kneeled next to her, and went to touch her. He brought his hand up to her face, but stopped when he realized she couldn't see him.
Aurora squeezed her eyes shut and continued to rock. Then her eyes went wide, like a rabbits caught in the headlights of a car. She screamed, and Peter felt all the power flow out of her. He felt the energy coarse through his body like a drug. The window behind him shattered. The bulb in the ceiling fan burst into a thousand little pieces raining down on Aurora, who was still screaming.
Peter awoke with a start. His hair was soaked with sweat. He was breathing heavily, and his heart was racing. He sat up swinging his legs over the couch, putting his feat on the floor. He rested his elbows on his knees and dropped his head in his hands. He took a deep breath and sighed.
After his heart slowed, Peter decided to check on Aurora. He stood, and walked to his room. He cracked open the door, and was surprised and scared to see Aurora wasn't in the bed. He pushed the door farther open, letting dim light spill into the shadows.
"Aurora?" He took a step into the room.
He heard soft cries coming from the far side of the room. He walked around his bed, looking on the floor. Aurora was sitting in the corner next to his bedside table. She was hugging her knees to her chest, burying her face in her knees. She was shivering, but Peter knew it wasn't because she was cold.
Peter walked over and sat in front of her. The space was too narrow for him to sit next to her. He reached out and gently stroked her hair. Aurora cringed under his touch, but didn't pull away. She looked up at him with pain filled amber eyes, and tear stained cheeks.
"What's wrong?" Peter asked, still stroking her hair. "Did you have a nightmare?"
Aurora slightly nodded. "I'm sorry."
"What are you sorry for?" "I didn't mean to wake you. I won't do it again." She looked down as she said the last.
"You didn't wake me. I had a nightmare of my own."
When Aurora didn't look up, he put his hand under her chin, and raised her gaze to meet his.
"You don't have to be scared of me. I will never hurt you." He put emphasis on never.
Peter watched the look of confusion run through her face, the puzzlement and conflict in her eyes. It was as if she wanted to believe him, but wasn't sure she should. Then much to Peter's surprise, she flung herself in his arms, and began to sob uncontrollably into his shoulder. Peter cradled her in his arms, and rocked her. He began stroking her hair again.
"Shhh, it's alright," he soothed. "I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."
Peter wasn't sure how long they sat there, but he continued to comfort Aurora, and finally, after ten minutes or so as Peter seemed to think, the sobs were reduced to soft sniffles, and supple hiccups. Peter shifted his weight because his legs were asleep.
"Don't leave me," Aurora mumbled into his shoulder, mistaking his movement for something else.
"I won't leave you. It's alright."
Peter wouldn't leave her, but he couldn't sit on the floor anymore. He stood up with Aurora in his arms, and went over to the bed. He set her down on the bed and sat next to her. She was lying down, looking up at him. He went to stroke her hair, and saw her flinch. He pulled his hand away.
"I'm sorry Peter. I know you won't hurt me but.."
Peter cut her off, "I know, but that doesn't change the effect of the abuse Tom inflicted."
Aurora propped her head on her elbow, and diverted her gaze to the sheets. She was staring at the lines and dips she had made from her restless sleep.
"I told myself that I'd never trust anyone again. Everyone I've ever trusted has let me down or abandoned me. My father left me, and I never really trusted my mom, but I did love her. I never thought she would let Tom hurt me like that, but she just let him do it. She didn't even care."
Peter lay down and propped himself on the opposite elbow so that he was facing her. She was looking at him now, with pain filled eyes. Peter could feel the torment of her soul. He could feel the part of her that wanted to care, but was scared. Scared to trust anyone because those who were closest to her were the ones who had hurt her the most.
He wanted to take that pain away from her. To touch her heart and heal the pieces that were broken. He wanted to take her soul and make it complete. Peter wanted all of this more than anything, but he that he couldn't do it like that. The only thing that would heal her was time and love.
"I know it doesn't seem like it now, but one day you will be able to trust again. You won't feel as alone as you now."
Aurora shook her head awkwardly because of the way she was laying. "You don't understand. I lied at the restaurant. I don't know why, but for some reason, I trust you Peter. I didn't want to, but I trust you more than I've ever trusted anyone in my entire life."
Peter raised an eyebrow. "Even more than your father."
