Free Captivation by Nicola Moriarty

words rushed to reassure her. I’m just jealous. It’s not as though I actually feel hunger, but I do miss food.
    Juliette immediately regretted mentioning dinner.
    ‘It’s okay,’ she said, ‘I won’t eat right now.’
    No, don’t do that. You don’t need to worry about me.
    ‘Honestly, I’m not really hungry anyway. I was just going to eat for the sake of it.’
    Are you sure?
    ‘Yes.’
    Let’s go to the bedroom then.

    There weren’t many activities they could really do together. They didn’t watch television, as stories from the outside world had stopped interesting them. Sometimes Juliette still read or baked, but mostly, they wanted to keep their attention focused on one another. And reading was so solitary, while baking had become pointless – now that she once more had no way to get rid of the results of her cooking.
    So sex became their favoured pastime. Sometimes, in her sleep, Danny would begin to fondle her breasts or stroke her inner thighs and Juliette’s dreams would become sensual and erotic. Sometimes she woke and they made love, other times she continued to sleep, and simply orgasmed in her dreams, waking in the morning or the afternoon with a distinct feeling of satisfaction, laughing when Danny asked her if she enjoyed her rest, because she knew that what he really meant was, did you enjoy my input into your dreams last night?
    The first sign that their relationship was strengthening even further, came one morning when Juliette was in the shower. She was lost in her own world as she massaged her head with shampoo, thinking how perfect her life was. Thinking how lucky she was to have found her soulmate again. And then,without meaning to, she thought something quite unexpected: ‘I’m glad that Danny died.’
    Do you really believe that?
    Juliette jumped and almost slipped in the shower. She felt hands grabbing hold of her, steadying her so that she didn’t fall.
    ‘Jesus, Danny, where did you come from? I didn’t even realise you were in here with me.’
    Sorry, I just came to see you. I missed you.
    ‘So, you can read my mind now? You heard everything I was thinking?’
    I guess so. I didn’t mean to – it’s just that, I don’t know, your thoughts were so clear, it was almost as if you were speaking out loud.
    ‘Listen, Danny, you have to understand – I didn’t mean to think that. I mean, obviously I wish you hadn’t died. I guess it’s just that, since you came back to me, it feels as though our relationship has never been better—’
    Danny cut her off: Stop. It’s okay, Juliette, I agree with you. I’m glad that this happened too, I’ve never felt closer to you. I mean, look at us – I can be inside your mind. You can speak to me without even saying the words out loud. Do you think anyone else in the world has ever experienced a connection this deep? We’re special, Juliette, we’re very, very special.
    Do you remember the first time I made contact with you? Right here, in the shower?
    ‘Of course I do.’
    Show me what you were doing that day. Put your hands on your body. Let me watch.
    ‘Anything for you, Danny. Anything.’
    They made love over and over again. Pressed up against the wall of the shower, on the bedroom floor, the couch, anywhere and everywhere. Juliette wore little clothing; anything she put on would inevitably be pulled off again anyway. Dressing seemed pointless.

    One afternoon, when Juliette had finally managed to draw herself away from her bed to take a breath for just a few minutes, she caught sight of herself in the hallway mirror and stopped to gaze at her reflection. She wasn’t sure she could remember having ever looked better. Her pale skin was flushed pink from what had just taken place between them. Her dark, tangled hair fell about her shoulders and her eyes looked bright, shining with life. As she continued to examine her face in the mirror, something strange began to happen. Ever so slowly, in the reflection behind her, a