An uncomfortable nap

I wake up to the sound of silence. The television has returned to the title screen; the little girl from the movie stares at me in horror. Ugh. That movie was not great to say the best, and way too long. I can't believe I passed out during it. I look over and see Ashley knocked out beside me, curled up in a ball on the opposite end of the couch. I admire her beautiful form for a moment, then sigh.

I slide my phone from its place on the coffee table and check the table. Almost one in the morning. I gently shake Ashley's foot, and she kicks me away. "Quit it," she mumbles, still asleep.

"Ashley, it's late. Let's get to bed," I murmur to her, continuing to shake her foot.

"No, go away," she mumbles again. I rise from the couch, and my sister stretches her legs out and yawns. "Ah." Her eyes flutter open, and the movie title screen reflects at me within her irises. "Dom?" she murmurs, more coherently.

"It's late. Want to go to bed? Your back will be hurting tomorrow if you stay down here."

She nods, and her brown curls tumble around her face. I reach a hand out to her and support her as she sits up on the couch, stretches, and looks around. "Wow, that movie was long." Her eyes dart to the darkness in the corner of the room and she seems suddenly alert. "And scary. Uh."

I look at the spot she is focused on and see nothing but shadows. I jerk a thumb to the stairwell and say, "Come on, let's get upstairs."

She nods and follows me up. As I open my door and turn to say goodnight, I hear her cough. "Thank you for watching that with me, Dom. Now I get to try and go to sleep and not see the demon child in the darkness around me."

"I warned you," I say, grinning at her. "You can always sleep on my floor if you get too scared, dear sister."

Ashley rolls her eyes and walks down the hall, and I disappear into my room. Within minutes, I am asleep again.

But not for long.

Fifteen, maybe twenty minutes pass before I am awoken by a faint knock on my door. The knob turns, and Ashley pokes her head inside. "Hey, Dom? Are you still awake?"

"I wasn't, but I am now. What's up?"

She sneaks into my room and closes the door behind her, then leans against the doorjamb. Her hair hangs in loose ringlets around her face, and she still wears the same tank top and cotton shorts from earlier. Although, I realize, her bra is gone.

"I can't sleep. I know, I shouldn't be so scared. Can I sleep in here with you? And not on the floor."

I sigh. My brain is too tired to consider the situation much. I throw open my comforter and pat the bed beside me. "Come on," I murmur, and Ashley slinks into bed beside me.

"Thanks, Dom," she murmurs. She rolls onto her side, her back facing me, and I soon hear her snoring. I try to give her some space, but my bed is not large by any means, and I end up falling asleep butt-to-butt with her.