Noctem

by Faber

She sobbed silently in the darkness for what seemed like hours. If sleep came, it was filled with the same darkness and grief that the waking world was in, and she could not tell the difference. Sitting still, her mind traveled a thousand years forward and a thousand years back, searching. For what, she did not know. When the times came when her mind exhausted itself, she would just clear it, and listen.

Silence.

Sitting on the hard, cold ground, she remembered things from far in her past. When her own memories had ran out, new ones would slip in. Memories which may not have been her own, or anyones for that matter. Then the memories would fade again.

Silence.

Then, breathing.

She became aware once again that she was not alone.

"Are you still there, Jacob?" Her voice cracked as she spoke.

A pause. An eternity.

"Yes, Caroline." It was strained. It was close. She could hear him shifting. She stirred.

"How Did it happen?"

Silence.

She whimpered.

All was quiet, but the air was buzzing slightly with the energy between them. She didn't have to speak to know what his thoughts were.

"Is it ever possible to go back?"

She knew the answer, but that was irrelevant.

Silence. Then more breathing, slightly more pained than before.

She curled up into a ball, and put her head down. She began to remember again. She heard the faintest sob, and before slipping away, knew that somewhere in the darkness, Jacob was crying too.

Freely Reproducable, but still © Copyright 2003 by Faber. [email protected]