When Stars Are Bright by Amber R. Duell

Author:Amber R. Duell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Amber R. Duell

Sweat trickles down the back of my slip, my mind still stuck in the nightmare. It’s the same one as the night before and the night before that. A solid five nights of wind, mud, and a black-eyed Walter. At least I haven’t screamed out loud again. I hope. No one has come running anyway. Part of me wishes I did cry out so Nik would’ve been there when I woke up. The darkness of the room is too much like the trunk to be alone in it. Not as confining, but walls don’t matter at night. They used to. My house was safe, but now even that doesn’t offer any comfort.

I stand in the hallway, the blue quilt from the bed wrapped around my shoulders, and wish I thought better of it. It’s not too late to turn around, to go back and sleep with the light on, but I want to be near something alive. Tomorrow is the big day. With the first real performance looming and the realness of the dream hanging over me, I’m trying hard not to make a break for it. Every second I stand here, staring at the line of light under Nik’s door, the fact that I have nowhere to go seems less and less important. I need someone to ground me. Someone tangible instead of a memory.

Raising my knuckles, I rap softly on the wood. Something scrapes against the floor, a chair maybe. I wait and wait, but nothing happens.

“Nik?” I whisper hoarsely. “Are you awake?”

Still nothing.

He’s been a phantom since Chamberlain called him to the office at the start of the week, sleeping through breakfast, breezing into practice for a couple run-throughs, and then disappearing again. Every sentence he’s spoken consisted of one to three words and he hasn’t looked me in the eye in days. Jackie’s avoiding me too. The same with everyone else unless Theresa’s occupied on stage. I’ve been trying not to take any of it personally but it’s not easy.

I’m lonely, I want to say to Nik’s door. And scared. Please let me in. But he doesn’t so I trudge back to my room, hugging my blanket tight. I flick on the lamp and jump back onto the bed with silent tears flowing down my face.

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