She took a deep breath and said, "As strange as it seems I do. I don't know why, and I feel bad for it, but I do. I trust you more than even my own father." She sat up and turned away from Peter. "I don't flinch from you because I'm scared. It's just a reaction. Every time Tom came around he hit me. Because of that I recoil on impulse. Whenever I see anyone's hand near my face, I cringe because I see Tom's hand flying towards me at full force."
Peter sat up, and slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling Aurora towards him. She tensed under his embrace, but then relaxed under the warmth and comfort of his arms. She laid her head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. For the first time in a long time she felt safe. Not just from Tom, but from everything. She felt completely, truly safe. She hadn't felt this way since she was with her father, and she was suddenly very tired.
Peter leaned back against the pillows, Aurora still against his chest. He felt Aurora snuggle closer to him. He gave her shoulders a squeeze and eased his head back. Peter stayed awake until he was sure that Aurora was asleep. He gently kissed the top of her head. Then he laid his head against the pillows, and fell into a peaceful sleep.
Peter couldn't figure out where he was, let alone why he was there. He turned around and on the back of the door was a full-length mirror. He was wearing an all white suit again, and his hair was slicked back as well. He was beginning to feel like one of those movie angels that appear wearing all white, since it's supposed to be the color of purity.
Peter jumped away from the door as it was swung open. It missed him by inches, slamming into the wall instead. Aurora came pummeling into the room, landing hard on the floor. She was wearing a pair of jeans with a green midriff that was torn at the neckline exposing some of her matching bra. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, making it easy for Peter to see the damage.
Aurora had a cut above her forehead, and was bleeding from her nose and mouth. Bruises covered her arms all the way down and there was a deep abrasion where the shirt was torn. Where blood touched the green it turned into a deep purple.
A man walked in behind her. It was the same man from before. The one who was beating the hell out of her and wouldn't stop. This time he was wearing black slacks, and a white shirt. Peter assumed that this was Tom.
"You little slut!" He yelled. "I told you to dress nice for dinner tonight! Instead you come down dressed like a whore!"
Peter tried to stop Tom from kicking her in the stomach, but walked right through him. He looked down and his gun was again missing. He charged Tom as he grabbed Aurora by her hair, dragging her to her feet, but went through him.
Peter felt like a ghost. He couldn't touch them, and apparently they couldn't see him. His anger rose as he watched Tom beat Aurora. Watched as Tom slapped her across the face, and threw her into the wall. He was beating the hell out her, and there was nothing Peter could do to stop it.
"Leave her alone you bastard!" he yelled, but to no avail. It was as if he wasn't even there.
He clenched and unclenched his fist, not able to control the anger. Peter could see the fear in Aurora's eyes. In fact he could feel it emanating off of her. He stopped clenching his fist and looked at her. He didn't really need to look, to feel the power, but he knew it was coming from her. Aurora's fear had triggered it.
Tom stopped hitting her and took a step back. Peter diverted his gaze to him. Something in Tom's eyes had changed. They went from powerful, to fearful in an instant. Peter looked back and forth from Aurora to Tom.
"You can feel her power," Peter said, to no one.
Tom didn't say anything to Aurora. He turned around and walked out, slamming the door behind him. The power was still floating in the air like a thick wave. Aurora was on her knees on the floor. She was crying and with every tear, the power grew stronger. Peter felt it building, welling inside her.
Aurora rocked back and forth, whimpering in pain and fear. The power was still raw with her emotions. It still needed a place to go. Peter kneeled next to her, and went to touch her. He brought his hand up to her face, but stopped when he realized she couldn't see him.
Aurora squeezed her eyes shut and continued to rock. Then her eyes went wide, like a rabbits caught in the headlights of a car. She screamed, and Peter felt all the power flow out of her. He felt the energy coarse through his body like a drug. The window behind him shattered. The bulb in the ceiling fan burst into a thousand little pieces raining down on Aurora, who was still screaming.
Peter awoke with a start. His hair was soaked with sweat. He was breathing heavily, and his heart was racing. He sat up swinging his legs over the couch, putting his feat on the floor. He rested his elbows on his knees and dropped his head in his hands. He took a deep breath and sighed.
After his heart slowed, Peter decided to check on Aurora. He stood, and walked to his room. He cracked open the door, and was surprised and scared to see Aurora wasn't in the bed. He pushed the door farther open, letting dim light spill into the shadows.
