Lily felt a strong weight press against her stomach as she laid under the soft covers. She grumbled and shifted slightly. The weight disappeared and Lily relaxed. She could finally breathe. Her burns bothered her a little as she slept, but because of the medication, they only stung. They didn’t feel like her skin was still on fire.
Lily felt the right side of her bed press down, forming a dent. She shifted again, trying to fall back into her dreams. She felt two hands grasp her shoulders and shake her softly.
“Sissy…” A child said, “Sister, come on. Wake up. You’re having another nightmare.” It sounded like a young girl. Her tone was high pitched and soft like she was four.
Lily thought she was still dreaming because she didn’t have a younger sister. She turned to her side. Sweat dripped down her arms as her body increased in heat. She did have a nightmare, maybe she shouldn’t open her eyes. She was afraid of seeing a dead child sitting above her. She hated seeing dead children, it made her heart throb.
The dent in the mattress disappeared and she heard Jason grumble. “Jacey…” The child whispered, “Wake up, come on…”
Lily heard Jason sigh, “What’s wrong…?” He said groggily.
“Sister’s having another nightmare, and she thinks she’s still in it.” The girl uttered.
“Lily?” Jason questioned. She tensed at his voice, wanting to wake up from this dream that she thought would turn into a horrible nightmare. She ducked her head, pressed her knees to her chest, and squeezed her eyes shut.
Wake up, please. Wake up… I don’t want to see Jason die…. Lily thought. Her lungs burned as she held her breath. Please, let me wake up. She thought again. I can’t deal with you, mind. Not anymore…
She felt the mattress bend again under her back. This time though, the body that was bending it was heavier. “Come on.” Jason murmured, “I’ll help you back to sleep.” He touched her shoulder when she flinched forward, digging her knees into her face. “Lily-”
“Wake up.” Lily told herself, “Wake up, wake up, wake up.”
“You’re not dreaming,” Jason assured her, “I promise.” He sat next to her on the bed, his legs crossed over another. Lily felt his hand press onto the mattress as he sat. “Jelly bean?” He asked. What the hell? Did he just call Lily “jelly bean”?
“Yes?” The child was still there… Oh god… This was going to be one hell of a nightmare.
“Can you get me a cup of Lavender tea and a blanket?” Jason asked the child.
Lily squeezed her eyes shut tighter, pleading that she would wake up before she saw both of them dead. “Yes.” Lily heard the little girl jump off the bed and pad to the table that had a coffee maker. She also heard a button click and the machine made a rattling noise as it heated up.
A couple of minutes passed by and Jason still sat on the bed. Lily saw the girl’s shadow walk up to her through her closed eyelids. Her arm lifted as she handed Jason something, Lily guessed it was the mug that held the tea. Then she walked away. Lily breathed shallowly, terrified to open her eyes as the girl’s shadow walked up to her again. She placed a soft cushioned blanket on the bed. Lily could feel it rub against her feet.
“Lily, sit up, sweetheart.” Jason uttered softly. “Come on, you’ve been in that uncomfortable position for ten minutes.”
Lily shook her head, desperate for her lungs to let her breathe.
“Come on, sister!” The child yelled in concern, “We want to help!”
When Lily didn’t move, Jason sighed. “Hey, jelly bean? Can you hold this?” His arm reached over Lily as he handed the child something. When his arm was pulled away, he slipped his hand under Lily’s back, taking her off guard. Her eyes threw open instinctively and she twisted in his arms, trying to get out of his grip. “Lily, look at me.” Jason said. Her panicked expression shot up to Jason’s soft, tired gaze. He wasn’t dead…? He wasn’t hurt…? But… she thought her mind was tricking her to open her eyes so she would get scared. She stopped squirming and stared up at him as his hands held her under her back firmly. His touch burned her, but she didn’t really care. “Come on.” Jason pushed her back so she sat up. “Rest your back on the headboard.” He suggested. “It’ll help you calm down.”
