To Hell and Back

Chapter 3 - Nightmare

Chapter 3

‘Who’s there?’ I screamed but no words left my mouth. Darkness surrounded me. I stood my ground afraid to make the smallest move. I felt something wet dripping down my cheeks. It was tears. Why am I crying? I tried to lift my hand to clean my teary face but it didn’t budge. It was like some sort of force holding me down in place. ‘Shh baby, don’t cry’ was followed by deep and hoarse laughs somewhere deep inside the darkness. What is going on? I felt my knees feel weak; my whole body trembled in fear. ‘Please!’ I begged. Yet not a single syllable was spoken. In between the darkness and my blurry vision I saw something. It was a figure; a silhouette of a tall man. I knew it was a man but I don’t know how. I just did. Slow, sloppy footsteps approached me. I could feel his breath on my face now. I could hear his every heartbeat fill with excitement. I looked down in terror. Closed my eyes wishing he would disappear but I could feel his presence right there next to me. I opened my eyes. Something shiny caught my attention. It was a ring. Probably silver. I tried to look harder into it when his fingers wrapped around my throat. Atrocious pain and lack of oxygen hit me. I gasped for air but then it was too late.

‘No!’ my cries echoed around me. Cold breeze touched my skin. I shot my eyes open to be met by an empty corridor. It was a dream. I sighted. A nightmare. There was something very odd about it. There was a tall man, darkness around me, I couldn’t move, tears were falling from my eyes. His breath on my skin and fingers on my neck. There was something else though… I feel like there is something important missing but I just cannot recollect that detail. Thinking about it worsened my already dreadful headache. I was tired. Exhausted even. I looked to my right where a lone window stood allowing the cold night air to come in. After stretching my drained legs I stood up to be met by a window which parted me and Riley.

What day is it now? Is it Wednesday? Thursday maybe? I looked at my phone calendar. It said Saturday. Already 6 days had past when I found him lying on the floor dying in a pool of blood. There was no response from him at all and everyone started giving up on him. Maybe I did too. I’ve been coming here every damned day.  I lost count. I lost my sanity. I might lose him too, my brother. . Riley’s body lay in a white sheet covered bed. His chest slowly moving up and down. Eyes close shut and his body stiff. His face calm and relaxed; once a furious animal-like Riley was now alive only by the support of a machine. Who would have thought…Tyler has been gone since after Riley was admitted to the hospital. I’ve no idea where he might be. I need him here to help me keep my mind straight. I can’t lose him too. Not now, not ever.

An elderly nurse entered the room. I stood there in a trance watching her injecting something in his upper arm. She glanced at him with a saddened expression and rubbed the place where the needle has been seconds ago. Her fingers slid down his arm. My eyes followed the whole ordeal. I smiled a pained smile. If only she knew what he is like in his wakened state... her fingers stopped at his wrist and she stroked his hand in a show of support. Then something caught my eye. His index finger. Actually it was not the finger itself, but something on it. That was it. The missing piece to my puzzle. Silver ring, the same ring that the man in my dream had carried. I was disrupted from my daydream when I heard Riley yell in fury. ‘You will regret this!’ same old Riley.

What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. That is what I fear the most.