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king-size bed with a padded headboard.
On either side of the bed were two large black nightstands each
sporting a black lampshade. A large black dresser stood off to one
side. The other wall housed a black wooden desk and office
chair.
    “ I bet your favorite color
is black.”
    “ Now you’re the mind
reader.”
    I looked around the room and laughed.
“Call it a lucky guess.”
    “ You need to change out of
those wet clothes.”
    “ That’s the next thing on
my to-do list. I’ll be right outside. If you need anything, just
holler.”
    “ Colina.
Thanks.”
    I turned back from the doorway. I
wasn’t sure what to say. I shrugged and smiled. “Sure,
anytime.”
    “ I’m serious. I’m glad you
were here. I would hate to think what would have happened if you
hadn’t been. If Darla had been alone…”
    The way he was staring at me, the
intensity in his eyes, sent a small shiver down my spine. I wasn’t
afraid of him anymore. Instead, I found myself searching his face,
wondering what he was thinking. It was a good face. He was a
handsome guy. My glance ventured down to his lips and for the
briefest moment I wondered what it would be like to be kissed by
those lips. As the thought crossed my mind a blush spread across my
cheeks.
    I pulled tight on the blanket around
my shoulders. “Try to get some sleep.” Without waiting for his
reply, I walked quickly out of the room.
    Back in the living room, I found Darla
on the couch curled up in an afghan. Her face was pale, and her
hair hung down around her like a wet golden curtain.
    She looked up at me. “The tea’s
brewing.”
    “ Why don’t you go take a
hot shower? I’ll stand guard in case he needs anything.”
    “ You’re staying?” She
suddenly looked younger than her years, and her eyes filled with
fear.
    She’d just watched her brother get
stabbed and almost die. Seeing the panic in her eyes, I felt
uncomfortable and turned away. “I don’t have any place to go. Not
with the bad guys out there.”
    “ Is he going to die?” Her
voice was but a whisper.
    I walked over and sat down next to
her. “No, he’s fine.”
    Tears spilled down her face. “There
was so much blood. I thought…”
    I patted her shoulder. “He’s going to
be okay. He needs to see someone who can properly heal him. You can
take him tomorrow. When the coast is clear.”
    She grabbed my hand. “Promise me
you’ll come with us.”
    “ Darla, I don’t know…” I
started to pull my hand out of her grasp.
    Her grip tightened. “Promise me you’ll
stay until we know for sure he’s going to be all right.”
    I didn’t want to stay. I didn’t want
to deal with any more of this. But I couldn’t leave her, not now.
Not when she was so afraid. “I promise. Now go get in the shower.”
I looked down at my wet, muddy and now covered in bits of blood
outfit. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to borrow some more
clothes.”
    “ Find whatever you need in
my dresser or my closest. Take whatever you want.”
    “ It’s going to be okay.”
Even as I said the words, I knew I couldn’t make that promise. I
had learned the hard way the universe could reach out at any time
and take away the things you loved most in the world. When the
universe decided to mess with your life and your loved ones, you
had no choice but to sit back and watch in horror as your worst
nightmares came true.
    * * * *
    I bolted straight upright and opened
my eyes. It took me a few minutes to realize where I was. I don’t
know what woke me this time. No screams filled the air. No
commotion in the room. Everyone was sound asleep and safe for the
moment. I reached up and touched my cheeks. They were wet. I had
been crying in my sleep again. The aftermath of a nightmare that
was always the same--I woke suddenly with my heart pounding out of
my chest and tears streaming down my face.
    The tiniest sound came from my right.
I didn’t want to turn around, but I forced myself to look. A large
shadow loomed only a few