Put Me To Sleep

FLASHBACK

I can feel a heavy pressure all over my body.

When I opened my eyes, I was stuck in a car.

“Somebody, save me… Please...” I said, though my voice sounded weak. I tried to open the door but I was too weak to do so.

“N-no… Stop… Stop it….”

“Mom, Dad…… Please…..” I repeatedly knocked on the window. As the fire was catching on fast, my knocking was getting faster too. I think I heard my parents’ voice from somewhere.

“I can’t see….”

I couldn’t breathe because of the heated air.

Am I going to die? I asked myself. No matter how much I asked myself, I couldn’t really find the answer.

Enveloped in heat and acrid smoke, I passed out into the darkness.

END OF FLASHBACK

……………………………………………………………………….

When I opened my eyes, it was already morning. When I got up from my bed, all of my pillows and pajamas were all sweaty. I frowned at the unpleasant wet feeling.

Until when do I have to suffer from that nightmare?

I should wash myself first. All my clothes and face are not in human form.

I staggered my way to the bathroom. With some cold water splashed on my face, I felt a bit better. I let out a deep sigh between my lips.

Of course. I knew this would happen.

When I was in primary school, I lost my parents in a car accident. It was an accident from the car sliding on a steep, curved road. No one, until then, have imagined that this lovely family trip would be our last one.

Car on fire, acrid smoke, suffocating air, voices in pain…

After that day, I could not sleep. I could not sleep, from the memories spread out every time I close my eyes. And even if I force myself to fall asleep, I would only get a terrible nightmare like last night.

The only way to ease this symptom is to sleep with another person.

In order for me to peacefully fall asleep, I needed another person’s warmth and a kind voice. Someone else’s warmth for a person who cannot sleep even with sleeping pills. It might sound weird, but I think it’s a habit that started from the time when my mother would put me to sleep when I was young. I remember the warm touch of her hand on my head. She would pat and comfort me whenever I couldn't fall asleep or cry.

My mother was actually the one who taught me that I needed another person’s help in order for me to fall asleep but, it became a long lost memory of the past now. I should have told them that I love them for countless times had I known that that would be the last time I’ll be seeing the both of them.

Enough with the sentiments. I took a quick glance at the clock on my dresser. It’s already time. I should hurry and leave.

I quickly finished washing up my face and returned to my room to change into my well-ironed school uniform. As I was combing my hair in front of the tall dresser, my tired face reflected upon the mirror. Without any proper sleep, my face was all rough.

“Insomnia sure is the greatest enemy for your skin,” I told myself.

I would have no other wishes if only I could just sleep well.

“I’m going to school!” I habitually shouted towards the empty house. Aunt Linda’s cheerful voice wasn’t returning as usual.

……………………………………………………………

“Sorry for being late! Were you waiting?” my best friend, Emily, asked when she arrived. She looked like she just ran all the way here because of the way her hair looked.

“Oh hey, Emily. Good morning!” I greeted her.

“Have you slept well last night?” she immediately asked as we sat down on our chairs.

“No, I couldn’t, with Aunt Linda gone… You know it. That I can’t sleep alone.” I told her.

“Oh, right. Your aunt left for a vacation. How long will it take?”

“I’m not sure because the schedule has been changed once. But I think she said it was about 2 weeks.” My aunt Linda is also a busy person that's why I didn't really bother asking her the details of her vacation. Although she's my aunt and she's also worried about me, she also has her own life and I don't want to impose on her just because I can't sleep properly.

“Should I stay over at your house for you?” Emily suggested to me. I can also see the worry evident on her face.

“No, it’s okay. You have to stay late for your private lessons. And you have to look after your little siblings at home.” I know that Emily is really working hard to maintain her grades. And aside from that, she looks after her siblings at home because her parents are always out with their works too. I also wouldn't want to burden her. She has a lot to take care of anyway.

Emily, on the other hand, didn’t look convinced when I told her that.

“I’m really okay, so don’t worry about me.”

“But I’m not okay…” she started to say but she immediately cut off herself as if she remembered something. “Right! I nearly forgot!”

“Huh?” I looked at her with a confused expression.

“Wait a sec. There’s something I got, last time…” Emily took out her wallet and started to rummage it, looking for something. After a while, Emily pulled out a business card and gave it to me.

I looked at the neat little card in my hand as I read the word in bold letters. “Serenity…?”

“You remember what I told you about my cousin getting a job somewhere unusual? It’s there.”

I flipped back the card. “What do they do? It has nothing on here other than the homepage address.”

