Know I love you

104. Nightmares

My breath escaped my lungs it feels like I've just run a marathon, The feeling of being suffocated begging god to let you live to the next time you have someone's hands on your throat trying to kill you. Your lungs collapse into your stomach not doing the job they are meant to do. Their hands pushing you further into the bed, I can't find the source of the attack and even if I did I have no way of fighting....My body won't let me. Grip getting tighter and tighter by every second that goes past on your life clock, Gasping for air that they have sucked from the world...The gaping feeling in your stomach of sickness and pain, I have no way of escaping death I've been knocking on deaths door since the day I was born, Even when they're hands aren't on me....I'm still suffocating.

That's how I felt last night and all the other nights I've had someone's dirty greedy hands on my throat, I look up at the rooftop tent and the green canvas is dirty and covered in red dust. I climb out and my neck hurts like crazy, I go to the passenger seat of Shaggy and open the mirror, Red handprints are on my neck and hurt to touch.

I start to cry from the pain and I shut the car door and go to make breakfast, Buddy lies down near the esky and I lean down and pat him, "Who was here last night Bud?

He barks loudly and I turn around to look at the other beach campers, I turn back to Buddy and pat him gently. I grab a turtle neck jumper that covers my neck, I walk towards the first camper it's a old couple and they seem nice.

"Morning" I say

"Oh hello Good Morning, What's your name Sweetie" The woman asks.

"Dani"

"Oh well I'm Maureen and this is Sebastian" She says pointing to him.

I shake his hand and he smiles, "Sit down Dani were just having some brekkie would you like some?

"Oh I wouldn't want to intrude"

"No it's fine Sweetie" She says handing me a bowl of muesli with fruit and honey.

"So where are you from? She asks

"I'm from a little town Peaceful Bay"

"Oh Lovely we've camped there quite a lot"

"Yeah I've lived there my whole life but I'm moving soon"

"Oh where?

"Bremer Bay"

"Really? We live in Esperance"

"I love that town" I say quietly

Sebastian sits next to me in his seat and starts to eat, "What do you for for work? He asks.

"I'm a Mechanic and I do street racing"

"Street racing? That must be dangerous" Maureen says

"Yeah it is, I started when I was 16 and I'm 27 now so"

She smiles and I turn back to look at Buddy he's walking around Shaggy nervously, "I didn't get here till about 3am you guys were probably asleep but was anyone around my camp this morning?

Maureen looks at me and she knows what's happened, "We heard gasping and screaming coming from your tent, Sebastian got up and checked and there was no one there only your dog"

I look down and rub my hands together, "I woke up feeling like I was getting suffocated and I'm pretty sure I was, I tried screaming out for help but they just kept tightening their grip on my throat"

"Well I heard your screams and I ran out to your tent, I opened it but you were fast asleep" Sebastian says.

"Did it leave any scars or red marks? Maureen asks.