Four.

Elle POV.

“Tell me a story” I whisper over the phone, tonight was one of the worst nights ever, I had several nightmares back to back, I woke more than once but I managed to get back to sleep, but the last one was very bad. I couldn’t go back to sleep, I was scared of my own mind, having an overactive imagination turned to be a curse in lonely nights, every sound, every murmur my brain translated and turned into a monster hiding in the darkness.

“A story, but you are the writer between the two of us,” she says in a reply with a chuckle, she’s right usually I’m the one who makes up the stories, I’m the author, and I’m really proud about it.

“I know, but tonight, I need you to do it,” I say in a sad voice, it was more of a whisper, I can’t tell her a story, not with how scared I’m feeling right now, my story would be one about ghosts, fear, demons that lurk outside your home and not the one under the bed ready to snatch you and take you to hell, the real hell. I was never scared of the ghosts under the bed, it’s the real ones that scare me, I’ve been through hell, I’m out now, and going back scares me.

“Elle, are you okay?” she asked her voice losing its laugh, she knew this is a real thing this time, I was not joking or just asking for a random story, I needed some help.

“Yeah, I’m good. Just stay with me” I beg her, I’m scared of being alone now, I never wanted to have someone with me as I do right now, to have someone to hold me close to tell me it’s okay, that I shouldn’t be scared, they’d keep me safe and I won’t have to worry anymore.

I don’t own a teddy, unlike my stories, in my brain, teddies get possessed during the night, demons live inside of the teddies, and I don’t want it to get up and murder me while I’m asleep. I hugged my pillow, pillows are good, they are safe and help you sleep, I only own one pillow, it’s the one I usually sleep on, but tonight it’s used to be hugged and cuddled.

“I’m here princess, what’s wrong? Tell me?” Devil says again, I didn’t want to tell her about my nightmares, they are mine, I don’t have to share them.

“I’m okay” I lie.

“Liar” she calls me out right away, I pout at that, I don’t say much, just stay quiet hearing her breath through the phone.

“Elle” she whispers my name, I should say something.

“I’m tired, gonna sleep,” I say with tears going down my face, my voice hasn’t broken yet, she doesn’t know I’m crying, I want to hide under some rock.

“No you’re not Elle, talk to me what’s up?” she asks again, while tears were going down my face, I had no pillow under my head to catch them, instead the tears were going down into my ears making me even more upset now.

“Nothing, I just want to sleep” this time, my voice broke while talking.

“Honey, Love, why are you crying?” she asks while I just shrug but she can’t see me.

“No reason, I’m not crying” I lie again, but lying wasn’t going well with her, she kept catching me.

“Why are you lying to me?” she asks, I just whine over the phone, I don’t need to tell her what’s wrong.

“I’m not lying,” I say frustrated with her, why doesn’t she just let me go, having enough with her, I end the call not caring that she’s still talking with me.

My phone rings again, but I ignore it, it’s Devil, I don’t want to talk to her, not anymore, I was busy crying now, the tears were going feely down my face this time, I couldn’t stop them, and with her off the phone, I could sob as loud as I want. The phone started ringing again, but I still ignored it, which kept going for a few minutes, and then she stopped calling, instead, she started messaging me. The messages were all some kind of demands for me to answer the calls, but I ignored those too, the messages went down for a few minutes, and I thought the Devil was over me, she just went to sleep leaving me with my misery.

“I’m coming over,” the message said, which got me to jump up in my bed, she can’t really come, she knows where I live, and with how crazy her driving skills are, she’d be here in no time. I tried to call her, to tell her that she couldn’t come, I was okay, she could just call me and not come, but there was no answer, I kept calling her over and over again until she finally answered me.

“Devil, don’t come I’m okay,” I say right away, trying to get her to not come.

“Yes, I’m coming” she says in a very firm voice, there was no talking her out of it now, I felt the need to cry all over again, I didn’t care about it right now, not as long as she won’t come over here.

“No, no don’t come” I say quickly.

“Oh no little one, I’m coming to beat your bum” she says scaring me this time, from all my stories, the ones I’ve written and read, I knew the little one get punished, I don’t know if she really means beating me, or just threatening me.

“Devil, please don’t” I begged her, I heard some tyres screeching, she was driving, and the phone died on me, I started to cry again, I didn’t know what to do anymore, I wouldn’t open the door, I’ll hide. But she’s a hitman for god’s sake what if she knew how to get in without me opening the door, I knew Devil, I trusted Devil, but right now, I’m scared for myself.

I waited, I sat up straight, listening to any sound coming from anywhere, every whisper got me to jump, but there was nothing, I must be overreacting, she’s not coming is she? What if she’s here to kill me, would she….my line of thoughts was broken when there was a knock on the door, followed by the voice of the Devil.

“Elle, open this damn door right now,” she says, her voice stable and low, scaring me even more.

“Nu” I whimper with fear.

She banged on the door again, this time she was much angrier than before, she kept knocking, and out of fear I went closer to the door and begged her to leave.

“Devil, please please leave” I beg, but she doesn’t leave.

“Elle, love, open the door. I’d never hurt you princess” she says much calmer now, she almost got me to open the door but I was still too afraid to do so, so I just shook my head no.

I stayed inside, I waited for her to leave, and after a few minutes there was no more sound, she must have left, I went back to my bed, buried myself under the blanket hiding my face under the pillow. I was almost back asleep, that’s when I heard her voice, she was inside my bedroom, but how did she even get in?

“Elle, I asked you to open the door nicely didn’t I?” she says making me jump, I never screamed this loudly, not ever!

“Oh honey, don’t scream, it’s just me” she says taking me into her arms, but that scared me even more.

“How did you get in!” I yell at her.

“Through the door love, you need a better lock” she replies with a wink, now I can see her, she wasn’t dressed up like during our dinner. She had black yoga pants, a crop top and sneakers, her hair was pulled up in a low ponytail, she didn’t look scary.

“Oh no love, don’t look at me like that. I was getting ready for bed” she says with a shake to her head making me smile.

“You’re not going to kill me?” I ask her.

“Never love, but I will scold you when needed” she says her face falling, she was moving forward real quick.

“I nu need that” I reply my lower lip trembling, I always hated being yelled at.

“Yes, you do, never hide anything from me that includes your tears. Not opening the door for me” she says sounding angry again.

“Okay,” I mumble.

“Now scoot,” she says taking her shoes off, taking the ponytail off, and leaving the elastic band on her wrist, looking at her, I didn’t understand what was going on, I just moved.

She got in bed with me, her head went over my one and only pillow before pulling my head next to hers on the same pillow.

“You need more pillows princess” she says hugging me.

“Now let’s sleep, we’ll talk tomorrow,” she says, I sigh and decide to just go to sleep, I’m going to be safe sleeping next to a hitman who wants to protect me.