Hope for the helpless

After leaving the burger place I saw that Alex was a lot happier. I was glad of it I have no idea what I would have done if that didn't work. I walked ahead of him and unlocked my car, I'll admit it wasn't a very fancy one but it did it's job. I heard a strange noise behind me, it sounded like someone gasping. As soon as I turned around and saw Alex laying on the floor trembling I ran over to him. "Holy shit, Alex!" I yelled as I kneeled down next to him not knowing what to do. By now there was a small crowd gathering around watching curiously and murmuring to each other. I picked Alex up and carried him to my car, "can someone please stop starring and open the damn door!" I shouted to the crowd as the shaking man in my arms continued to gasp. A young woman ran forward and opened the back door of the car. "Thank you," I said to her as I lowered him into the backseat. I went to close the door but then stopped, I couldn't leave him like this. If he was anything like me he'd hate to go to a hospital. I slipped into the car and sat on the seat next to his head. After shutting the door I pulled him up into a hug, he was still trembling but as I held him he started to calm slightly. That when I had the idea, the lullaby I wrote for my boyfriend's funeral. I started humming the tune and the young man in my arms started to breathe a bit more evenly, it was helping. I soon turned the hums into words and softly sang to him. By the time I had finished I noticed how Alex was breathing slowly and was still. I looked at his golden hair and how the fringe dropped over his large dark eyebrows. He looked so peaceful. It was only now that I realised I was crying, I wiped away my tears and sat up, gently I pushed Alex into a sitting position and put a seatbelt on him. Thankfully he didn't wake up I didn't want to disturb him, he was so cute when he was asleep. I got out of the back and walked around to the drivers seat of my car. I pulled out of the car park and onto the open road.
It was dark by the time we got to my apartment. Seen as Alex was still asleep and I didn't know where he lived I decided to take him to my house for the night. After struggling to get him out of the car without waking him, I carried Alex up the stairs to my flat. Once inside I placed him on my bed and covered him with a blanket. I grabbed the spare pillow and a blanket and made my way to the living room sofa. I didn't mind sleeping on the sofa, after everything Alex has gone through today he needs a good nights sleep.

I was woken by a loud shouting coming from my room. It was still dark so I checked the clock, 2:34. I walked quietly through the hallway and slowly pushed open the door. Alex was screaming and kicking wildly at the blankets he was tangled up in. I jogged over to him and shook him gently, nothing. I shook him a bit harder, still nothing. Grabbing him by his shoulders and roughly shaking his upper body he finally woke up. He looked at me with wide panic stricken eyes then suddenly burst into tears. I pulled him into another hug and softly whispered into his ear "your ok, your safe now. I'll protect you, I promise." I continued to comfort the sobbing boy until his body stopped heaving and his breathing became slow and calm again. Before he let sleep consume him he turned to me and asked quietly "don't leave,". His voice cracked as he spoke and he pressed himself closer against my body. He had fallen asleep in my arms again, but this time instead of leaving I stayed. How could I leave him to fight off his demons on his own? I slowly fell asleep myself, slipping into odd dreams about the young man curled up beside me.

Notes