Dark... that was all I could see.. Just dark. I would open and close my eyes but both would appear to be the same.
I need light. I don't like the dark. Please will someone turn on the light!
Where am I? How did I get here? I don't know.
In the distance there was a light. In the light stood a figure. "Dad!" I called. "Dad please don't leave me!" I ran after him but I could never reach him "DAD!" I screamed from the top of my lungs. The figure disappeared and was replaced with another. "M-mom?" I stopped in my tracks. "Mom!" I ran as fast as I could but the darkness wouldn't allow me to. My mom's hand reached out to me. I tried to reach back but the darkness pulled me back... back until it felt like I was miles away from the light. "No! No I don't want to be in the dark! I want to be in the light! Please!" I tried to pull away from the dark but the darkness was just to strong. Soon enough I was drowned in darkness.
I felt like I was falling. I was falling.
I was going to die.
I was going to die alone.
Alone in the darkness.
I screamed not knowing when I was going to hit the ground.
"NOO!" I screamed.
Paton woke up in a cold sweat. He looked around his dark room. It was all just a dream. Paton breathed in a sigh of relief. "It's just a nightmare." Paton told himself. Paton looked at his clock on his bedside dresser, it read 2 am. Paton lied back down onto his bed and rolled onto his side. "Just a dream, just a dream." He murmured. Paton closed his eyes but the feeling of falling would all of a sudden come back to him. He quickly opened his eyes. He needed light.
Paton sat up from his bed and went over to his desk. From his desk he pulled out some candles and quickly placed them around his room. After that he lit them one by one. Soon enough the room was bright enough so that Paton could see. Paton sat on his bed and rubbed his forehead. His nightmare had given him a headache.
All the memories, all the hate, the pain, it all came back to him. Paton was now a full grown man. He was in his 40s and was still his lonely self. He wasn't married, he didn't have a wife, he had no children. "Argh." Paton groaned as his headache seized with pain. All the mermories.. It was all just too much.
Paton lied back down onto his bed and massaged his sore head. He slowly closed his eyes. He was tired, he still needed more sleep.
The falling feeling came back along with the memories. They would flash through his head as if he was watching a slidshow of his life. Paton opened his eyes. "I need air." He told himself. Paton sat up from his bed and walked out of his room. He quietly walked down the hall and down the stairs, not wanting to wake up any of the other members of the household. Paton reached the front door and grabbed his long dark coat and fedora hat from the rack and stepped through the door. Paton placed his fedora hat on his head and began his usual midnight stroll. Paton often took long night walks when he had a nightmare or when he felt alone.
Keeping his head down from the lights Paton continued on his walk. Paton reached the park and decided to sit down on the bench. Paton pulled his hat down over his eyes and sighed. He closed his eyes, the images continue to flash from where they were left off before. He quickly opened them once more. He didn't dare blink, he was afraid he would see those images once again. But you and I both know that you could only keep your eyes open for just an amount of time, soon enough Paton blinked, the images rushed by in less than a second.
Paton covered his face with his hands. He was tired of being alone. He was tired of getting hurt. He was tired of being in pain. He was tired of the dark. "I need someone." Paton told himself. "I need someone to love."
Paton stood up from the park bench and continued on his stroll. He was planning on walking home but his legs had a mind of their own, they were taking him somewhere else. Soon enough Paton found himself in the cathedral square. Paton stopped as his eyes caught a store marked Ingledews. This was where his only love lived. Paton took a step towards the store and froze. He wanted to knock on the door and enter but he just couldn't. He was afraid. He was afraid of rejection.
Suddenly the door flew open and a voice said, "Paton? What are you doing here?" Paton found himself looking into the eyes of a very beautiful browned hair woman. "I.. I.." Paton was lost for words. Julia smiled and said warmly, "Well you're always welcomed here Paton. Do come in." Julia took Paton's arm and gently pulled him in. She closed the door and turned to look at the very tall man standing next to her. "I saw you standing outside my window. I was reading a book in the sitting room when I saw you." Julia told him. She smiled. Even in the middle of night Julia still looked beautiful in her green dressing gown.
"Come take off your coat and hat and come into the sitting room. I'll make you some hot chocolate." Julia told him as she helped him take off his coat. "Oh! You're in your pjs." Julia exclaimed as the coat was removed. Paton looked down and realised that he didn't have the chance to change when he went out. Paton blushed and gave a very delicate cough. It wasn't as if Paton was wearing some duckie pajamas, Paton's pajamas were quite normal. It was only a grey t-shirt and some dark navy pajama bottoms.
Julia noticed Paton's blushed and blushed herself. Paton was just too cute sometimes and him standing in his pjs made him even cuter. Julia took Paton into the sitting room and made him sit down on the sofa as she went off to make him some hot chocolate in the kitchen. Shortly after awhile she came back with two cups of hot chocolate. She carefully handed Paton a cup and took a seat next to him. "So what brings you here Paton?" Julia asked not unkindly. Paton took a sip of his hot chocolate and boy was it delicious. It made him feel better. "I had a bad dream so I went out for a walk. I didn't mean to come here though. I just somehow ended up here." Paton told her as he took another sip. "Yum! This is the best hot chocolate I've ever had Julia." Julia smiled and asked carefully, "What was your dream about? Erm.. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
Paton took a long look at Julia before deciding to tell her. "I was in the dark. I saw my mother.. but she left me. I was alone and scared. I fell and.." Paton closed his eyes as he tried to block out those images that came to his mind. "I woke up in a sweat. I always have dreams like this. Dreams of being in the dark." Paton tugged at his hair as he held in a cry. "I've had them my whole life and I hate it." Paton clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. Julia noticed this and put a hand onto Paton's. Paton's grip soften at Julia's touch. He looked up into her eyes and nearly melted. All his fears and pain suddenly vanished. Julia was the only person in the world other than his mother who was able to do this to him.
"Jul-" Paton began but was interrupted, Julia had placed a finger on Paton's lip. "Hush. I'm here. It's okay." At that very moment Paton realised that he was not alone. He was never alone. Julia was here. She was the only woman in the world that loved him for who he was. She didn't care about Paton's endowment. Sure, she was afraid at first but she got over it and now it was Paton's turn to overcome his fears. "I love you." He said. Julia's heart skipped a beat at those three little words. "I love you too Paton." She said as she leaned in and kissed him.