My Novelette

Short One: Dreams

Her eyes flew wide, her mouth opened, gasping. Her shirt soaked with sweat, her neck dripping. Unmoving, unable to move, she looks straight ahead. Straight at it, unknowing of the danger that lurks. Her breath came out in short, ragged pants. The fear in her eyes was tangible. Oh sweet, sweet fear. How you complete it.

Hands outstretched, touching her, feeling the crevices of her mind. Plaguing and taunting. Entering her, ravaging her. She is scared and distraught, unable to sleep and unable to wake up. Trapped, in a maze of her own thoughts. Dreams, so vivid, lucid. Paralyzed, helpless. Can she see it or can't she?

I wake up breath trembling. What the fuck was that. I felt violated, not my body or physically, but mentally and emotionally. I don't even know what's worse. I looked around my room and stared in the direction of the hand. It came from the bathroom. Out of the doorway. I was warned, Sammy felt it when she came here. She warned me, gave me a handful of crystals that I had no idea how to use.

I slowly looked over to my bedside table, at the vast array of pastel crystals. I grabbed my Amethyst necklace and quickly fastened it around my neck. I was hesitant to leave the room as I had to walk past the bathroom doorway to get out. I hate the layout of this place. I grumbled to myself for some encouragement and when I finally mustered it up I bolted out the door and straight down the hallway to my living room. Rounding the corner into my kitchen, there he stood, the most handsome man in the world. I rolled my eyes at my cheesiness and ran in for a hug.

"You haven't showered yet have you?", I looked at him questioningly. He shook his head and a sigh of relief escaped me. "Okay, great. I'll have one with you, could we go now by any chance? I have to leave soon." Making my best puppy dog expression at him. It worked of course, I gave him a quick kiss and dragged him into the bathroom. He put up some resistance, but eventually grumbled along after me.

I gave a quick glance to the same spot, the bathroom doorway, before gripping my husband and dashing in, eyes closed shut. As soon as I heard him close the door I opened my eyes, but instead of my husband standing there, in his skin it was completely peeled off. His organs protruding out, his pumping heart hanging on to his artery for dear life. His intestines' spilling out, his blood dripping and pooling on the bathroom floor. Gathering and coming towards me. His mouth agape in an agonising screech.

I shrank back screaming. My eyes shut tighter right now than they have ever been before. I could feel the pressure of my shut eyes pushing back on my eyeballs, making them throb. My screams continued to ring out until eventually my voice gave out and there was silence. I heard him, his voice travelled past my hands, pressing to my ears. I shut my mouth. I could feel him. His hands were as coarse as ever. I can remember the way they caressed me, held me and soothed me. I reached up and placed my hand over his. Reassured, I slowly opened my eyes. There was my husband. Absolutely fine and not a hair out of place.

I looked around the bathroom and stared at the floors. There wasn't a single drop of blood. The bathroom was pristine. Handy work of Sammy. Thinking of Sammy I touched my Amethyst. Calm flooded me. I closed my eyes and tried to collect myself as best as possible.

"Aliana, what happened? Are you okay?", worry written all over his face. As soon as those words left his lips, my resolve broke. I ran into his arms, the sobs rolling out of me. I couldn't stop them, it felt like an eternity before they finally ran out. While wiping my cheeks dry, he gently kissed my forehead. "Tell me what happened baby, you're scaring the shit out of me. Why were you screaming?".

I tried to speak but my throat was as dry as the Sahara. I wrapped my hand around his and pointed left, towards the kitchen. I was so shaken I didn't even pay attention to the bathroom doorway. He took me to the kitchen and I got myself a big glass of cold water. Gulping it down made me feel so much better. I was able to make noises again. I sat down on our couch and patted the spot next to me beckoning him to come and sit down. Having no idea where to begin I combed a hand through my hair and took a hold of one of his.

"I had a dream last night, I know this is going to sound crazy but I need you to hear me out, okay?", I pleaded with my eyes, please understand me, I shot at him mentally. He gave a single nod, so I continued and explained my dream and the 'vision' I just had of him being completely skinless in the bathroom> I went into detail about the blood and what I saw no more than ten minutes ago. After I unloaded on him, I sat there, awaiting his response.

"So, you saw me with not a single piece of skin on me?", his eyes didn't hold horror but fascination. Fascination? Why the actual fuck is he fascinated?

"Did I stutter? Why the fuck do you find this so "fascinating"?", I stood up, air quoting the word. I was too agitated to sit still. I started pacing the room, still waiting for a response from him, heck, even a sound. I could feel his gaze on me, daggers. Chills ran down my spine, goosebumps littered my skin. I was standing within view of the bathroom doorway.

My husband's face had an unnaturally cruel smile on it. Frozen, fearful, my mind was racing. What is happening? Why is this happening? What's wrong with my husband? What's wrong with this apartment? What's wrong with me? Why is this happening to me? Why? God! Why? All of these questions in shambles. None making sense, the more I questioned them. My mind is getting hazy, my eyelids are getting heavy and my body is getting weak. I crumpled to the lush green carpet like a bag of potatoes. Comatose, conscious. He was carrying me back to the bed. I felt every tuck.

After tucking me in, he left the room and went back down to the kitchen. I could hear him fumbling around. About five minutes later he returned. Forcing my mouth open with a funnel, he poured a liquid down my throat. Moments later darkness overtook me.

Hands predatorily sweeping through her mind, seeking its next derision. Looking, hunting, sleuthing. Her breath shallow, her skin wet. Saturated with her scent and perspiration. She shivered internally, sending it pleasure in return.

Such sweet bliss is fear. Such deliciousness in its name. Writhing, straining against its will she pushed back with her mind, fight or flight responses and she is ready to fight. She tenses her body and tenses her mind. Neither winning nor losing, she fought her fight. Unfortunate and unknowing that it will never end.