A Different Kind of Dragon Slayer
She moans and tosses
He sleeps lightly as always
And quickly is wide awake
Aware of her every move
He knows what will follow
He is ready
The moaning becomes a scream
He feels the terror
Knows the vile dragon that she battles
In her nightmare
Filled with hatred for the beast
He moves closer to her
“Don’t touch me!
Get your dirty filthy hands off me
“Get off…Get OFF
Stop it! STOP!” She shrieks
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
And he gently shakes her awake
Then moves back
As she bursts into sobs
“It’s just a dream…
I’m here….sh….there now
It’s only me!
He’s gone…he’s gone!”
And yet…though every cell
Is dying to rock her in his arms
He holds back
Knowing…she will cringe at his touch
And push him away
If he moves too fast
First he must slay the dragon
“I’ll never let him touch you again”
He whispers…gently moving closer…closer
“He’s gone…Gone.”
He is almost there
“If he EVER lays a finger on you…
I’ll make him pay….
You’re safe with me.
He won't EVER hurt you again."
Her hysterical sobbing
Quiets down
Almost imperceptibly
She sits up and pulls her knees in to herself
Burying her face in them as she rocks back and forth
Crying....more softly now
“NO ONE will ever hurt you again….”
There…he’s ready to gather her into his arms
She looks up into his eyes
The look of revulsion disappears
When she sees the dragon slayer of her dreams
There beside her…with love in his eyes
Still she holds back...feeling tainted, spoiled…dirty
Her hands running up and down her arms
Desperate to clean the marks
Of dragon fingerprints
Burned into her flesh
He understands and whispers
“You are mine now"…
He holds her hand
"You are so beautiful....
My angel…
I'm"...
And before he finishes
She throws herself into his arms
And holds on for dear life
To the dragon slayer...
Her savior
He doesn't know how long it takes
Until she falls back to sleep
Her even rhythmic breathing
Warming his neck
His arms enfolding her
There is so much he can't understand
So much of her that he still doesn't know
But he is sure of one thing…
He’d give his everything
He'd give his life
To slay every last dragon
Of her night.
Eileen Manassian Ghali
Copyright © Eileen Manassian | Year Posted 2013
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