try hard as we might there was no ignoring the scratching coming from the walls and there was no reckoning to be had with the things crawling on our skin but we laid there together all we had each other and my arm was around you and your head was on my chest as you softly slept and in your dreams the storm must've turned the scratching of the things finding its way through the tempest inside and i heard you start to mewl and whine and cry out from the dark place down where your dreaming had taken you and so i raised my hand from its home on your hip and softly smoothed your hair away from your troubled beautiful face so near to mine and i cupped your head gently and i loved you and you were quiet again and