< just_1_word - Damage - Just a Phonecall Away >
Nadine Lewis
Batman (OC)
484 words
The silence of the small apartment was shattered at three in the morning by a scream. The young woman thrashed on her bed, still in the throes of a nightmare for several minutes. Finally, the fear died down, and she sat up. Her heart pounded as she looked around the bedroom. The shades were drawn, her lamp and ceiling light both on. In fact, every light in the apartment was on, every door save the front and bathroom doors taken down. Even in the bright light, it took her a few more moments to realize that she was safe. The demons in her nightmare were not around.
Shakily, Nadine Lewis got out of her bed and staggered into the bathroom. She splashed her face with cool water, aware of a trickle of blood running down her face. She looked at the small cut in the mirror, perplexed until she looked at her hands. The nails on one hand showed blood as well. She'd scratched herself, frantic from her nightmare. Nothing more, she assured herself.
She made her way to the living room and sat on the couch before tucking her legs under her. She picked up her cellphone and dialed. Three rings in, a man answered the phone.
“I-- I'm fine,” she said after his worried greeting. “I just-” She paused. Her eyes fixed on the digital clock under her TV. “Oh, shit. Harvey, I-- I'm sorry. I didn't-- Shit.” She shook her head, even if he couldn't see her. “It's not fine. I-- I woke you up, didn't I? I'm sorry. I-- I'll call Jonathan, let you get your sleep.” She paused, listening to him. “Oh, it's-- it's nothing. Really. It's not--” She sighed. “I had-- a nightmare. The dogs.” Again, Nadine shook her head. “You don't have to do that. It's-- I know they're not really here. You don't-- You don't have to come over.”
She closed her eyes and curled up more on the couch, still holding the phone to her ear. The offer alone was enough to make her feel safer, further away from the cold and the memories of iron bars and a burlap face. Seven days away, and she still wanted to scream at the thought.
Once she went back to work, she promised herself, the nightmares would go away. She'd be able to sleep through the night. Once she went back to work... or once Jonathan got those pills made for her. He'd said yesterday that they would be ready soon. She'd be able to pick them up, be able to sleep through the night.
“H-- hey, Harvey?” she whispered into the phone. She could barely keep herself from crying, and she knew it could be heard. “Could you-- could you not hang up just yet? Thanks. I-- I won't keep you up much longer. Th-- thanks.”
Batman (OC)
484 words
The silence of the small apartment was shattered at three in the morning by a scream. The young woman thrashed on her bed, still in the throes of a nightmare for several minutes. Finally, the fear died down, and she sat up. Her heart pounded as she looked around the bedroom. The shades were drawn, her lamp and ceiling light both on. In fact, every light in the apartment was on, every door save the front and bathroom doors taken down. Even in the bright light, it took her a few more moments to realize that she was safe. The demons in her nightmare were not around.
Shakily, Nadine Lewis got out of her bed and staggered into the bathroom. She splashed her face with cool water, aware of a trickle of blood running down her face. She looked at the small cut in the mirror, perplexed until she looked at her hands. The nails on one hand showed blood as well. She'd scratched herself, frantic from her nightmare. Nothing more, she assured herself.
She made her way to the living room and sat on the couch before tucking her legs under her. She picked up her cellphone and dialed. Three rings in, a man answered the phone.
“I-- I'm fine,” she said after his worried greeting. “I just-” She paused. Her eyes fixed on the digital clock under her TV. “Oh, shit. Harvey, I-- I'm sorry. I didn't-- Shit.” She shook her head, even if he couldn't see her. “It's not fine. I-- I woke you up, didn't I? I'm sorry. I-- I'll call Jonathan, let you get your sleep.” She paused, listening to him. “Oh, it's-- it's nothing. Really. It's not--” She sighed. “I had-- a nightmare. The dogs.” Again, Nadine shook her head. “You don't have to do that. It's-- I know they're not really here. You don't-- You don't have to come over.”
She closed her eyes and curled up more on the couch, still holding the phone to her ear. The offer alone was enough to make her feel safer, further away from the cold and the memories of iron bars and a burlap face. Seven days away, and she still wanted to scream at the thought.
Once she went back to work, she promised herself, the nightmares would go away. She'd be able to sleep through the night. Once she went back to work... or once Jonathan got those pills made for her. He'd said yesterday that they would be ready soon. She'd be able to pick them up, be able to sleep through the night.
“H-- hey, Harvey?” she whispered into the phone. She could barely keep herself from crying, and she knew it could be heard. “Could you-- could you not hang up just yet? Thanks. I-- I won't keep you up much longer. Th-- thanks.”