First Night [Open to Multiple]

[heysoulsister]

Jodie Holmes, age six, sits in an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar room. One wall is lined with a mirror that is not really a mirror. There are cameras mounted in the corners, their power lights like unblinking red eyes in the dimness (not darkness; they left the light in the hall on for her). She surveys the sparsely furnished room with her back against the headboard and her chin atop her teddy bear. There is a flashlight on her bedside table, and she knows Cole is just outside. They should be safe here, and she tries to be brave - brave for Aiden, whose fear shivers the tether that binds them.

"Don't be scared, Aiden," she says, hugging her teddy closer. "We're gonna go to sleep, and nothing bad is gonna happen." The phrase has a practiced cadence to it, like a prayer, or a magic spell. But God hasn't stopped the monsters, and she doesn't know if she believes in the good kind of magic anymore.

She pushes her legs beneath the covers, but she doesn't lie down. Something is coming. She can feel it.

Comments

[johnny_truant]

"OW-" Johnny manages barely not to drop another swear even as he hits the floor heavily -- thanks Jodie -- and struggles to regain control of his arms, when Aiden swoops in and finishes the job. Silence falls back over them, gradual and tentative.

He lies there breathing for several moments, watching Aiden overhead.

"See?" he says, panting. "I told you he could protect you."

He sits up and looks down at Jodie, then reaches out to give her a little pat on the head. "You okay?"

[heysoulsister]

Slowly, she releases her grip on Johnny's leg and pushes herself up, first onto all fours, then onto her knees. She loses steam, there, and plops her bottom back onto the carpet, glancing between Johnny and Aiden as if she doesn't know what to make of either of them. She can feel Aiden's savage pleasure at having beaten the monsters, and she thinks: it'll be different now. She'll be okay, even if Johnny isn't here.

"Yeah," she says, absently scrubbing at her cheeks with her sleeve. Then she drops her chin to level an accusing stare at Johnny. "You said a bad word," she informs him. "You said a bunch of them."

[johnny_truant]

"Uhhh..." Man, he really did.

"Yeah, I have a habit of doing that," he says, feeling ridiculous. "But it's okay, when you get older, I'm sure you'll--"



Then he wakes up.