"Aurora?" He took a step into the room.
He heard soft cries coming from the far side of the room. He walked around his bed, looking on the floor. Aurora was sitting in the corner next to his bedside table. She was hugging her knees to her chest, burying her face in her knees. She was shivering, but Peter knew it wasn't because she was cold.
Peter walked over and sat in front of her. The space was too narrow for him to sit next to her. He reached out and gently stroked her hair. Aurora cringed under his touch, but didn't pull away. She looked up at him with pain filled amber eyes, and tear stained cheeks.
"What's wrong?" Peter asked, still stroking her hair. "Did you have a nightmare?"
Aurora slightly nodded. "I'm sorry."
"What are you sorry for?" "I didn't mean to wake you. I won't do it again." She looked down as she said the last.
"You didn't wake me. I had a nightmare of my own."
When Aurora didn't look up, he put his hand under her chin, and raised her gaze to meet his.
"You don't have to be scared of me. I will never hurt you." He put emphasis on never.
Peter watched the look of confusion run through her face, the puzzlement and conflict in her eyes. It was as if she wanted to believe him, but wasn't sure she should. Then much to Peter's surprise, she flung herself in his arms, and began to sob uncontrollably into his shoulder. Peter cradled her in his arms, and rocked her. He began stroking her hair again.
"Shhh, it's alright," he soothed. "I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."
Peter wasn't sure how long they sat there, but he continued to comfort Aurora, and finally, after ten minutes or so as Peter seemed to think, the sobs were reduced to soft sniffles, and supple hiccups. Peter shifted his weight because his legs were asleep.
"Don't leave me," Aurora mumbled into his shoulder, mistaking his movement for something else.
"I won't leave you. It's alright."
Peter wouldn't leave her, but he couldn't sit on the floor anymore. He stood up with Aurora in his arms, and went over to the bed. He set her down on the bed and sat next to her. She was lying down, looking up at him. He went to stroke her hair, and saw her flinch. He pulled his hand away.
"I'm sorry Peter. I know you won't hurt me but.."
Peter cut her off, "I know, but that doesn't change the effect of the abuse Tom inflicted."
Aurora propped her head on her elbow, and diverted her gaze to the sheets. She was staring at the lines and dips she had made from her restless sleep.
"I told myself that I'd never trust anyone again. Everyone I've ever trusted has let me down or abandoned me. My father left me, and I never really trusted my mom, but I did love her. I never thought she would let Tom hurt me like that, but she just let him do it. She didn't even care."
Peter lay down and propped himself on the opposite elbow so that he was facing her. She was looking at him now, with pain filled eyes. Peter could feel the torment of her soul. He could feel the part of her that wanted to care, but was scared. Scared to trust anyone because those who were closest to her were the ones who had hurt her the most.
He wanted to take that pain away from her. To touch her heart and heal the pieces that were broken. He wanted to take her soul and make it complete. Peter wanted all of this more than anything, but he that he couldn't do it like that. The only thing that would heal her was time and love.
"I know it doesn't seem like it now, but one day you will be able to trust again. You won't feel as alone as you now."
Aurora shook her head awkwardly because of the way she was laying. "You don't understand. I lied at the restaurant. I don't know why, but for some reason, I trust you Peter. I didn't want to, but I trust you more than I've ever trusted anyone in my entire life."
Peter raised an eyebrow. "Even more than your father."
She took a deep breath and said, "As strange as it seems I do. I don't know why, and I feel bad for it, but I do. I trust you more than even my own father." She sat up and turned away from Peter. "I don't flinch from you because I'm scared. It's just a reaction. Every time Tom came around he hit me. Because of that I recoil on impulse. Whenever I see anyone's hand near my face, I cringe because I see Tom's hand flying towards me at full force."
Peter sat up, and slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling Aurora towards him. She tensed under his embrace, but then relaxed under the warmth and comfort of his arms. She laid her head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. For the first time in a long time she felt safe. Not just from Tom, but from everything. She felt completely, truly safe. She hadn't felt this way since she was with her father, and she was suddenly very tired.
Peter leaned back against the pillows, Aurora still against his chest. He felt Aurora snuggle closer to him. He gave her shoulders a squeeze and eased his head back. Peter stayed awake until he was sure that Aurora was asleep. He gently kissed the top of her head. Then he laid his head against the pillows, and fell into a peaceful sleep.