Silent Sleep

Silent Sleep

Scroll down to the comments for my A/N :)

Staring at my phone was a habit I could never seem to get rid of. Staring at my phone

when nothing was happening, was even worse.

“Oh, come on, Val,” I muttered to myself, “it takes twice as long to wait for a call than when you don’t.” I sighed, looking out the window. 

“Valerie, what’s your progress with your design?” I suddenly whirled around in my

wheeled seat to face my boss.

“It’s going well, Miranda,” I nodded, “everything is going to schedule, and the production line has notified me, saying it should be completed by tomorrow afternoon,”

“Excellent,” Miranda smiled warmly, “I’ll check in with you again tomorrow.” She walked off, stopping by to visit my colleagues. Our studio was bustling with people as we all prepared for Fashion Week. Bloggers and journalists were taking notice of our brand, and we were doing everything we could to get it into the Fashion Week magazine. I looked back at my sketch, an unexplainable amount of joy and passion coursing through my veins. 

‘This is it. My design is going to make it to Fashion Week.’ I thought to myself. It wasn’t uncommon for Miranda to hold competitions amongst our business to stimulate ideas, but winning the Fashion Week competition was the greatest honour. I took a quick photo of it and sent it to my girlfriend. Because even at work she was on my mind. I massaged my temples, blinking slowly before continuing with my work. As the assistant director of our brand, running the latest designs was my top priority. Big names like Chanel, Louis and Gucci were titles we could only dream of being on par with. But even the largely respected started small. 

“Hey, Val,” I looked up from my screen, over to my colleague, Josh. 

“What’s up?”

“Mark and I wanted to know if there’s a certain structure you want for marketing. Miranda is handling the collaboration, so she said to go to you,” 

“Oh, right, of course. I’ve decided to leave it up to you as long as the themes and colour palettes match up with this season’s clothes. How you want to design the layout is up to you. Do you want my colour board?” My colleague nodded, and we exchanged notes and positive cheers to keep on working. 

“Valerie, what colour were the seams, again?” Susie shouted from the other end of the studio as she looked through different coloured threads. 

“Pearl, Susie,” I replied with a grin. The atmosphere was one of my favourite things at work. 

“Okay, everyone! Team meeting in two minutes,” Miranda announced to everyone, just as my phone vibrated with a call.

‘Production line? The material company with our supplies? Haven? My mother? My maman?’ I thought of all the possibilities as I picked up my phone. Haven. My lover and literally, my haven.

“Hey, love. Did you see the text I sent you? I’ll be home in an hour or so,” I rambled idly, as Miranda waved a hand at me, to which I waved mine back, indicating I was on the phone.

“Val,” my girlfriend’s voice was eerily soft, which made me shut up immediately. Something wasn’t right. 

“What’s wrong? Do I need to come home early?” I asked, hoping the panic in my voice was audible to Haven.

“Have you seen the news?” She asked, every word laced with fear.

“No? Are you alright, Haven?” 

“I can’t… You need to turn on the closest TV right now. There’s no time to explain,” She said in a rush, and I scrambled around the studio to find the TV remote.

“Valerie, what are you doing?” Miranda asked from the conference room.

“Sorry, everyone. There’s something big going on right now,” I flicked through the

channels until I got to the news. 

“Can it wait, Val?” Josh asked as the headlines suddenly burst to life, screaming at

all of us.

“WORLDWIDE ALERT. WORLDWIDE ALERT!” I glanced over at everyone in the

conference room and they all immediately rushed out to see what was happening. “An unknown and potentially lethal situation is spreading across the entire globe,” the news reporter said, her eyes scanning through her sheets of paper.

‘Oh wow, those stripes look amazing on her,’ I thought to myself, despite the dire situation. 

‘Even though her hair and makeup aren’t complete. Poor woman, she must’ve been the only one available.’ 

“It’s said to be an imitation of a virus that usually passes through air particles, however, it would appear this is more like a curse?” Even the reporter sounded confused. “If you have any open windows, shut them immediately. It is hard to determine which areas have been hit with the sleeping curse as it is happening globally. Assume your state is infected and stay indoors. Doctors and scientists are doing their best to find a solution,”

“What’s happening?”

“A sleeping curse? What is this? Sleeping Beauty?”

