"Jady?"
Completely lost in thought, I sat cross-legged on my bed, staring at the wall in a trance, only casually aware of Devin coming home and calling me.
"Jady, what's going on here?"
He walked quickly into my room, stood right in front of my bed and when I looked up at him, he pointed questioningly at my window while he pushed the hood of his wet jacket off his head with the other hand.
"Why are all the windows blacked out and the front door double locked?"
Yes, his question was valid. After Aleya left, the oppressive feeling of being watched nearly drove me insane.
It's your own fault!
I knew he was out there and also that he was probably lurking in some bush just waiting for him to get a glimpse of my home. Unfortunately, it was still not clear to me who he was or what his intentions were.
"Hello?" Devin pulled me out of my thoughts and took a step to the window to put his hand on the curtain, which immediately made my heart race again.
"Don't!" I yelled in such panic that he took a step back, wide-eyed, and stared at me like I didn't have everything in my cupboard anymore. "I've got migraines. The light doesn't do me any good," I murmured sheepishly, trying to calm myself down before he noticed my panic if it wasn't too late.
He fixed my gaze with a frown and I knew full well that he spotted my lie.
"Have you upset the neighbors again?" he grinned in amusement and then simply opened my curtains. "Besides, it's pitch black outside, so there's no light in sight."
"Have you joined the poetry now?" I snapped at him in annoyance, then got up cross-legged to walk to my window. "My room, my rules."
With a glimpse into the darkness, I drew the curtains back, ignoring the chills that ran down my spine.
"Slightly paranoid?" Devin asked with a raised eyebrow, apparently making fun of my fear. He probably really thought I had pissed off Mrs. Fidele across the street again...
I wish it would be like this...
Luckily his hunger drove him out of my room and I had enough time to think about it all while sitting on the bed. I tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Thought about the fire that suddenly changed everything. About Trevis, whose attack was still a mystery to me and about the wolf, who apparently saw me as his prey.
"Are you hungry as well?"
Devin was standing in my doorway with a can of ravioli and I immediately wondered how he could just eat that stuff cold.
"No," I answered curtly, then turned my gaze back to my hands, which rested quietly on my knees. What was wrong with me? I felt so weird and restless and there was nothing I could do about it.
"Okay, I'm taking a shower," I heard him next to me and the next thing I heard was him closing the bathroom door.
Then there was pure stillness...lonely, helpless, distorting stillness that completely absorbed me. I heard my heartbeat getting faster the more I focused on it. I fancied I could smell his scent even in here, even though all the windows and doors were closed. My hands trembled slightly and my heart fluttered like a wild butterfly flapping its wings incessantly, giving me a slight rib pain.
Powerless and full of confused thoughts, I just let myself fall to the side and then pulled my blanket up over my head. I didn't want to hear or see anything anymore. Was in constant fear of being mugged or forced tagged and then when I heard the bathroom door I raised my torso and looked down the darkened hallway for help.
"Devin?"
My voice was shaking and if the light in my room hadn't been on I probably would have got up and run to him.
"Yes?"
Luckily his voice calmed me down again and he was standing in my doorway with only a towel around his waist.
"Can you sleep with me?"
He looked at me worriedly and then nodded in agreement.
"I'm just going to get dressed quickly."
Soothingly I dropped back onto the pillow and took a deep breath, then nervously waited for him to come.
"Are you really okay?"
His voice was soft, and when he turned off the light in my room, my heart started racing again.
"Yes," I whispered, my voice shaking, and when he finally settled down next to me, I immediately clung to his warm, smelling body. He smelled like lemons, fresh and familiar because he'd been using that shower gel for as long as I could remember.
He gently stroked my back in a steady rhythm, holding my hand with his hand and with my head resting on his chest, I listened to his slow heartbeat and then closed my tired eyes in complete security.
Finally all the evil spirits disappeared with his presence... He was always able to drive them away and I was infinitely grateful for that.
"What was that ?!?!?"
I woke up in panic and tried to see something in the darkness of my room, but my eyes weren't really awake yet. Devin immediately jumped up and then turned on my little night light.
"Probably just a garbage can that fell over in the wind," he tried to calm me down, but I wasn't stupid. I looked into his eyes, startled, and realized that he was also afraid.
"That wasn't a trash can-"
Another even louder smack made me wince again, and I stood up for help, clinging to Devin's back, trembling.
We stared frozen down the dark hallway and aware that the second bang was our front door being kicked in, I held my breath, closed my eyes and braced myself for something horrible to happen.