Lily scooted to the headboard. Jason watched her the entire time. Once her back rested on the soft, cushioned fabric, Jason looked back at the edge of the bed.
“Can I have the cup back, please?” He asked softly.
Lily looked over at the edge of the bed where a child stood. She had red wavy hair that flowed down to her waist. Brown spotted freckles settled on her cheek bones, her hot pink eyes glowed in the dim light, and her skin was a soft cream white.
Lily’s eyes widened in shock, her blood turning cold. “Jules?” She questioned.
“You recognized me!” Jules exclaimed happily. She turned her body to face Jason and she gave him a mug that said “I am the boss”. She looked back at Lily as Jason stirred the tea with a spoon. Jules’ smile brought heat to Lily’s cheeks and warmed her heart at the same time.
“You’re… a real person…?” Lily wondered.
“You got to admit,” Jason said, “you should’ve expected this by now with all the surprises that were thrown at you for the past month.”
Lily exhaled, realizing he was right. “Still, I didn’t expect a puppy to turn into a six year old.”
“Technically, I’m five.” Jules corrected.
Lily’s brows pushed together, “‘Technically’?” She questioned.
“She’s actually hundreds of years old.” Jason said, still stirring the tea. “But, she was cursed and she’s stuck in that child form forever.” Jules handed Jason a napkin, “However,” he said, pulling the spoon out of the mug and lightly rubbed it on the napkin, “she’s very intelligent.” He poked Jules’ cheek, “You got the brains.” Jules giggled happily. She still is a child though. Jason told Lily through his mind. She acts like one and she needs the attention that a normal child needs as well. So, please, Jason looked up at Lily and smiled, treat her like you would treat a daughter.
Lily smiled back, I will.
Jason handed Lily the mug and picked Jules up by her armpits, setting her on the bed. “Sister? Do you still need comfort?” She asked. Lily stared at her as she went under the covers searching for something. An adorable lump moved around under the comforter until she found what she was looking for, then Jules sat up, the sheets falling to her waist. Lily saw a blue torn dog toy in her hand. It was well loved. That was very clear. Jules crawled over to Lily and set the blue elephant on Lily’s lap, “Here.” She stuffed the stuffing back into the hole in its abdomen. “It’s a little torn, but it’s all I have…”
Lily’s heart sank in her chest. That poor child only had a torn stuffed animal the entire time she was waiting for adoption. It was clear that the green dress and the brown leggings she wore, the panda pins in her hair, and the blue bird studs she wore in her ears were all Jason’s doing. It was sweet that a seventeen year old boy cared about a child that much. That’s it, Lily thought, I know where I’m taking her tomorrow.
“Did you finish your tea?” Jason asked.
Lily stared down at the mug which was left untouched. “Oh… uhh…” She didn’t want to drink it because the tea went cold.
“It’s okay,” Jules yawned, “you can throw the tea away. I don’t mind.”
Lily set the tea on the table as Jules laid down on the bed. She rubbed her eyes with her tiny hands and closed them.
Lily looked up at Jason, her shining blue eyes asking him a question. He smiled and nodded. “Just don’t hurt yourself.” He whispered quietly.
She stared down at Jules’ soft expression. Lily slowly crawled over to Jules, ignoring the bursting pain that shot up her skin as she laid down next to the child. She pulled Jules into an embrace, Lily’s arm softly rubbing up against her red hair. Then Lily closed her eyes. She felt a warm feeling in her heart as Jules rested in her chest.
She felt the bed bend inward as Jason laid in front of her, across from the sleeping child. He wrapped his arm around Lily’s back, pulling all three of them together.
Jason softly stroked Lily’s hair. She opened her drowsy blue eyes. Jason tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Lily was comforting the child, and Jason was comforting Lily. But, nobody was comforting Jason.
I don’t mind. Jason thought to her. Really, I don’t. And I’m not lying.
