NOVEL WEB Chapter 44: 44th entry
Season: Autumn
Weather: Partly cloudy
Day of the week: Easter Sunday
Date: 31st March, 2024
Don't ask me what happened after I got drunk last night. I don't know and I don't remember.
All I know is that I awoke in an unfamiliar bed with the dark shadow lord's bare arms around my naked body. Aside from a splitting headache, I wasn't sore. I had no marks on me. I don't think he actually did anything. Did he?
After waking up and seeing how terrified I was, the man wouldn't stop sniggering. He coaxed me to get dressed, helping me into my clothes despite my protests. And then after forcing me to eat some breakfast and drink something for the hangover, he drove me back to Deaglan's apartment.
When I entered the apartment, Deaglan hugged me tight and looked me up and down as if to check whether I was hurt while shooting daggers at Umbrey with his eyes.
"Where've you been all night?" Daeglan demanded, hugging me tight. "Do you know how worried I've been?"
It seemed that he didn't dare to give the dark shadow lord a piece of his mind and so he gave me his, while darting meaningful glances at the smirking man who was leaning against the wall with folded arms.
"What on earth are you wearing?"
"Remember," the dark shadow lord wagged a finger at me. "Don't go harming anymore entertainment businesses with your presence. If I find out you've been there, I'll shut it down. Have fun explaining to your little dinky-di about our escapades last night. I know we both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Let me know if he can't forgive you and kicks you out. You can directly move in with me."
I covered my face. This man. He was purposely digging a pit for me and enjoying the show. Just how bored was he?
It took me the better part of the day for me to calm Daeglan down and explain to him what had happened. How much he heard and believed, I wasn't sure. He insisted I go to an Easter Sunday evening church service with him and then afterwards, dragged me over to ask for prayer. The church service wasn't bad. It was interesting. Meaningful. I'd never been to one before. Being prayed for was also an indescribably interesting experience. I felt as if I'd been bathed in warm, glowing water.
When we got back to the apartment after the church service, I felt tired. Just tired.
There had been too many people in the church with friendly questions and overly inquisitive questions. It had been an effort to fend them off. But overall, would I go again? Maybe. But only if Daeglan would continue to help me fend off the crowd and all their questions.
Tonight, even more so than the previous night we had spent awake together, I couldn't sleep. Deaglan played games most of the night, not seeming to be in a hugging or talking mood. I huddled in my quilt with Mr Fluffle Longears on the couch.
At some point, I must have dropped off. I couldn't remember my dreams, but must have been dreaming because I felt so unsettled and disturbed when Deaglan shook me awake with big worried eyes. He wiped the tears I hadn't noticed I was crying and was crying himself.
He hugged me tight, repeatedly saying, "You're ok. You're ok now. We're ok. We're safe. We're gonna be alright. Nobody can touch us now."
He says that, but who knew what the dark shadow lord did to me last night? What were weak little workers like us near the bottom of the food chain going to do the next time a tyrant cast his eyes over us, wanting to use us as entertainment?
Tell me. Is life really worth living?