I will cut you cleanly

His eyes opened, and a soft gasp left his lips. 

Another nightmare. Another restless night. 

He could feel his forehead damp with sweat, his body felt hot, he felt disgusting. Kicking the sheets off of him, Levi already felt more refreshed, taking his arm to rest over his head, he closed his eyes. Focusing on what he still remembered of his mother’s voice. 

Another nightmare? Hush now, its fine. Mama is here. I know, I know. I’ll protect you. 

Small arms stretched out to reach for his mother, warm tears rolling down his hot, red cheeks. The young woman touched her child’s hands, sitting down next to him at the edge of the bed, smiling cheerfully at him. 

“Its okay, Levi. It was just a nightmare.I’m here, see?” The urge to protect him from the scares of his dreams was strong. So strong that she was already slipping him out of the bed and into her lap. His eyes tinkled like two little stars with the tears and she pressed  kiss to his forehead, wiping away the tears with her thumbs. 

The child would not relax, he would not quiet down, but Kuchel knew exactly what to do. Carefully she laid him in her arms, took a deep breath and started the usual lullaby. 

“He said Come wander with me, Love Come wander with me Away from this sad world Come wander with me” 

At the first word, Levi had already quieted down, looking up at his mother, and the soft beautiful lullaby keeping his attention. 

A few more words and verses and his eyelids were heavy. The vibration of the sound lulling him to sleep, his tiny hand grasping at his mother nightgown as if he was holding for dear life. He was fast a sleep now.