Somniphobia

Chapter 3: A Deadly Dream

Kayla's POV--------

I opened my eyes, they felt heavy and my vision was a blur. When my eyes adjusted, I looked around me to see some sort of grassy field. The trees were tall and had a weird deep purple hue. Where the hell was I? I tried to remember what happened, when it hit me like a truck. The TV- the weird warning- "Shit- I fell asleep!"

I scrambled to my feet, looking around myself. There was a mechanical statue thing that loomed above, it looked very menacing... There were some trapdoors near me as well.

"Nope, nuh uh count me out I'm out of here." I say as I turn on my heel, walking the opposite direction. I walked for a while, before stopping in my tracks as a horrific scene was ahead. There was a corpse of someone from math class, they were split in two. The crimson blood was spilling out into a never ending puddle of the iron liquid, with guts and any other gore as well. It smelt AWFUL!

"w-what...? What's happening- I didn't want this oh god-" I glanced around the scene, backing up slowly. "I'd rather be with the statue thing thank you very much-" I spun around, heading back to the statue- whatever it was.

The statue was still there, now that I looked at it, there were twigs stuck in some gears, and what looked like dried blood on the claw. "Don't tell me that thing did.... That.. ok time to leave this hellish place!" I say as I head to the trapped door. I pulled it open with a creak. Inside was what seemed like a small dug out cavern, I think the boy before made this.

"Huh, great." I mutter as I jump inside, It was fairly empty-

SNAP

Oh fuck- why-

SCREEEEEEE

I could hear the loud snap of the twigs, the metallic screech from the gears running again- FUCK ITS BACK!

Before I could start panicking I heard it run off.

"oh- god- why me- why world- for god sake this isn't getting any better is it!?" I mutter as I head to the wall of the cavern, still muttering things as I try to find a weak spot. The ground wasn't very sturdy so I could do whatever I liked with it.

I grabbed one of the branches, starting to pick away at the ground, moving toward the wall for any weak spots. Sadly there weren't, and I wasn't really making any progress. Surprisingly the thing didn't know where I was yet... that didn't last for long.

I could hear it coming back, digging in the ground. "Notnownotnownotnow c'mon stupid ground, fall already!" I cursed, trying to get the ground to cave in as I got it quite loose. No luck, AND THE THING WAS COMING!

It stuck its head in the cavern, glaring at me as its jaw open- GOD IT WAS TERRIFYING

"SHIT!" I screamed as I threw the branch at it, pushing past it and exiting the cavern. As I pushed past there was a stinging pain on my side- it slashed me pretty good. "I'm bleeding? TOO BAD I AINT STOPPING FOR NO CRAP!" I call back as I ran as fast as my legs could take me.

The thing struggled out of the hole, I got a good bit of ground on it. Suddenly I got a searing pain in my arm, and everything faded to black.

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I jolted awake, falling off the chair I fell asleep in with a thud. I looked up and Takeo and Ruiko were above me. (for some reason we all know each others names now, don't ask why, just roll with it) Takeo takes off his hoodie and pressed it on the three large cuts on my side from that metal beast. "Ruiko call 911, I'm a therapist not a doctor" he says as he looks at them worried "On it." they say as they whip out their phone.

"Jesus christ that hurts like a bitch now that I'm awake" I say as i look at the wound. "..I did pretty good at surviving though..." I mutter under my breath.

"So I'm guessing it wasn't frozen still." Takeo says with a hint of worry.

"Well- it was, but it fixed itself up."

"I almost died stopping that thing, so if it bought you time then that means I did my job."

"Well there was someone else there... it wasn't pretty...." I sighed as I looked down at my feet.

"Ok uh..." I hear Ruiko start. "Small issue, I got no signal." They said as they turned the phone screen to show us.

"Does anyone know first aid?" Takeo says.

Why are they doing this? I'm not special, I'm nothing.

"I should be fine guys don't worry" I say as I get up, grabbing my guitar. They don't need me. I'm not worth anything. I shifted to the door, gripping the door frame and looked back at them. "It'll make this easier for me if you stopped caring about me..." I say as I let out a shaky breath, starting to go back to my dorm. Is this a stupid thing to do? Yes. Might I die? Also yes. Do I care...? Not at all.

Third Person POV--------

Before Kayla could leave she gets a harsh grip on her wrist, being pulled back into the chair. "Oh no you don't, at least let me stop the bleeding." He said harshly as Kayla looked down, tearing her eyes away from him. "There's a first aid kit in the kitchen by the fire extinguisher if you're still looking for one." Ruiko says as they point behind their back, glancing in the direction that the kitchen would be.

"Alright you go get it, I'll do first aid for as long as you need, kay?" Takeo says as he looks back at them, an emotionless expression still slapped on all features. " Alright, I'll go grab it. Be back soon and stay here. And uh, could you take care of Kijo and Jinx for me please? " Ruiko says as they place the two cats gently on the floor. "Ok shut the door behind you then" Takeo says.

it could have been to keep the cats inside the room, or to prevent Kayla from booking it out of there. Either way, there was no way of getting out of this.

Ruiko nods as they head out the door, closing it behind themselves. Now Kayla was being held against her will while Takeo did first aid on the cuts from the hellish dream. "Seriously, it would be better if you just-" She gritted her teeth in pain, looking at Takeo with a pleading beg for mercy. "Stop caring about me..." She let out.

"ok imma be honest with you. I don't care, but it's in my best interest to care and support those around me. I put a fake face on everyday just to make others smile, and someone in front of me is going to die." Takeo growled, pointing to Kayla as he said this. "I'm not gonna let that happen until I die." He said, taking a breath and calmed himself down.

"...I'd honestly rather die at this point. Look, it's not long before I have to leave this school like the other 20 schools I've been to. And I don't want to stay home either for many reasons." Kayla sighed, looking down at her feet. "Still, today you're not." Takeo said as he looked at her sternly. Kayla pouted, looking away from Takeo.

A stinging pain surged through her, as she hissed between her teeth in pain, looking down at the ground. "Can't I just go to sleep and get killed by that thing?" She said, not really wanting to continue through this hell much longer. "I won't let that happen... it's a promise." Takeo hummed, ignoring Kayla's silent pleas to let her end it right then and there.

"It's because I'm the ultimate empath. no matter who I'm with, I feel what they are feeling.

I have no emotions to begin with. I just act on what's happening. I fake my fear... my panic, my love... but it's all for the greater good for others and I'll be damned if you die." He said, tilting his head to get a better look at Kayla. "I was born with this curse and this gift and you were born with a gift as well. I saw your guitar. I never heard you play it but you must be really good, keep living for that. the music." He meant every word with truth.

"...I don't know, I can't play in front of people.." Kayla mumbled, her hands balling into fists. so? it's your magic. It's just not ready for the public. just stay alive okay?" Takeo glanced at her, letting out a shallow breath.

"....Fine..." Kayla sighed shakily, accepting her defeat.