Thunderstorm

Why can’t I breathe?

Even with the fast beating of his heart, he was pinned to the wall. There was nothing but darkness. There was no one there.

Right?

But he can hear someone. Everyone? The voices were starting to sound all the same.

Were they the same?

No. They were different. They were loud. They were whispers. Why weren’t they the same? Why were there so many in what looked like an empty room? Was it an empty room? Why was there so many eyes? Why were they all staring at him? Because he was odd. He wasn’t like them. He wasn’t even the same age as them. He was a child among adults. That’s why their beady eyes were staring at him.

Stop looking at me.

If he was younger, why did it matter to everyone? Why couldn’t they mind their own business? His breathing became short, heavy. His hands touched the bare walls, clawing them as he trembled while his eyes scanned the room. He was alone. No one was there with him. It was like that damn day all over again. He trapped himself under his bed while the sky roared. Flashes of white lights every now and then. His cries were quiet compared to the loud claps of thunder. Now, the music was silencing his cries for help.

Please. Help. Help me.

He came with someone, right? Did he? Or did he arrive to the place all alone? His hand clasped a table before noticing someone.

5. 5 things I see.

He took a deep breath and stared at the silver cross, his eyes wandering to the colorful bead bracelet that moved with grace. The plaid flannel that created multiple squares, the childish Adventure Time book bag that swung softly, and the Sailor Moon cat phone case.

4 things to touch.

He immediately felt the flannel shirt, the soft texture that reminded him of a warm blanket. His hand wandered to the rough, scratchy like feeling that came with jeans. It soon went to touch the tender, velvet like skin to the silk black hair that his fingers comb through with such ease.

3 to hear.

The necklace made a slight jingle as it swayed and rubbed against the chain. The phone playing a song that sounded familiar but it wasn’t clear. He focused onto her voice. Her voice reminded him of home. Sweet, caring, understanding and he could hear the lyrics she was singing to him.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay. You’ve got nothing to fear.”

2 to smell.

Her perfume was his favorite, the smell of old books. A book that has been read for ages over time. The smell radiated from her skin, he could only bury his face so deep that he began to smell the other scent. The smell of coconut just cracked open to be cooked into coconut cookies. The combination was enough to confirm his very thought.

1 to taste.

His lips pressed against hers. He ignored the weird taste of lip gloss that came when slipping your tongue through for an entrance. The sweet taste of chocolate residue. The warmth, the feel of her mouth. It was smooth but there was certain tooth that felt sharp. He passed his tongue over it, earning a muffled noise.

“Anton.”

Daniela was breathing heavily as she stared into his blue eyes with her cheeks burning red. Anton could only chuckle as he rested his head against hers, exhaling deeply. The party was continuing around them as she buried her face in the crook of his neck.

“Ready to leave?”

“Yeah,” he smiled at her,”Let’s go.”

He held her hand in his own as they left the party without a word to anyone. The smell of the dew right after it rain brought a sense of peace.

“Are you okay?”

“I am now that you’re with me.”

Summary

Even when the world seems to fall apart, there's a hand ready to help us back together.