| ~ Nightmares and Clawscapes ~ |
| *Author's Note: Yes, this title is a nod to Stephen King�s �Nightmares and Dreamscapes�. My bad, I know, but I just couldn�t resist! * I woke up feeling safe for the first time in what seemed like forever. I snuggled backwards towards warmth, and rewarded myself with a smile when Logan�s hairy arm snaked over and pulled me even closer. Funny how you never peg those cigar-smoking, beer-swilling, tough and hairy macho men for cuddlers. Of course, by the snoring he was making, this particular smoking beer-swiller was still fast asleep. Mmmm. I was soooo sleepy. It felt good to just be able to lie back, watch the amazing light show put on by the thunderstorm outside, and reflect on the events that led to me sharing a bed with short, dark and deadly� After we had parked our bikes, I had followed Logan upstairs through the house. I tried to maintain a good personal distance, just a little behind and to his left, so that I would still be in eyesight without treading on his heels. Besides, I didn�t want to be within reach of those claws. Let�s face facts here. Even if the guy was a couple of inches shorter than me, I was still out-massed, and I was willing to bet that his claws beat mine by about three inches. That�s a lot of reach in a claw-fight. Plus his quiet and authoritative, if gruff, manner was very�well, let�s just say that I�d rather maintain a distance and manage to keep both my nerves and my hormones in check. So, anyhow, I was making an attempt to be wary as I followed some strange guy through the biggest, strangest house I�d ever been in. Well, remembered being in, anyway. It went from a well-stocked garage (there was a �69 Corvette Stingray that I was itching to take out for a spin) to a sterile hallway that had my hackles raised and my nerves screaming in protest, damn place reminded me way too much of a hospital. Then we jumped into a really weird circular elevator. I decided to be very interested in my nails, since it was that or stare at a non-existent spot by Logan�s head. Damn, one of my nails was broke. I could feel Logan glancing at me, and I almost stumbled as the wall behind me suddenly disappeared. Self-conscious? Qui, moi? I spun around as I let my arm drop and my eyes sweep my new surroundings. I could have sworn Logan was smirking as he walked by me. �Hey darlin�, since it�s 2 a.m., try ta keep the noise down. Last thing we need is some student wondering who ol� Wolverine just dragged in.� All this was said low enough that I could just barely hear him. He must have had hearing as good as mine, and I started to have a sinking feeling as I wondered if his other senses were as acute. I looked in a couple of doorways that were open. Well, he said this was some sort of school, and those were definitely classrooms, so I guessed that he was somewhat on the level. As for it being a school for mutants, for �people like us�, well, that remained to be seen. Logan paused as we passed through a well-stocked kitchen, and started to rummage through the fridge. �Hey kid, help yerself if yer hungry.� I felt like refusing just on principle, but when one hasn�t eaten in about three days�I dove in right next to him. Pride goeth before a fall, I guess. As I reached for a baked ham and a jug of milk, �Glasses are in the cupboard over the sink; knives are in the drawer to the right.� I found the offered dishes fairly easily, as well as the bread and mayonnaise. A sandwich just isn�t a sandwich without the tangy zip of Miracle Whip. I used a butter knife to spread the mayonnaise on my bread, but when it comes to slicing meat, nothing works better than an adamantium claw. As I put the extra food away, I caught a strange look on Logan�s face. As I wolfed my sandwich down, he actually started laughing. �Whampf?� I mumbled around my mouthful. �Darlin�, ya have no idea how refreshin� it is to see someone else usin� a natural knife for a practical use.� he chuckled. I arched an eyebrow. �So I take it someone else carves the Thanksgiving turkey around here?� I gulped down my milk and followed the still-chuckling man up yet another flight of stairs. He paused by a set of doors, and opened the one on the left. �Darlin�, ya kin stay in here fer the night. There�s a lock, if ya feel safer usin� it, though I don�t believe ya�d need ta. My room�s next door, if ya have any trouble, jest knock.� With that, he opened the door on the right. �Umm, Logan?� He turned towards me inquisitively. �Do you have any clothes I could sleep in?� Leather�s good for riding on a motorcycle, but as sleepwear, I don�t personally recommend it. Logan disappeared into his room and re-emerged with an oversized black t-shirt and what looked like a pair of black gi, or hifu, pants. �Thanks.� He looked at me, and God, it was as if those dark hazel eyes could see right through me. Just before my self-control would have slipped and I would�ve been a whimpering puddle of hormonal goo at his feet, he whispered �Good night darlin�.� and went into his room. �Goodnight, Logan� I whispered to his closed door, and entered �my� room for inspection. There appeared to be a bathroom between my room and his, and judging by the arrangement of doors, it was a shared one. I really would�ve liked to take a shower, but I didn�t know how much noise it would make. Since he�d asked me to be quiet, I settled for just peeling out of the leather and wrapping myself in the clothing that Logan had loaned me. Ah, cotton. I jumped into bed. Queen-sized, with plush pillows and quilts, not to mention sinking at least six inches. Definitely something I can get used to, I thought as I drifted off� It was night, and I was running in the woods. I paused, scenting the air, as the two little ones with me caught their breaths. I spared them a fond glance, but then I picked up the scent again and hustled them along. If only I could have gotten them out of there! I knew that the drugs I�d been injected with would take effect soon, and I couldn�t risk not getting the young ones to safety before the memory blocks kicked in. Already I was losing conscious memory, the name of my mother, my age, the horrors I had undergone, and what I knew of the barely-teenaged girls beside me� *BOOM* A gunshot split the air, but I knew it was more scare tactics than anything else. Hell, those asses wanted their lab rats alive. I wanted to stop what I knew was happening, what I knew was a real memory bursting through. For a moment I remembered my mother�s smile, my sisters�sisters? Yes�the girls were my sisters!�their smiles�and�oh God, I remembered my name! ~ Continue ~ |