“How do we know this is genuine?”

“Well, why don’t you go outside and test it, Mick?”

“I’ll pass.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought, doofus,”

“Haven? Are you still there?” I murmured into my speaker, hurriedly throwing things into my bag. “I’m coming home. Make sure the windows are closed,”

“Okay, I-I’ll see you soon. I love you,”

“I love you too. Stay safe.”

“The sleeping curse is now being classified as a worldwide situation, WWSC,” the woman continued, but I was no longer listening. I prayed Haven hadn’t opened the windows today, but that was unlikely. It was a lovely day. And lovely days meant open windows and curtains pulled back the furthest. Miranda was clearing the studio, letting everyone go home as the car park was closed off and safe to enter. I shouted goodbye to my colleagues, hoping I would see them again. 

~

My car roared to life as I threw my belongings into the passenger seat carelessly and drove out of the car park. 

‘My mothers.’ I thought, feeling a sense of dread rush through me. ‘Please be okay. Please.’ I dialled my mother’s number through my car system, waiting for her to pick up. I let it ring. Once. Twice. Three times. ‘Come on, pick up!’ It rang again. A second time. A third time.

“The number you have dialled is unavailable. Ple-” I swore, and called my second mother, my maman, instead. To my disappointment, she also didn’t pick up. Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, but I brushed them aside immediately. It might not have been the curse, they could’ve been busy. When was the last time I had visited them? Two weeks ago? Three? I cast the thought aside for the moment, I had to hurry home. If I dwelled on missing my parents, it would make everything so much more real. Reality was a jerk sometimes. I pressed on the accelerator as the traffic lights flashed green. Right now, I had to get to Haven.

I was nearly home when a call startled me. I had been too immersed in my thoughts, not listening, just making sure I was driving at a good pace. 

“Hello?” I responded, not even checking the contact.

“Val,” Haven. My sweet, Haven. 

“Hey, love. Sorry, were you trying to message me?” I asked, turning around the corner. “I’m two streets awa-”

“My head hurts, Val. I’m scared,”

“What?” I choked out, the words I wanted to say not forming. I sped down the backstreets, turning around the corners until I got to our street. “Hold on, sweetheart. I’m almost here, I'm getting out of the car in just a second,” I assured her as calmly as I could, my heart starting to race in all the wrong ways. The call switched to my phone as I turned off my car, ran up the stairs and frantically unlocked the door. 

“Valerie,” Haven sighed in relief as I burst through the front door. She walked over to me, looking pale and withdrawn. “I know you said to-” she began, but she lost her footing, stumbling as I rushed over to catch her. 

“Woah there, darl. Be careful. What hurts?” I asked, lifting her gently, placing her on the couch. 

“They said the infection or curse, whatever it is, has just passed through Orem, Salt Lake City, Provo, and Heber,” Haven said through gritted teeth. 

“Oh. Oh.” Realisation hit me, slapping my doubt away with a forceful hand. Heber was our city. “Did we have any windows open?” I asked nervously.

“Yes, but only one,” Haven responded meekly, her fear so intense it came across as pure calm that terrified me. 

“It’s okay, we’ll be fine,” I assured my girlfriend, “I’m right here, okay?” I hugged her tightly as she nestled her head into the nook of my shoulder, her strawberry blonde hair tickling my neck. 

“Okay,” she breathed, and I kissed her temple, afraid if I let go she’d disappear before my eyes. A minute passed as we embraced in silence, and though she didn’t say anything, I knew Haven was scared. The way her hands shook slightly, her breathing slightly ragged, and her arms quivered as she held me tightly. It was enough for my heart to hurt for her, for me to beg anyone who would listen to remove this strange curse. My Haven didn’t deserve to lose everything. No one did. I hushed Haven gently as her body trembled in my arms, she was so strong, but now everything was slowly starting to slip between our fingers.

“Val, if we don’t-” She began, but I cut her off immediately.

“Don’t say that, Haven. Even if we do go, we’re going together,” I stated firmly, and she nodded. “Stand up, let’s get some pillows and blankets and build a little fort,” I suggested, and a flicker of happiness shone through her eyes. That same, familiar happiness that usually remained in my lover’s eyes, up until now. We got up, hands still laced together and ran to our bedroom. Haven shot me a grateful smile as she picked up as many cushions as she could, leaving me with the big blanket. We returned to the living room, setting up the blanket by propping up the pillows.