Lily started to believe him. Maybe his way of being comforted was comforting others. She gazed up to his lips that mouthed “thank you”. Jason was extremely happy that Lily comforted a child that she just figured out existed. That’s a big step. And he was proud of her. She closed her eyes. Then Jason closed his, leaving his hand resting on her head.
All three of them laid there, eyes closed, breathing softly, and sleeping like they never did before.
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*****
“Damean… Please…” Lucifer begged. “I swear… It wasn’t my doing…” Lucifer sat on the floor, his chest rising and falling from terror.
Damean stood above Lucifer, his gaze hardened in anger. Damean looked away, gazing around the room. “Shhh… Do you hear that?” He looked up at the ceiling.
Panic rose in Lucifer’s throat, “Do I hear what…?” Lucifer’s breath shook with fear. He could feel the bruises on his arms pulse from where Damean hit him.
Damean looked down at him, his eyes darkening in rage. “That’s the sound of bull crap coming out of your mouth.” He stepped closer to Lucifer, his stance getting more tense as the seconds passed by. “I let you free for an hour. A GOD DAMN HOUR! Because you did as I said and you burned their hotel down.”
He kneeled down and grabbed Lucifer’s shirt so fast that Lucifer didn’t have any time to react or flinch. His shirt tore at Dameans grip. “Please…” Lucifer begged.
“You went and gave them that GODDAMN DOG!” His grip tightened as he pulled Lucifer up to his feet. Damean picked him up off the ground so his legs dangled. He shot Lucifer at the wall. Lucifer’s legs gave out when he hit the drywall. Pain shot up his back from the impact, paralyzing his lungs. “You just had to help them, didn’t you? You just HAD to give them that hound that I SPECIFICALLY told you to TAKE AWAY!”
Damean started toward him as Lucifer struggled to breathe, “Please,” Lucifer breathed, “please, please, please, don’t hurt me…”
Damean towered over him. “Then maybe you should’ve thought twice before disobeying me.” His eyes hardened to stone. “Stand.” He ordered.
“Please, I can’t breathe…” Lucifer wheezed.
“I don’t care.” Damean said sternly, “Stand.”
Lucifer stayed sitting, trying to breathe.
“Lucifer, STAND.” Damean growled.
“I can’t…” Lucifer’s voice shook, “Please, I can’t…” His lungs burned from hitting the wall. He gasped as he struggled to breathe. A stabbing pain split his head, burning his temples. He cried out in pain, trembling as Damean sent shockwaves of pain through his body. His head throbbed, his throat burned, his vision waved as he screamed.
“STAND.” He heard Damean snarl through his pain.
Lucifer pressed his hand on the wall as he tried to stand. Damean still shot pain through his head every second. His legs wobbled as he held on to the wall, sobbing heavily. The pain stopped when he stood up to Damean’s level. He was only an inch shorter than Damean, but it still felt like Damean was towering over Lucifer.
Damean smiled, “Good boy.” He looked down at Lucifer’s bloody bruises. “Now go clean yourself up. I have another job for you.”
Tears slipped from Lucifer’s eyes. “Please… I can’t do this anymore… Let me go…”
Damean’s head snapped back up to Lucifer’s shining eyes. “Go clean yourself UP.” He repeated.
Lucifer cried silently as he walked over to the bed of the room, picked up his clothes, and stepped into the bathroom, closing the door. “He’s not going to let me go…” Lucifer sobbed, “I’m never going to be free…” He looked down, tears dripping off his chin. “I’m too useful for him… I’m a toy.” Blood dripped down his arms from the cuts that Damean sliced with a knife. Lucifer sobbed. His heart ached at the thought of hurting his daughter more. He didn’t want to, but he was forced to.
“Lily… Come on… Open your eyes.” Someone said, “Wake up, please, sweetheart.”
The room faded into darkness.
63Please respect copyright.PENANAbpjTl8QuwB