Tease Me Thursday #30: Don't Look Back

When it's almost Friday, and you're itching to do something fun, come on in, and have a tease! It's Tease Me Thursday, and we're going to show you our 7! Whether 7 words, 7 sentences or 7 paragraphs.

So sit back and relax, think about the weekend, and let's have a little bit of fun!

This week, I bring you a snippet from my current flash, Don't Look Back, about a father and son who have an unusual relationship. This story is intended for mature audiences. In this selection, Marshall is haunted by visions of his past. Enjoy!

Marshall’s eyes snapped open, but the darkness persisted, and he knew he was still inside the dream, and he began to scream…

A light clicked on. Strong arms enveloped him, held him close. A soft voice murmured in low soothing tones. Gentle hands stroked down his back, stopped his trembling. “Shhh, shhh, I’m here, I’m here.”

Marshall’s heart raced and his breathing was ragged, but he was becoming aware of himself and the world around him once more. He wasn’t in any closet; he was safe, with Lee, in their bed. It had been nothing but a bad dream, as usual.

He took deeper breaths, calming down, embarrassed at letting a dream get to him like that. He felt like a baby for overreacting. Not that Lee would ever make him feel that way.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, burying his face in Lee’s chest, rubbing his cheek against the familiar softness of Lee’s chest hair. Marshall hated nights like this.

Lee tilted Marshall’s head back so their eyes met. “Don’t be sorry, it’s not your fault, not at all.”

Marshall knew where the blame lay, but that name was never spoken between them. Ever.