“Are we going to both fit inside the fort?” Haven asked curiously.

“I guess we’ll have to find out,” I beamed at her, lying down under our newly built fort. Haven snuggled in beside me. “Hey, looks like it worked!” We cheered, and I pressed a soft kiss to the bridge of Haven’s nose. “I love you,” I said simply, knowing she’d feel the emotion in every syllable, and how deep my adoration was for her. “You are my everything, and I don’t care how many times I have to say it, you are worth every moment,” 

“Stop, you’re going to make me cry, Val,”

“If you cry, I’ll just kiss all your tears away,” I chuckled, and Haven kissed me, deeply and slowly.

“You are the cutest girlfriend ever,” 

“I thought that was you?” My lover laughed quietly at that, leaning into me. We lay in silence for a bit, basking in each other’s love and warmth. I couldn’t help but take in the sight of Haven over and over again. Her long lashes, fair skin, one blue eye, one green, beautiful hair, everything.

“I feel like I’m about to fall asleep,” Haven murmured, breaking the silence. I bolted up, knocking one of the pillows.

“What did you say?” I stuttered, and Haven’s multicoloured eyes widened. 

“No, not like that kind of sleep, just like normal sleep. Wait,” she paused, “I guess I don’t know if it’s ‘normal’ sleep or not,” She froze, and I quickly disassembled a part of the fort so I could hug my girlfriend properly.

“Stay with me, Haven. We’ve got a lot of things left to do in this life,”

“I know we do. I’m not done with you just yet,” she winked, and it warmed my heart that she was still trying so hard to stay positive. 

“I feel like I need to tell you everything, but you’ve already heard it all,” I laughed, and Haven nodded, her head drooping slightly.

“Hey, Havie. Haven. Stay awake for me, darling,” I pleaded, and she blinked rapidly as if trying to regain her senses.

“Val?” She said slowly, her words starting to become a little slurred, “I think I’m going to fall asleep, and not in the good way. I don’t want to, I’m scared,” 

“No, don’t be afraid. You’re right in front of me, you’re safe. Come on, Haven, stay awake for me,” I said, starting to feel frantic. I kissed her as her movements became more and more lethargic.

“I love you, Val. I always have,” Haven strained to look up at me, “I will love you when time stops, the sun explodes and even when every part of me has disappeared. You have given me so much to live for, you have made me so grateful, so happy, so loved. You, Valerie Leroux,” 

“I’m going to cry, Haven. Please, I just need more time,” My voice hitched at the back of my throat, those tears from earlier starting to make a return. “Don’t leave me, Haven Brooks. We haven’t even gotten married yet,” I all but sobbed as Haven smiled.

“You’re so beautiful. I wish you knew what you looked like from my eyes,” she stifled a yawn and carried on. “My favourite thing about you is your passion and your ability to strive forward no matter what. That’s how I know you’ll be okay when I’m gone,”

“Don’t say when, Haven. Please,” I begged, ignoring the cold droplets that were now slipping down my cheek. “I love you, please, please, please, stay,” I cried, holding Haven close to my chest. She brushed my cheekbone with her fingertip, hugging me back ever so gently, like a fragile object about to shatter. 

“Don’t cry that it’s ending, my dear Val. Be happy it happened and that we made it this far. I love you.” 

“I love you too,” I whispered as Haven’s grip around me went slack. I cursed as her body went limp, nearly slumping out of my arms. I looked up at the ceiling, unable to look at my lover, who was so unnaturally still. I laid Haven across the couch, my vision blurry from the tears. I cried for Haven, for my mothers, for the ache in my heart I knew would never leave me for as long as I lived, and I cried for myself. I placed one last kiss on my girlfriend's cheek before covering her with the blanket. Feeling numb, I slid down onto the floor, leaning my back on the sofa. I wiped my tears away, to no avail, they just kept coming and coming and coming. But I didn’t care anymore. “I miss you already, Haven.” I whispered to the nothingness that suddenly seemed so much more prominent amid the silence. And that was the last thing I thought before that emptiness, that fatal slumber, closed my eyes and told me to sleep.