Page 10 of Stone Temptation

I tried getting on with life since losing my brother, looking for some comfort to keep me afloat. Made myself a couple of friends, even let a gargoyle blow me once a month. Tried filling the gaping emptiness because I had to live. I had to fight on.

What else was there to do?

But life really enjoyed shoving me through a gauntlet of sadness, putting me through test after test. Always trying to break me.

Never give up.

I wriggled up the bed, my head finding my pillow. Fatigue tugged at me, and I quickly gave in to sleep.

My fist shattered a glass window set into a wall of ice, jagged shards biting my knuckles. I barely noticed the pain as scarlet rivers ran across my skin, dripping onto the frozen floor.

Tears tracked down my cheeks.

So many tears.

“I can’t be… I can’t be here.”

I punched more glass windows, splitting more skin, any hint of pain irrelevant to the agony tearing my soul to pieces.

So cold.

So cold.

So trapped.

“Let me out!” I screamed, my voice barbed wire in my throat.

Poison.

Poison.

Poison.

Must get out. Must get out. Must get out.

I shot up, drenched in sweat. My heart threw itself against my rib cage, a cramp in my left leg making me wince. For a moment, I struggled to breathe.

What the hell was that?

My dream returned to me in pieces, my fist breaking more glass, walls of ice towering above me. Higher this time.

So high.

So damn high.

“Let me out!” I screamed.

My bedroom came rushing back.

What was happening?

I waited for more, glued to the bed. After ten minutes of nothing more than me massaging my charley horse, I got up, ruffling my sweaty hair.

It was dark outside. I checked the time. Six o’clock in the evening. I’d really been sleeping all that time until the rude interruption?

Didn’t feel like it.

Oh, well. Time to get ready for work.