“They help people with insomnia to sleep.”

When I heard that, I looked back at Emily. I was obviously skeptical yet interested at the same time. “Help people to sleep?”

She nodded. “It’s for people who can’t sleep well at night, like you. Delivering your sleep or something. All agents are men and they visit your house and stay with you until you fall asleep.”

Everything that I was hearing was fine by me until she dropped the bomb. “What? All men? Shouldn’t that be a bit…. I mean, I’m a girl, living alone for now.”

Emily almost laughed at my strange expression but she held it back because she knew it was a serious matter for me. “From what my cousin told me, they sign a contract for safety and privacy reasons when they start their service. And the agents are also well-educated about safety terms as much as they are well paid.”

I just looked at Emily, trying to absorb everything that she just said.

“It sounded pretty good when I heard about it. If sleeping troubles you too much, how about calling for a service?”

“But still…calling a guy into an empty house…” I told her then I looked at the card. It was okay for me but when I think about it. I am living alone in my aunt's house for now and then I am going to call a guy I don't even know to put me to sleep. How weird can that get?

“Hey, I’m not going to force you. Just take the business card with you, at least.”

“But, I really don’t need-…” I tried to hand it back to her but she stopped me.

“I’m just worried about you. Just take it and don’t you throw it away.” Emily said with finality in her voice.

“Alright….” I sighed and shoved the business card into my pocket. I didn’t throw it away because Emily seemed so worried about me, but I was still uncomfortable with the idea. How can I call a strange guy into my house, in a dangerous time like these days?

Emily is just too worrisome. It’ll be okay if I just take some pills before I sleep.

There should be no chance for me to use that business card with such a suspicious name like Serenity on it.

But that was what I thought.

………………………………………………

I can’t sleep.

I even took more pills than usual but it still didn’t work. Eventually, I had to get up from my bed. Every time I lied down trying to sleep, my head would ache as if it was going to burst.

I looked at the time. It was already 12 AM. The clock in my room was blinking, making a mechanical noise. Even if I force myself to sleep, I should be waking up in sweats like this morning at this rate.

It’s better to not sleep then.

I pressed on my aching temples with my fingers. I felt like I was left in this world, all alone, with no one on my side.

Depressed, and getting depressed even more.

As I paced back and forth in the dark room, a small business card popped up in my head. I remembered what Emily said earlier that it’s for people who can’t sleep well at night and that all their agents are men who visit your house to help you fall asleep.

Without thinking, my fingers were automatically moving over the screen on my phone.

“And here is where I write the address...” On the screen, I carefully typed in the homepage address.

Anyone. If only I could fall asleep. If only I could be saved from this cursed headache.

My fear towards a stranger was long gone.

“There.” On the screen, a simple and clean looking website showed up. It has a welcome note and some sort of a tagline that says, ‘We deliver you a Serene, Good Night Sleep.’

Without any hesitation, I pressed on the Sign Up button. I typed my name and my password and proceeded. I called an agent impulsively. I could not remember what he looks like or the exact details about him because I was befuddled.

“I must be crazy, really crazy,” I told myself. “What have I done? What should I do if someone strange shows up?”

My head started to hurt because my nerves became so sensitive. I always get this headache because of insomnia but, I think it’s worse today.

“Should I just cancel it?” Because I was worried, I kept on touching my phone. My lips felt dry.

I think it’s better to cancel it. I don’t think I can fall asleep next to a total stranger. It will be a hassle if he harms me, or steals something. Even though, Emily told me that everything will be alright.

Time constantly flew by as I was in distress. When I checked the website, it showed that the agent is already on his way.

“Ahh ahh…. It’s driving me nuts.”

I can’t turn back now. I spent the rest of my time, circling my room.

How long has it been? I heard someone’s footstep, walking right outside.

There’s barely anyone who comes to my apartment at this late hour. Maybe the agent I have requested has arrived.

A knocking noise broke off the silence. I walked towards the front door, as I was half worried and half nervous. When I took a quick glance at the door-view lens, there was a tall boy in a school uniform standing outside.

Wait...

Is that our school uniform? I didn’t really noticed in the picture but from what I see now, it’s our school uniform.

I opened the door carefully.

Between the open door that made a blunt sound, there was a stranger standing in a stiff position. He was looking down but the light outside made it possible to see his face a bit clearly. I looked at him warily until my face registered with a shock expression.

Sensing that I was staring at him, he finally looked up at me with an impatient look and asked, “What?”

“Noah Delgado…?”