N I G H T M A R E

The evening of day at court..

The wind howled making the night more chilly, a flurry of rain pattered on the roof. It was almost pitch black as the grey patch of clouds loomed across the sky. I looked outside in search of my mother who hadn't arrived, the clock was going to tick 9:00 soon but their was no sign of her. Maybe it was the unexpectedly thunder that delayed her plans.

I made my way downstairs and into the kitchen hoping to find something to munch on while I wait for her. I was hungry but the idea of dinner without her was unpleasant. I grabbed an apple and looked through the glass window watching how the thunder roared in the night sky.

My phone beeped and my eyes instantly glanced at the screen that said,

Mom: sweetheart I can't come right now, it's pouring...gotta stay at Mrs. Wilson's house for some time. Please eat leftovers from the lunch. See you tomorrow. Don't worry x

Nothing could explain the sadness I felt at that discovery…I sighed hearing the pitter-patter of rain as it dropped among the leaves. The gloomy weather left me feeling alone. It wasn’t the first time I was home alone but today after a tiring day I was looking forward to a nice dinner with her.

Ascending upstairs to my room I slipped into the still munching on the apple, the lamp near my bed flickered before going off. And in seconds the whole room became dark, I peeped out from the window to see no luminosity from any home indicating it was a power breakdown.

Great.

'Oh god.' I breathed out. I turned on my flashlight and sat there what felt like for hours before drifting into sleep.

It was the first time I had ever felt lonely, scared and somewhat uncomfortable. Never in my wildest dreams the thought of living like this forever came in my mind.

The thought of such loneliness in which the creaks of wood could be heard in the utter quietness, the uncanny feeling at night and the wet pillows due to the tears that never stopped. Sometimes we don’t expect the hurdles life puts in our way. It makes us fall and sometimes it hard to get up knowing that your life won’t be the same now.

'Ah!' A sudden gasp made me jolt from my position, my eyes glanced at a distance watching as Kris sat up on the couch, sweat formed on his face.

'Are you..ok?' I asked out of concern.

His head looked up in my way, eyes watered and heavy breath almost as if his worst nightmares played before his mind's eye.

He nodded hesitantly knowing it was a lie.

'How did I get here?'

'You don't remember?' I frowned.

'It was pouring and your car broke down so I insisted...to stay over at my place for some time.' I spoke after he shook his head in negative.

He glanced over at the window to find it was still raining, the pattering of droplets could be heard and it somewhat disturbed him even more. I stood up and walked into the kitchen. Putting a cup down on the marble counter I poured hot water and dropped a teabag.

My feet made their way back to the lounge, watching as he stood by the window with a phone on his ear talking rapidly. I placed the cup with a thud making him glance back and nod, a slight appreciation appeared on his face before he turned his head back, continuing the aggressive speech.

I sometimes wondered what went through his mind.

'This is good.' I heard him as he sipped his tea. My eyes went back to the window seeing the weather go out of control. The rain had been fluctuating intensely.

I saw Kris walking across the room watching some old photos that hung on the wall with wooden frames, the memories of old times with people I loved. I could see a small smile on his face as he analysed each of them.

'May I ask one thing?'

I hummed in response.

'You never talked about your father.'

The question threw me off guard, I found myself stiffing in my position. I had ignored this statement my whole life, ever since I was five this topic always became a source of hatred for my mother and a mystery for me. I never got to know him, never got to see talk to him like an adult and never got to feel a father's warm embrace and sometimes when I felt the need my mother knew and she became both a father and a mother for me.

'He left us when I was five.' I replied in a short line, that was it.

'I never got to see him afterwards.' I spoke again taking a sharp breath.

He nodded not dragging it further.

'You never talked about your mother.' This time I asked him a question that made him still, his eyes went soft for a moment, sympathy and sadness filling them.

'She is paralysed back home in US...she has been like this for ten years now.' His voice cracked in the end and my heart pinched seeing him vulnerable.

Our families were a sensitive topic for us.

-

We both sat there as minutes passed by discussing what could be our next step.

'Taking him under interrogation could work.'

Kris hummed staring at an empty space.

'We need someone who can make him talk.’

I watched as the water dripped on the glass window and the heavy rain that was no where to end. My eyes gazed at the empty streets and the lamps flickering in a distance, I grasped the linen curtains and closed the view before settling on a chair.

'I know some people, practically everyone...we can see to whom the brief is given maybe I can talk to them.'

I looked at the clock as it ticked 8:30 and then at the pouring rain which was no where to stop.

'You..you can stay at my place for today, the weather is harsh and it would not feel pleasant to find a mechanic at this hour.'

He glanced at me with a hesitation and I slightly nodded assuring him that it was ok. I felt bad, I don't know what was it but he was in a bad shape after his nap and it made me feel sympathise making me ignore the fact that sometimes he was a jerk.