Panic spread through Simone as she backed off the bed, tripping over empty pills bottles and a different glass bottles. Her eyes wide with fear, she reached out for the phone. She sat slowly on the floor as emotion washed over her, clutching the phone in her hand. She dialled slowly, the room spinning around her. Her chest was on fire as she gasped for breath, pressing her hands against her throat. She slowly sank to the floor, her head resting on the hard wood, darkness finally rushing in.

*****

Annabelle studied Simone’s face carefully in the early morning light. Her eyes were flickering frantically under her eyelids, her teeth clenched together, a pained look spreading slowly over her face. Annabelle shifted closer to her lover, slipping an arm across her waist and shaking her lightly.

"Simone? Come on, wake up."

"Huh? No…No! Don’t take her away from me!" Simone yelled out, her eyes shooting open as Annabelle calmed her, whispering into the darkness "It’s ok, I’ve got you…I’ve got you."

Simone, now fully awake turned slowly, her tear filled eyes meeting those of a concerned Annabelle. A bolt of guilt gripped Simone as she hastily removed Annabelle’s arm from around her waist and slid out of bed, fumbling her way towards the bathroom.

She was angry more than anything, angry that the nightmares had returned, that they were putting a huge amount of strain on her and Annabelle’s relationship. Simone flicked the light switch, wincing as her eyes adjusted. She splashed a handful of cold water on her face from the basin, quickly drying her face and straightening up to look at herself in the mirror.

Stress lines were beginning to show around her normally bright eyes and mouth, and she worriedly ran her fingertips back and forth across her face. She disliked the fact she was ageing, and had begun feeling self conscious around her younger lover; Simone didn’t want the age gap between them to be too obvious. She finished up in the bathroom, taking one last glance around before entering the bedroom.

Expecting Annabelle to have fallen back asleep, she inched her way past the mass of bed covers and clothes and stepped out onto the balcony, the cool morning breeze a welcome change from the humid, heavy air inside. Annabelle’s short white slip hung across the couch, and she couldn’t help but smile, remembering their previous night of passion. She relaxed as the air washed over her, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply, gently swaying with the motion of the tide.