Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of Final Fantasy.

Warnings: Your mom

His pulse quickened. Jerking his eyes open, he glanced cautiously at his surrounds, a small breath escaping his slightlyparted lips.

It was watching him.

His heart pounded with great force, sending waves of pain through his chest as he tried to catch his breath. Small beads of sweat gently slid down his face, as he looked about the darkness. He couldn't be alone! He could feel it...

It was still watching him.

"Stop!" He thrashed violently, pulling the covers over his head, "Stop watching me!"

It hadn't stopped watching him yet.

He sighed, calming himself with deep breaths and relaxing into the security of his pillow and mattress. He was safe. 'Nothing can ever get to me if I'm under the covers,' he thought in a childish way, instantly reddening in his cheeks when he realised that thought gave him comfort. He relaxed once more in silence.

It was still watching him.

He lifted himself from the bed, moving over to his dresser, to gather his clothes and dress himself. He obviously couldn't sleep with whatever it was still watching him. When he was dressed and changed, he fled from the presence within his dorm room and into the halls of Balamb Gardens at night.

Deep breaths calmed his mind, and soothed his weary body. The cool night air outside of the dorms was refreshing, and exactly what he needed at the moment. Some sort of peace. A resolution to his troubled torment. But what exactly was it that was so reluctant to show itself, but so eager to make him miserable?

For the last three days, sleep for the Commander had been short and filled with disturbances. It was as if something was watching him, measuring him, sizing him up for some mysterious purpose, far beyond his radius of reasoning. Yet, everytime he strained his eyes in peering through every crevice and nook, there was nothing!

He continuously moved about, both during the day and night hours, trying in a futile attempt to escape or outrun his invisable stalker. And he was always unsucessful. Though, he was relieved that he found solace in the winds that blew so often through the open walkways of the Garden, and anywhere else the winds dared to follow him. It was as if the sky's gentle breathing could cast away the presence the stayed with him. As if it could give him the sense of solitude he desired.

He paused on the walk towards the Garden's main complex, and sighed in anger. There he went again! Discouraging the friendship that was so freely offered to him, from those who wished to give it. Quistis, Zell, Selphie, Irvine, and... Rinoa.

He frowned at the thought of the raven-haired girl. She confused him deeply, one minute she was so concerned about him, showering him with attention, and wishing him her love, even if she never spoke it aloud. Though, in a matter of seconds she became cold and reclusive, as if she wanted nothing to do with him. Her eyes became unstable, as if he had angered her, it was as if she was no longer Rinoa. She had been like that a lot lately. She would offer him not comfort for his sleepless nights and tired sighs. Her normal reaction, as of late, has been to narrow her brown eyes and scowl.

Maybe she had never really like him. Perhaps her cunning mind had led her to play some sort of game with his mind. As of late, he kept his distance from the sorceress, in uncertainty. And even though, he himself dared not, his eyes followed her, still.

He frowned deeply, the wind was nonexistant this night. Even if the night air was refreshing, the winds were not here to drive away the presence. He would not be able to rest, as he hadn't the night before, or even the night before that. He was driving himself mad, trying to run from this invisible entity. He was becoming unbelievably paranoid!

"Squall!" A voice called, shrill and hollow like the ringing of a silver bell. 1 There was a small laughter echoing through the corridor from the Dormitory, and a small hum.

His eyes widened and he turned to look behind him, his gloved hand upon the hilt of his gunblade. Yet he was met with no surprise.

Nothing.

Without a second's hesitation he turned and began walking, aimlessly about. Anywhere to escape the noise. To escape those watchful invisable eyes.

Notes


1 Got this comparison from Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice. She always seems to compare Claudia's voice to the tinkling of a small silver bell. Sort of representing a shrill intensity and danger, yet at the same time a sort of feigned innocence.