High School Ramblings

High School Ramblings 3

Gwendolyn and Andiysies have now been married for three years and seven or eight months. A King and Queen are dead, and Gwendolyn is pregnant with more than one child. The excerpt starts at night, and Gwendolyn has already fallen asleep once this night.

I woke in the dark. Andiysies was moving slowly and quietly into bed, trying not to wake me.

"Andiysies, you don't have to be quiet. Any major movement wakes me up."

"I'm sorry Gewndolyn. I really didn't mean to wake you up."

"It's part of being an expectant mother. Don't worry about it." Andiysies snuggled up to me, and we fell asleep.

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Someone was gently shaking me awake. My eyes opened, but I could not see. My body does not respond to any of the commands that I give it. My eyes close, and my friend Sleep takes me home.

+

Someone has their hand on my chest. I can tell by the feel of their breath that their face is near mine. I try to see who it is, but like last time, my eyes do not see. Sleep again claims me as his, and we retire together.

+

I feel water on my face. I have a pounding headache. For the first time, I sense light. The light only makes my head hurt worse. I feel my mouth form the words 'not dead' and feel my throat vibrate, but I do not hear any sound. My old friend of the Living Death comes for me, and I am gone again.

+

My back hurts. When I roll over, my vision is blurred. I see shapes. Dark shapes. Then someone wets my face, cooling it off, and my vision clears a bit. Looking down, I see my belly move with the rapid kicking of the two children inside, even though I can not feel the kicking. Old Man Sleep comes, but, as dear as he is to me, I fight to stay awake. In the end, Sleep wins.

+

I feel water hit my face, and I also feel the pain in my back. My throat is parched, and I force myself to say the word 'water,' feeling the word, and hearing it faintly. Someone's smooth hand opens my mouth to let water in. The water cools and sooths my hot, painfully dry, parched throat. Then my husband's face comes into view. Just before Old Man Sleep comes to fight with me, I manage to tell Andiysies never to leave me. My enemy pulls at me, telling me to go with him. I struggle to break Sleep's grasp on me, but I cant. After a long struggle, Sleep carries me back to the Land of the Living Dead, and I am still fighting.

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My arms and legs are bound, and my back hurts. I open my eyes and look around. With me are King Andiysies (my husband), Queen Irene (my sister), King Amadeus (my father), and Queen Rachel (Andiysies's mother). Their faces all show concern. I try to move, but my bindings will not let me. At the moment, all I can think of is the pain in my back.

"Please, let me roll over." My voice was cracked and dry sounding, but yet, refreshing. "Why are my arms and legs bound? Where is the light of the sun? Why am I not in my own bed?"

"Daughter, Please calm down. You have not been well for a long time." Father tried to soothe me.

"Father, I am well. I've not been asleep for more than a few days." When I said that, everyone looked sadder.

"No, Gwendolyn, not for just a few days."

"Before you explain yourself, please allow me to sit up. My back hurts terribly." Father and Andiysies freed me from the restraints, and Irene and Queen Rachel helped me to sit up. The first thing I noticed was that my belly was larger and heavier than it had been when I had fallen asleep. I realized that I had not been asleep for just a few days.

"How... how long was I really asleep?" I asked quietly.

"Will you promise not to overreact?" Andiysies asked, and then bit his lip.

"I will try very hard not to."

"You've been asleep for... for almost four months."

My eyes filled with tears. "Four months?" This was stunning news. "Why... why was I bound like that?" The tears dripped softly onto my abnormally large belly.

Andiysies took one of my hands in his soft, warm large hands. "It's a long story. Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"Yes," I whispered. "Sleep has made me his long enough."