He Sees You When You're Sleeping Novels & Stories

This one saw everything. “You do,” he said. “You cry without tears. It’s louder than when I cry.” I pressed my lips together. I sat on the edge of the bed and brushed his hair back with shaking fingers. “Try to sleep,” I said. “Please.” He shook his head. “I can see him.” My hand stilled. “What do you mean, you can see him?” I asked slowly. “Where he is,” the child said. “Not like seeing you. Different.”

In his sleep. “Dada.”

The sun is starting to come up but hasn't filled the apartment with light yet. I just lie there and I watch him sleep. It's something I don't do often. Watch him without him knowing I'm watching. Just observe the way his face is peaceful when he's not thinking about anything. The way his breathing is steady and even. The way he looks like someone who's learned how to rest. He wakes up slowly and he smiles when he sees me watching him. "What time is it?" he asks. "Early," I tell him. "But we don't have anywhere to be."

To get lost in the moment and act like he didn't kidnap me. "I will make her love me, you will see." It was a low murmur that veered my gaze from our linked hands to his face. He was still asleep and I smiled seeing that he talked in his sleep, so cute but who is he talking about by the way? Who is he going to make love him? He looked peaceful and relaxed in this state of rest. Watching him was like watching a beautiful sleeping baby while being careful not to make a sound so as not to wake them.

Like something had left the lights on inside him but moved out. “You dreamed of him again,” he said. It wasn’t a question. My mouth went dry. I tried to swallow. “I… I don’t know who he is.” His jaw clenched. “Yes, you do.” He crossed the room in three slow steps, each one making the air thicken. He sat at the edge of the bed, one hand gripping the sheets like he was fighting the urge to crush something. “That… thing you saw in your sleep,” he said low. “He’s been circling you. Waiting.”

She was terrified and could barely breathe when she saw his eyes; they had turned red like blood. He brought his face close to hers and stared deep into her eyes. “Sleep now and you won’t remember all this when you wake up.” She heard his voice whispering in her mind. She suddenly felt sleepy. She saw him smiling gently at her before she fell asleep.

He looked down at me one last time. “Close your eyes and sleep. Dream only of pleasant things. When you wake up . . . I will be nothing more than a nightmare.”

“I felt you watching me.” “I wasn’t watching,” I said quickly, though my flushed cheeks betrayed me. “I was just… lying here.” He tilted his head, his lips brushing the top of my hair. “Liar.” I let out a soft laugh. “Okay, maybe a little. You look different when you sleep.” “Different how?” “Less scary,” I teased. He pulled back just enough to raise a brow at me. “Scary?” “You know what I mean,” I said, rolling my eyes. “When you’re awake, you have that whole intense, serious face. But when you’re asleep…” My voice softened. “You look peaceful. Younger. Softer.”

"You had nightmares again." "Yes. Do you think it will come tonight too?" "We will see. I’ll watch over you." "Thank you." "You should sleep." I slid my body down to lie down but tilted my head in his direction to look at him. "And what will you do?" "Talk with you until you fall asleep." "And after?" "I can freeze my mind and rest. But I probably won’t as I want to catch your nightmare." "Have you tried sleeping? Like close your eyes and freeze your mind?"

Carefully, I tilt my head back to look at his face. His eyes are closed. His head is turned to the side, one arm bent over his relaxed abdomen, the other behind me. My elbow just barely touches his fingertips, my arm resting on top of him, my hand on his chest. He’s asleep. My heart softens, my eyes taking in his peaceful features. He looks so... vulnerable. I’ve watched people sleep before. Not in a creepy way, but in an ′I’ve got your back′ way. This is different. I’m mesmerized by him, seeing him in a new light—a light I once imagined heaven might have.