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David stares blankly at the book in front of him, words blurring together as he struggles to read. The story amounts to nothing more than a jumble of letters he can't comprehend. He had come to the library for solace, but got unease instead. The dream he had wouldn't leave him be. It had been a peaceful one and yet it unsettled him more than the others. Somehow it reminded him of May.
Desperately wanting to avoid any thoughts of her, David tries again to focus on reading. The silence in the room would be deafening if it wasn't for the ticking of the clock and beating of his heart. These noises quickly become distractions buzzing around in his head.
Tick.
He turns a page.
The barn doors open with a creak and he sees her hanging there.
Tock.
Thump thump.
May is small and frail, her limbs twisted at odd angles.
Ba bump.
Tick.
Rain continues to pour outside, the pitter patter echoing in the barn. David falls to his knees and looks up at his friend in disbelief.
He turns another page.
Tock.
May looks back with glazed over eyes and expression slack. The dried blood on her face and torso stands out in stark contrast to her pallid skin.
Tick.
He cuts her down. May falls like a ragdoll into his arms. The gaping hole in her chest continues to bleed, dying his shirt a deep shade of red.
Tock.
He accidentally tears a page in the book.
The young girl is cold and lifeless, so unlike her former warm and vibrant self. He is convinced the corpse he holds isn't the friend he knew and loved. There was no way she-
David jumps from his seat. He had felt something on his shoulder, startling him out of his macabre memory. Heart thudding wildly, he turns to face a bewildered Jack.
“Jeez, Davie, I didn't mean to sneak up on ya like that”, Jack backs up a bit and grins sheepishly, “Sorry for the scare”.
“It's- I'm fine”, David returns to his chair, sitting back down. “Just don't go touching me without saying something first”.
“Oh, I gotcha. Sure thing, buddy”. Jack pushes the book out of the way and sits on the table across from David. His legs are spread casually as he swings his feet back and forth in a playful manner. The man's concept of personal space was non-existent, making David quite uncomfortable. “Soooo...why are you up so early? Trouble sleeping?”
David shrugs and looks away. He was reluctant to tell Jack how much May's death still effected him. “I, uh, well”, he shifts in his seat nervously, “I had a bad dream”.
“Yeah? Tell me about it”, Jack hooks his feet in David's chair and pulls him forward. He patiently awaits a response, slowly sipping from his cup of coffee. They are so close David can feel the steam rising off the hot drink.
Time seems to stand still as David attempts to speak. He is afraid that if he says anything aloud it will become more tangible, more real. Words get stuck in his throat and he hesitates. Why the hell should he tell Jack anyways? Would he understand? Could he make the nightmares stop? Anger swells within him at being put on the spot by a man whom had no idea what he was going through.
If Jack notices David's vexation, he doesn't show it. Instead he appears rather preoccupied with pouring chocolate chips into his coffee. The guy probably didn't even have to deal with unpleasant dreams, what with all the caffeine and sugar he consumed daily he most likely didn't sleep. Much to David's surprise, he uses his index finger to stir the beverage, scalding himself in the process.
“Didn't that hurt?”, David asks, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice.
Jack looks over at him, perplexed. “What? Ya mean this?”, he waggles his burnt finger and chuckles, “Nah. Sure, it hurts if I think about it. But, that's the thing about pain. It gets worse the more you stress over it”.
Oh.
David felt like such an idiot. How could he forget? Here he was resenting the very person who had adopted him, a man who had mourned the death of David's parents more than he himself had. His presence alone surely tormented Jack with how closely he resembled his father. It hadn't stopped there though. Life had been exceptionally cruel to Jack, taking his unborn child and wife as well.
And yet, even after all the heartache endured, he kept smiling.
“About my dream...”, David glances at Jack and their eyes meet, “I was in the forest and...there was this weird tree. It was all white. I've never seen one like that before, have you?”
Quiet envelopes the room once more. Then, it happens.
For the first time, David sees Jack without a smile.
“A tree turns white when it burns”.
His expression remains devoid of emotion for a moment before it bounces back to normal. Had David imagined the whole thing?
“Did that help?”, Jack doesn't wait for an answer, “Anyways, you must be hungry. C'mon, let's get something to eat”.
Perhaps Jack was hurting more than David realized, he thinks as he allows himself to be lead out of the library.