Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Bolting upright, wrapping my hands around my throat, I feel as if I am choking. Deep hacking coughs rake my body.
I can smell smoke and charred wood, as if a raging bonfire has been lit in my room. My eyes dart around frantically. Everything seems in order. I take deep breaths. My over-active mind begins to calm down.
The evidence of the latest nightmare fades away leaving my nerves a tangled mess.
Just another dream, I reassure myself. They feel lifelike, so real, that each dream is unsettling.
I have been having nightmares for as long as I can remember. They used to come every now and then. But now my mind won’t let me rest. They come every night, leaving their evidence behind.
Dark circles seem to be a constant feature, a tell-tale sign that sleep is non-existent. Every night I fear what lies in wait for me. I fight sleep as much as I can; only sleeping when my eyes are so heavy they are like lead weights forcing my eyes closed. Then terror takes hold. Each night I am surrounded by monsters. Each time a mysterious woman is there protecting me.
The woman is constantly changing. Her hair and eyes change colour with every new dream. Her face remains the same, fierce and determined. She is always ready to fight, to protect me. I call her my guardian angel, my light within the nightmares.
The sound of music blares into my mind. The sound forces me out of the nightmare and back to reality.
Grabbing my phone, I answer the call groggily. My voice is hoarse and my throat is parched, as if I have not had a drink for days.
“You’re late,” Misty huffs from the other end of the line.
I had completely forgotten. We are supposed to go shopping today for a party next weekend. The party does not sound appealing to me; a group of teenagers getting drunk and then sticking their tongues down each other’s throats is not my idea of fun. According to Misty, it is the party of the year.
However, she uses that line for every party and event, begging and pleading with me to go. Always using her big, bright blue eyes like puppy dog eyes until I relent.
Misty is my best friend. She moved to Acampo California two years ago. Why anyone would want to move here is unknown to me. We have a measly population of seven hundred and seventy six people and have no water in the area, not even a duck pond.
She broke down my walls and tossed my invisible shield away.
“Don’t get your panties in a twist. I have other business to attend to besides yours,” I sigh, taking my frustration out on her.
“Oh yeah, and what exactly is that then? Getting your beauty sleep?” I can just imagine her doing her famous eye roll while placing her hand on her hip like a bratty child. Misty knows me well. She never takes anything to heart.
“Okay, half an hour and I will be there.”
“I have a family engagement this afternoon, half an hour tops.” She laughs as the line goes dead.
Rummaging through my wardrobe, I settle for a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a teal tank top. I quickly run a brush through my tangled rat’s nest until my light blond hair falls into spiral ringlets that reach the small of my back. Grabbing my black bag, I throw it over my shoulder and bolt downstairs, taking the steps two at a time.
“Good morning, honey,” Clara sings, fixing her clear hazel eyes on me.
The sweet smell of toasted waffles causes my stomach to growl like an animal eagerly awaiting its meal. I take the plate of hot waffles and begin devouring them as if I have been starved.
“Did you have another nightmare, sweetheart?” She studies me closely, probably taking in the dark circles under my eyes that are a dead giveaway. Worry flashes through her eyes, making her pupils dilate for a second.
Clara constantly worries about my nightmares and at times, she demands I see a doctor or a shrink. They always prescribe me sleeping pills, minutes after the pills slip down my throat I begin to feel drowsy. Then sleep takes me, trapping me in my nightmares. I hate those pills with a passion.
My brain becomes covered by a thick fog and my body does not respond to my pleas. I will myself to wake up, to get away from the demons that surround me. The drugs are stronger then the terror that unfolds around me, so I lay there still and motionless.
Chapter 1
Bolting upright, wrapping my hands around my throat, I feel as if I am choking. Deep hacking coughs rake my body.
I can smell smoke and charred wood, as if a raging bonfire has been lit in my room. My eyes dart around frantically. Everything seems in order. I take deep breaths. My over-active mind begins to calm down.
The evidence of the latest nightmare fades away leaving my nerves a tangled mess.
Just another dream, I reassure myself. They feel lifelike, so real, that each dream is unsettling.
I have been having nightmares for as long as I can remember. They used to come every now and then. But now my mind won’t let me rest. They come every night, leaving their evidence behind.
Dark circles seem to be a constant feature, a tell-tale sign that sleep is non-existent. Every night I fear what lies in wait for me. I fight sleep as much as I can; only sleeping when my eyes are so heavy they are like lead weights forcing my eyes closed. Then terror takes hold. Each night I am surrounded by monsters. Each time a mysterious woman is there protecting me.
The woman is constantly changing. Her hair and eyes change colour with every new dream. Her face remains the same, fierce and determined. She is always ready to fight, to protect me. I call her my guardian angel, my light within the nightmares.
The sound of music blares into my mind. The sound forces me out of the nightmare and back to reality.
Grabbing my phone, I answer the call groggily. My voice is hoarse and my throat is parched, as if I have not had a drink for days.
“You’re late,” Misty huffs from the other end of the line.
I had completely forgotten. We are supposed to go shopping today for a party next weekend. The party does not sound appealing to me; a group of teenagers getting drunk and then sticking their tongues down each other’s throats is not my idea of fun. According to Misty, it is the party of the year.
However, she uses that line for every party and event, begging and pleading with me to go. Always using her big, bright blue eyes like puppy dog eyes until I relent.
Misty is my best friend. She moved to Acampo California two years ago. Why anyone would want to move here is unknown to me. We have a measly population of seven hundred and seventy six people and have no water in the area, not even a duck pond.
She broke down my walls and tossed my invisible shield away.
“Don’t get your panties in a twist. I have other business to attend to besides yours,” I sigh, taking my frustration out on her.
“Oh yeah, and what exactly is that then? Getting your beauty sleep?” I can just imagine her doing her famous eye roll while placing her hand on her hip like a bratty child. Misty knows me well. She never takes anything to heart.
“Okay, half an hour and I will be there.”
“I have a family engagement this afternoon, half an hour tops.” She laughs as the line goes dead.
Rummaging through my wardrobe, I settle for a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a teal tank top. I quickly run a brush through my tangled rat’s nest until my light blond hair falls into spiral ringlets that reach the small of my back. Grabbing my black bag, I throw it over my shoulder and bolt downstairs, taking the steps two at a time.
“Good morning, honey,” Clara sings, fixing her clear hazel eyes on me.
The sweet smell of toasted waffles causes my stomach to growl like an animal eagerly awaiting its meal. I take the plate of hot waffles and begin devouring them as if I have been starved.
“Did you have another nightmare, sweetheart?” She studies me closely, probably taking in the dark circles under my eyes that are a dead giveaway. Worry flashes through her eyes, making her pupils dilate for a second.
Clara constantly worries about my nightmares and at times, she demands I see a doctor or a shrink. They always prescribe me sleeping pills, minutes after the pills slip down my throat I begin to feel drowsy. Then sleep takes me, trapping me in my nightmares. I hate those pills with a passion.
My brain becomes covered by a thick fog and my body does not respond to my pleas. I will myself to wake up, to get away from the demons that surround me. The drugs are stronger then the terror that unfolds around me, so I lay there still and motionless.