The Evil Inside Us | Mandela Catalouge x Reader

Chapter Two | Lurking in the Shadows

Running, running, running. From what? I don't know. The hallway stretches, laughter echoes throughout everywhere, vibrating my skull. I feel like I'm trying to run in water, all my movements slowed. Eyes appear on the walls, following me as a run. Distorted sounds all around me, I just want to curl up and cry, wait until it's all over. Finally, I reach a door. Where does it lead to? I guess we're about to find out. I open it, the sudden environment change startling me. I went from a dark, dreary hallway to a bright, cheery kitchen. I entered, noticing a woman standing over the stove, humming. She has the same hair as me, I notice. Could it be? My mom?

"Mom?"

I call out. The woman turns around, smiling. She's holding a pan with eggs and bacon on it. She scrapes it onto the plate next to her, placing it on the counter.

"Eat up, sweetie!"

I sit down at the counter, I grab the fork, picking up a bit of egg. I put it in my mouth, immediately spitting it out. Sand pours from my mouth. I look back up at my mom. Her mouth is drooping, corners of her mouth creating an impossibly large frown. Her eyes hollow, blood pouring from them like tears. The veins on her face pulsate, her face turning a sickly shade of purple.

"YOU DID THIS TO ME, Y/N."

Tears sting my eyes as I look at the face that was once my mother's.

"I didn't mean to, I'M SORRY!"

She seemed to grow taller and taller, her limbs stretching out and not her skin. You could see every bone in her body. She pointed a finger at me.

"YOU. ARE. A. MONSTER! WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT! NO ONE WILL EVER WANT TO BE AROUND YOU! NO ONE WILL EVER LOVE YOU."

This seemed to resonate as it echoed throughout the room, as if many more people were repeating this. I covered my ears, sobbing. The voices seemed to only grow louder and louder until-

"AAAH!"

I screamed, shooting up in my bed. I gasped, trying to catch my breath. I looked around me, clutching the sheets on my bed.

"It was only a dream.."

I tried to reassure myself. Yet, it felt so real. I haven't had a nightmare in forever. Not since I was a little kid. I sighed. My sheets are drenched in sweat, my clothes sticking to my body. I lift up my wrist to look at my watch.

"Oh SHIT!"

I jump out of bed, frantically changing into day clothes. Why the hell didn't my alarm go off? No time to figure it out now. I grabbed my bag and bolted out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I rushed to the building, opening the door. I grabbed a map near the front office, searching for the room I was supposed to be in.

"215.. 215."

I sprinted up the stairs, two at a time. I rehearsed excuses in my head, hoping they would spare me from an ice cold stare from the professor. I'll be fine! Class only started.. 20 minutes ago. My stomach dropped. My palms were sweating as I reached for the door to room 215. Maybe I should just turn back and go to the apartment. Maybe I'll take up a job at that restaurant that I passed by on the way here.. NO! I've come so far, I can't give up now. If I went back home, what would I be proving to myself? Nothing, that I'm just a failure. I won't be, I won't let that part of me win. I took a deep breath, grabbing the handle and pushing the door open. The room was huge, but there were barely any students. The professor paused, raising an eyebrow at me. I chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of my head.