It was Joshua who was clearly trapped in a nightmare—yet Henry was the one who awoke.
He walked over to Joshua's bed and found him curled up in his blanket, trembling uncontrollably. Soft, broken sobs escaped his lips—small, desperate sounds, as though he were drowning in a nightmare he could never wake from.
In the darkness, a strange light flickered in Henry's eyes.
He was Henry… and yet somehow, not Henry.
He bent down and gently pulled the blanket aside—sure enough, Joshua's pillow was soaked with tears.
A pang of sorrow stirred in Henry's chest as he gathered Joshua into his arms, his embrace so light it was as though he were holding a fragile flower.
"You've already faced them, Joshua. It's over now, Joshua."
As if sensing something, Joshua's trembling hand clutched tightly at Henry's sleeve—grasping for that final thread of hope.
Henry held him close, soothing his frail back until the darkness surrounding them no longer felt so terrifying.
