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Sophie climbs into the hotel bed wordlessly.
In the almost pitch black room all Jenny can see is the back of her head. Dark curls spill over the pillow, and they tickle Jenny's face, but it feels as if there's a wall between them. Sophie is silent. The room fills with it, the silence, the almost deafening quiet.
Jenny's unsure how to deal with it. She reaches out, but can't bring herself to touch Sophie. She's never been good with comfort. She's not sure how to fix the situation, how to bring Sophie's pretty smile back.
"Sophie?" She asks. "You're back late again."
Ever since that arcade machine was installed in the hotel basement, Sophie has changed. She spends hours down there, and when she returns her face is pale and her eyes are blank, dark.
"You know you can talk to me, right?" The words are hard to say, and they stick in the back of her throat, but Jenny manages to say them.
Sophie doesn't turn around. Usually she'd at least give Jenny a goodnight kiss. Even recently this ritual of theirs hasn't changed since the Bunny Smiles machine was installed. But now all Sophie responds with is her quiet breathing. Jenny sighs.
"What happened, Sophie?"
Sophie takes a breath, and it sounds shaken, ragged.
"The game..."
"Huh?"
"The game... It said m-my name. My family was there... Mom."
Jenny's heart drops. She's never heard Sophie talk about her family before. Hell. She finally finds the courage to place a hand on Sophie's shoulder. It's trembling.
"Sophie, try to calm down. Please, take a deep breath."
Jenny's hand moves up, and down, as Sophie starts to take deep breaths.
"Is everything okay?" Jenny asks quietly. It doesn't seem like enough to ask. It doesn't seem like enough to lie here with her fingers splayed on Sophie's shoulder. She's still fully clothed, and Jenny swallows as Sophie breathes and breathes.
"...No." She finally says.
"Oh God, alright, uh," Jenny fumbles with her words. She awkwardly tries a way to say, how do I help? I love you, I do. "Try to tell me what happened."
"I was..." Sophie is still trembling. She takes a breath and tries again. "I was playing the game, okay? It was fun, and then..."
"And then what?"
Sophie shakes her head. Her voice is thick with tears when she next speaks.
"...Jesus, I-"
"Sophie I'm trying to help you, but I can't if you don't tell me what happened." Jenny says gently, but with a firmness that's characteristic of her. Sophie remains quiet.
"Sophie... please." This time, it's more like a desperate plea. Jenny's voice catches.
"...My family, I haven't seen them in years."
"Oh damn."
"...My mom disappeared one day, so did my father. It's been a touchy subject ever since."
"Sophie, I'm so sorry to hear that." Jenny squeezes Sophie's shoulder. In the dark, she sees Sophie turn around, and then sad eyes meet her own.
"....The creepy part is, I saw them again. Last night." Sophie has found the courage to speak more clearly. Jenny looks back at her in the dark, surprised.
".....What?"
"...I saw my mom, then..... then there was screaming, i could recognize it was her voice, who else would it b-be?" Sophie's voice trembles. Her lip quivers, and Jenny reaches out to brush her thumb over it, attempting to help it be still.
"Oh god."
"Then I saw my siblings, I don't think they're gone." Sophie is looking at her insistently, with damp red eyes, and Jenny just listens. She feels as if Sophie is trying to communicate something with her, something important, but she can't translate it.
"I..... I don't think they're gone." Sophie says again, with more conviction.
"...Sophie, I-" Jenny swallows. How is she supposed to respond to this? So much of the situation is beyond her.
"You don't believe me?" Sophie asks, in a small voice. She looks so betrayed that Jenny's heart almost breaks. How could she think that? Jenny would follow her to the ends of the earth.
"No, Sophie-" Jenny begins, but Sophie interrupts.
"You don't believe me." She says, in a more convincing tone. Her eyes grow more withdrawn, and then she looks away.
"Hey, don't say-"
"Y-you think I'm making this up, d-don't you?"
Jenny grabs Sophie's face in her hands. She forces Sophie to look at her. The forceful movement startles Sophie, and draws her back into the moment and away from her dark thoughts.
"Sophie, no, I believe you." Jenny says, insistent. "I mean it."
Sophie's face softens with realisation.
"... Oh. "
"Yes," Jenny smiles slightly. Her grip on Sophie's face loosens, and she runs her thumb over Sophie's cheek. It's an uncharacteristic display of affection. "Of course I do."
"....Sorry." Sophie says sincerely. Jenny's smile widens.
"Hey, don't be." She reassures. "We'll figure this out. Can you remember anything else about your family?"
"...No."
"Do you want to remember?"
"Yes." Sophie says automatically. Jenny wonders how long Sophie has shut her out - how long she's been thinking about this alone. She feels a spark of sadness, thinking her girlfriend doesn't trust her enough to confide in her.
"Okay, god." Jenny takes a moment to think. "Alright, it's alright. We'll figure it out, We're gonna pull through, alright? I'm going to help you."
"....Thanks, Jenny.." Sophie offers her first smile of the evening. It's broken and weak, but it's there, and Jenny sighs, relieved.
She leans forward and presses a warm kiss to Sophie's forehead.
"What can I do for you?" She asks. Jenny has always been a problem solver. She's guided by fact and logic, and often, in the face of Sophie's more whimsical imagination, she's out of her depths.
"Nothing, just-" Sophie bites the inside of her cheek. "Hold me."
Jenny blinks.
"What?"
"N-Nothing, it's fine, nevermind-"
"Sorry, sorry, come here." Jenny giggles, and shuffles forward on the bed.
She wraps her arms around Sophie's smaller frame, still slightly uncomfortable with physical affection, though they've already been dating for over a year. She wonders how long this youthful awkwardness between them will last. Everything between them still feels new.
Jenny feels a surge of guilt as she tucks Sophie's head under her chin. She's been so preoccupied with essays and work that she'd forgoten to check in with her girlfriend. Sometimes she's distant and she doesn't realise it until it's too late.
As Sophie grips at her, still shaking, Jenny feels a surge of affection. She vows to always protect her.
"It's okay." Jenny says, though it isn't. "It'll be okay."
It's early morning by the time they fall asleep. Jenny has strange dreams she doesn't quite understand - metal, and contorted faces, and blood.
When she wakes, Sophie's side of the bed is empty. A note lies where she should be.
Jenny,
Sorry. I won't burden you any longer.
I'm leaving to go and find my family. Please don't follow me. It's not safe. I know you must be angry and confused, but all you need to know is that I'm going to end this. For good.
Finish your essays, and keep doing your best! I'll see you soon, I promise.
Love,
Sophie.
Jenny sighs. She turns onto her back and stares up at the ceiling. Sophie is a fool if she thinks she can carry on with her life knowing her girlfriend is in danger, or worse. What happened to their bad dates? What happened to laughter and movie nights and promises spoken in the middle of the night?
Wherever Sophie goes, Jenny will follow. No matter the cost. She stands, and looks out of the window. A storm is coming.