From lori@znet.com Thu Jun 13 18:11:36 1996 Date: Thu, 13 Jun 1996 10:55:55 -0700 From: Lori Hansen Reply-To: crystal-logs@io.com To: crystal-logs@io.com Subject: Berni's Nightmares [ Log Intro ] For months now, Singer Bernadette Sharr has been plagued by violent nightmares, resulting in an increasing paranoia in the small Singer. Having sworn her spouse to secrecy about these occurences, Singer Kevlan Sharr has been suffering worriedly the consequences of these dreams...very little sleep for either of them is being had. Bernadette claims she can not remember these nightmares once she's awake, but how true is this claim? Can she really not remember them, or does she consciously choose not to remember... Radiant Bath You are in a large, pale aqua tank. It is deep and long; plenty of room for an adult to stretch out their legs. The top edges round gently outwards. The head of the tub sprouts an unusual number of taps and dials. The radiant liquid rests heavy against your skin, filling your pores. The fluid is pleasantly hot. Bernadette sleeps fitfully, her knuckles white as she grips the handholds within the tub. Kevlan shifts in the fluid, frowning softly, watching. It's happening again, he thinks, worried. .. In her dream, the Sharrs are relaxing in their radiant tub, much like they actually are doing. Kevlan sleeps calmly beside her while she drowses in that stage between full wakefulness and sleep. The door to their bathing room opens while her eyes are closed and a large, dark figure slips into the room, slowly approaching the tub and the Singers. .. The dream continues...Just as the figure reaches the edge of the tub, Berni's eyes fly open as her acute hearing detects its footsteps. She bolts upwards in a sitting position, her mouth opening to scream...a scream which is instantly muffled by the figure's heavy arm descending upon her, slamming her in the mouth. She reels backwards, her mouth bleeding, a good portion of her teeth winking pearl-ly through the radiant fluid as they sink. In horror, she watches the shadowy figure withdraw a wicked blade and plunge it repeatedly into Kevlan's chest. The radiant fluid turns crimson with her husband's spilled blood as Bernadette stares helplessly. Bernadette winces, her brows drawn together and upward in a grimace. Kevlan watches his mate's face, then finally frowns, and moves to gently touch her shoulder, shaking her just a bit. "Berni honey..." .. The dream continues....As she stares at the lifeless figure of her husband beside her, the shadowy figure still looming above the tub, Kevlan's pale arm reaches out for her. His blue eyes, usually so vibrantly blue and alive are paled...almost to non-existant color against the whites of his eyes as he opens his mouth, blood trickling over his lip. "Berni honey..." she hears him say as the figure's hand descends upon her shoulder, shaking her. She feels the cold metal of its blade pressed against her throat, its hand drawing it quickly to the side.... Bernadette makes a choking sound, her hands flying for her throat as she finally draws in a great breath of air and lets loose with an ear-shattering scream. Kevlan jerks, sending radiant fluid rippling across the tub, and grasps your face. "Berni!" he cries. "Berni, honey, it's me!" Bernadette stares at you, her hands gripping your wrists hard as she alternates between gasping and hiccuping, her chest heaving with her panicked breaths. Her pulse, felt against your thumbs near her throat, is racing. Kevlan, already slipped out of his own harness, gently but briskly lifts yours and draws you to him. "Berni... honey... shhh... 'sme, darlin'... it's me..." Bernadette is trembling as you hold her, still gasping and hiccuping as she tries to shake off the effects of the dream, her body tense. Kevlan nuzzles your hair softly, murmuring over and over, "Ah'm heah, darlin'... Ah'm heah... it's okay...." Bernadette's breathing resume a more normal pattern, albeit a rapid pattern, though her trembling does not subside just yet. She finally lifts her arms and wraps them about your waist, clinging to you tightly. Kevlan brushes kisses all over your hair, continuing to murmur soothing nonsense, waiting for you to regain some kind of calm. Kevlan finally asks, gently, "You okay, honey?" Bernadette swallows convulsively and tips her head back enough to raise haunted brown eyes to yours. She blinks and nods slowly, lowering her head again to rest it upon your chest. Kevlan _is_ here.... isn't he? That IS his beloved face, the lock of hair dangling across his high forehead, his guileless eyes liquid with concern. His skin glimmers with the radiant fluid's effects -- not a sign of blood anywhere. His voice sounds perfectly normal as he tells you carefully, "You were dreamin', honey..." Bernadette, still trembling, nods slowly again, murmuring in a near-whisper "Dreamin..." Kevlan asks, "Remembah what you were dreamin' 'bout?" Although you can't see it, since the angle of her head only gives you a good view of her part, Bernadette squeezes her eyes shut and her trembling increases until you can hear her teeth chattering. Kelvan curls both his arms around you, sheltering you in his embrace. "Shhhh.... it's okay, honey... ain't nothin' gonna hurt yah.... shhh....." Once again, Bernadette's trembling subsides to a small tremor, her grip loosening a little about your waist, though she continues to scrunch up against you as much as she can. Kevlan frowns. This feels uncomfortably familiar to him, albeit reversed, and he finally moves to pick you up. "Let's git outta the tank, okay, darlin'?" Bernadette moves her arms to twine them about your neck and nods, "Okay," she says shakily in a small voice. Kevlan scoops you up and carries you carefully out. Kevlan settles you down at last in the bed, and climbs in beside you. Bernadette curls up into a little ball, clinging to you. Kevlan cuddles you to him, stroking your hair and your back, and wrapping a blanket around you both. "Theah now, honey... it's okay..." After some time passes, Bernadette uncurls and sits up, looking at you seriously. Her trembling has subsided and despite the darkened flesh circling beneath her eyes, she looks pretty much normal. "I want to go off planet, Kev," she states, matter-of-factly. Kevlan sits up with you, letting the blanket fall lightly down beside you both. He nods, studying you. "We kep' thinkin' of a vacation," he allows. "'Bout time we took a real one, maybe." Bernadette gazes evenly back at you and nods, "A vacation. Now seems a good time." She nods again and offers a tentative smile. Kevlan touches your cheek, rubbing against it with his thumb. "Where you wanna go, darlin'?" Bernadette's smile becomes more genuine and lays her own hand over yours upon her cheek. She shrugs, "Don't know...we can certainly afford Maxim's if you wanted to give it a try." Kevlan smooths mussed tendrils of hair back from your face, thinking, 'We ain't hardly done much in the last few weeks,' but not saying that aloud. "Ah think you're raht, honey," he agrees, very solemnly. "We c'n trah Maxim's, then, if you want.." Bernadette smiles again and nods. "Okay, I'll book us passage for tomorrow?" Kevlan hugs you gently, and nods. "Ah'll tell Tam an' Jerrik we'll be goin' f'r a while." Bernadette's spine stiffens at this, as she purses her lips and narrows her eyes slightly. She begins to shake her head, but stops and then smiles slightly, nodding instead. "Okay." She hugs you back and kisses your cheek, disengaging herself from you to pad to the front door and check that the lock is secure before returning to the bed. Kevlan feels that stiffening, and watches you, worriedly, as he notes your check of the lock. 'Ah better talk to Tam in private,' he thinks, but again, doesn't say this, as he settles back under the blanket, and opens his arms to you. Bernadette slides her legs under the blanket and willingly scoots closer to you, into your arms, snuggling against you comfortably. She does not sleep, however, though her breathing is relaxed. [ end log ]