Instead of walking over to shake him, as Leah had expected, the woman cupped her hands to her mouth. "Simon!" she yelled. "Company!"
Leah barely saw it happen. First Simon was tangled up in the sheet so thoroughly that she was sure it would take a seamstress and a pair of gardening shears to get him loose, then he was across the room, inches in front of her, with a knife in his fist. The gleaming point of the steel pressed against her collarbone.
She choked down a scream and stepped back, proud of herself for not falling over backwards. "What do you think you're—" she demanded, but she stopped herself.
Standing in front of her, Simon woke up.
He blinked a few times, let out a little half-yawn, and noticed her for the first time. "Leah? Why are you..." He saw the knife in his own hand, and his fingers jerked open. The knife clattered to the floor.
"Ah! Sorry. I didn't... they try to kill me in my sleep. All the time. It's a habit, I'm sorry. Are you hurt?"
Leah barely saw it happen. First Simon was tangled up in the sheet so thoroughly that she was sure it would take a seamstress and a pair of gardening shears to get him loose, then he was across the room, inches in front of her, with a knife in his fist. The gleaming point of the steel pressed against her collarbone.
She choked down a scream and stepped back, proud of herself for not falling over backwards. "What do you think you're—" she demanded, but she stopped herself.
Standing in front of her, Simon woke up.
He blinked a few times, let out a little half-yawn, and noticed her for the first time. "Leah? Why are you..." He saw the knife in his own hand, and his fingers jerked open. The knife clattered to the floor.
"Ah! Sorry. I didn't... they try to kill me in my sleep. All the time. It's a habit, I'm sorry. Are you hurt?"
