JOURNALS AND PICTURES

Archie took Amy towards her flat but hesitated when he reached in front of the door. Amy had never let anyone in her flat. Nobody knew why and that was the reason Archie hesitated. He turned the key and opened the door slowly. He went inside and the sight was not as he expected.

Sketches and photographs were scattered all around the living room. The room was gloomy. Carefully, trying not to step on any sketch and photograph he made his way towards the bed room and laid Amy down. He then went back in the living room and collected all the scattered sketches and photos and put them in the drawer. There was an adjoining kitchen which looked a mess. Surprisingly enough there was no frame in Amy's room and there wasn't even one picture of Amy in all the photographs he collected.

Archie went back inside the bedroom to check on Amy. She was mumbling in her sleep and clutching the blanket tightly. There was a frown on her forehead. Archie took off her heels and put them beside the bed. That's when he noticed a small frame on her bedside table. It looked like a family picture. He held it in hand and examined the picture. There was a small boy with black hair which were slicked back by gel and he was wearing a tux. He was standing between a man and a woman who he presumed to be his parents. The Guy was wearing a dark black tux with a red tie and the woman was wearing a red gown and she was cradling a baby in her arms. Both the parents had black hair and the dad and boy had the same blue coloured eyes while the woman had light brown eyes, the same as Amy.

Archie was looking at the frame when he felt two tiny hands grasping his arm and clutching to it tightly like her life depended on it. She was panting and crying in her sleep. She mumbled slowly,"Don't please don't. Don't leave me alone. Its dark." Then after some minutes she mumbled again,"I'll... I'll prove to be better ... than... " Archie tried to calm her down and stroked her hair gently. He mumbled in her ear,"Hey! Hey! Shhh... nobody is gonna leave you. I'm right here. I'm staying" and he kissed her forehead. She mumbled something in her sleep and went back to her dream or nightmare whatever she was having. But Archie still mumbled sweet nothings to her and she slowly relaxed. He tried to pull back his hand but Amy just grabbed it tighter. He sighed and then put back the frame on the bedside table which he had left on the bed when he was calming Amy. He was not going to get any sleep, he thought. So he just looked around while sitting on the bed. Then he opened the drawer of the bedside table hoping to find some magazines or books to pass the time. Instead there was something else.

He found journals and diaries and sketch books. Every drawer was filled with them only. He debated himself whether he should or should not peek a boo but he is also a human being no!! His curiosity won the better of him. He took out the first journal and read:

"It was a new day today. The college was fun. I made some friends too and that's a first. They all really are great and the best part is, they are my neighbours too. I was a little worried about how I'll cope with all this college thingy without anyone's help and after the talk with Dan. He just doesn't understand. I needs to do this. Anyway my day started....."

And she went on about her days. She had described everyone of them, every meeting of theirs. Soon his eyes began to drop. He put the journal back in the drawer in fear of dozing off while reading and risking Amy to find out that he read her journal. He realised Amy had loosened her grip on his arm. He tucked her inside the blanket. Then he slowly stood up and went out in the living room. It was 2 in the morning. He decided to just crash on the sofa in Amy's living room and so he did.

He woke up at 7 and sat up realizing where he was. He went to the kitchen and drank some water. He then peeked inside the bedroom and saw Amy sleeping soundly. He smiled to himself. He then cleaned the kitchen up and prepared some coffee and a small breakfast. He was about to take the food and coffee to Amy when the bedroom door opened. A hunched up and tired looking Amy appreared from the room. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. When she saw the living room her eyes went wide and then she gripped her head and cursed,"Bloody hell! My head!"

Archie chuckled taking Amy's attention. Her eyes went wide again and Archie said,"That's what you get for drinking that much."