Inmates (A Joe Sugg Fanfiction)

5 - Nightmares

Nightmare

1.a frightening or unpleasant dream.

2. a very unpleasant or frightening experience or prospect.

———————-

Its footsteps resonated around the empty space. There was nothing that occupied the white room, just me and it. Although brightly lit, the creature was encased in a dark shadow, only its glowing orange eyes visible.

As it got closer and closer I could sense a stench. A familiar smell that burned my nostrils like rotting flesh. It was damp and smelt like strong chemicals.

The shadow had begun to lift, my heart racing as I knew I was alone with no way out.

The creature was the last sight I would see in my life and I was slowly beginning to accept that. I was afraid, no, petrified but there was nothing I could do. Its clawed foot escaped the shadow becoming entirely visible as it continued its painstakingly taunting journey towards me.

I had reached the wall, the plain white shining wall, my back hitting the brick hard sending a jolting pain up my spine. The wall was bare, there was no door, no escape, nothing to grip on to as a chest burning scream erupted from my lungs.

"No one can hear you." a snarling voice spoke. "There's no one left that cares, Autumn. No one to save you. Everyone's gone. It's just you and me now."

Soon, its entire body had been released from the shadow. Though it was right in front of me, I could not make out the sight. It was blurred, like something you had sensed before but could not quite remember it fully. I squinted but nothing was clear.

The only thing I could make out was its face. Its drooling, bloody face was eerily familiar, its once glowing eyes now having a disturbingly human likeness to them. My brain all of a sudden shifted into gear and the identity of the face became all too clear.

"Zack." my voice croaked out.

Its jaw turned into a snarling smile, a haunting chuckle escaping its mouth. I slid down the wall, curling into a ball of tears.

"You thought you could escape me. You thought it would all go away. You will never escape Autumn. Never!"

All too quickly the creature pounced towards me and another scream escaped my mouth as it burst into flames mid-flight.

I sat up quickly, the after affect of my nightmare shaking my body. The heavy breaths of those around me dominated the air as I lay wide awake. I shifted uncomfortably as the blanket that acted as my only protection was scratchy and thin, irritating my skin. A small sigh escaped my mouth, only for it to be silenced by one of Seph's loud snores.

The urge to get up and walk around was overwhelming but I was afraid. Afraid of being alone in this place, afraid of who else was in this place, but most of all, what else was in this place.

It had been two weeks since I had agreed to help Joe but ever since our conversation he had not said one word to me. I often caught him glancing over, a dark look in his eyes but other than that, nothing. Many unwelcome thoughts floated around in my mind as I focused on a small bug that was crawling along the wall next to my head.

Dozens of thoughts ran through my head at once. Maybe there was something strange going on, something they're hiding from us. But we've only been here for a week, this could happen in prisons all the time. I don't know.

But what I do know is that I wanted to know more. More about this place, more about what was in Room 17 and more about Joe.

The look on his face when he spoke to me was mesmerizing. His features were hard and passionate as he spoke, but when I looked, when I really looked, his eyes were soft. They were full of something that I couldn't quite figure out, but he was able to shield them over like metal gate, causing them to become unreadable.