The Birthmark(5)

15

For the following month, Kathleen stayed at Zachariah's house.

The first few days after she arrived, she had nightmares every night, dreaming that Jefferson was chasing her with a cleaver. She'd wake up screaming and drenched in a cold sweat, too terrified to go back to sleep. She would sit in her pajamas in the living room. When Zachariah woke up in the middle of the night and saw her, he stayed up all night with her. They would talk, listen to music, or watch a movie until dawn.

After about half a month, the frequency of nightmares decreased, and Kathleen could finally sleep well. But, for some reason, she began to miss those nights when the two of them talked in the dimly lit living room. When Zachariah spoke slowly with his attractive voice, the smell of cigarettes emanating from him gave her a sense of safety and comfort.