My Nightmare Just Became Real

Chapter 1 - Sleepless Nights

Author’s Note: Well, this was my first story on wattpad and it isn't my best. Looking back through it now, I can't believe the amount of grammatical errors here, small things I scold others for. My dialogue is a little off and, well, this isn't that great. Some things you have to say perhaps I'll have already noticed myself, but I hope you enjoy this anyway :)

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There was darkness and moonlight and running. It was the dead of night...I could see a forest, moonlight peeking in through the trees. The ground was littered with leaves and twigs. There were footprints in the mud. Large footprints made by heavy boots and...blood. There was blood mingling with the dirt. Blood splattered over the ground. I saw more of it as I went deeper into the forest until I saw a figure lying on the ground. I couldn’t see his face but I was quite sure he was crying. His body shaking slightly, his breathing laboured. His pale white skin slick with blood. There was a knife. A sharp knife glinting in the moonlight, just lying by the boy. I screamed. Screamed as a gloved hand covered my mouth. And then-

I woke up. The bed clothes tangled and above my head, my pillows lying on the floor. I pulled the sheets down and sat up, breathing heavily. Just the same stupid nightmare I’d been having. The same old dream. I thought. A shrill sound made me startle but I relaxed as I realised it was only my alarm clock. Rubbing my tired eyes I stumbled over my bag lying in the middle of my room and went to the bathroom. Just another day. Another school day that would drag on. Another school day in which I would probably want to fall asleep.

I felt a little like a zombie as I walked through the school gates, my eye lids drooped and I furiously rubbed them. I hadn’t slept well for the past few weeks. I kept having the same dream...well, almost the same. It varied a little from day to day but it was effectively the same. The forest. The running. The darkness and the figure. The blood. It was always the blood that I remembered. All that red, splattered around like paint. I shivered. Shaking off my gloomy thoughts I sat down on a wooden bench and brushed my long brown hair out of my eyes as I rummaged through my bag, trying to find my maths book. I was early to school, as usual, and nobody had arrived yet. I sighed, cursing my nightmares for not letting me sleep. I had nothing better to do so I just went to school early and caught up on homework I hadn’t done the night before. The fresh air always helped clear my thoughts. I chewed the end of my pen as I puzzled over a sum, unaware that someone was standing behind me, watching.

“Hey, Lily.” I turned around and, seeing Charlie smiling at me, looked back to my maths work. “Do I not get a hello?” He said, indignantly as he sat down next to me.

“What are you doing here so early?” I said. Charlie had been my best friend for as long as I can remember. He lived down my street since...well, since I’d lived. He was one of those people you don’t remember coming into your life because they were always there. “My sister.” He replied, rolling his eyes “she was up at five. When I say five I mean five o’clock in the morning! Have you any idea how early that is? She was prancing around singing some stupid song to herself.” Charlie groaned and I just laughed quietly. “I thought you would be here,” he said pulling out his maths book and opening it to the homework.

“Thanks.” I said, my eyes scanning the page.

“Why are you here so early?” He said but I’m pretty sure he already knew the answer.

“Couldn’t sleep.” I mumbled.

“That it?” I shrugged and didn’t answer “you’ve been dreaming again, haven’t you?”

“No.” I said quickly, a little too quickly. Charlie looked at me and I knew it was pointless trying to hide anything from him. “Yes.” I amended.

“What...what was it like?”

“I’d rather not talk about it.” I said stiffly, handing him back his maths book, which he shoved in his bag.  “Sorry.” Said Charlie as I turned away and busied myself with putting my things away.

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Lily-“ Charlie put a hand on my arm, I looked at him. “You know you can tell me anything and I’ll listen, right?”

My expression softened and I nodded at him. “I know.” I said quietly “I just don’t want to think about it.”

“You believed me when nobody else did and, for that, I’m never going to doubt you again.” I caught a pained look in his brown eyes then, something that was a little distant but painful. Very painful. “You know what, Charlie?” I said poking him “there’s something wrong with that sentence.”

“What?”

“You said ‘believed’ but, the thing is, I still believe you and always will.”

“And nobody else does and they never will.” Said Charlie, tugging at his dark brown hair, frustrated.

“But it doesn’t matter.” I said gently “because I always will and sometimes, all it takes is one person.” Charlie smiled at me and I realised for the umpteenth time, how lucky I was to have him as my friend.

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Author’s Note: Sorry if this is short. Once I get going and see what the response is like I’ll make my chapters longer. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that and I know not much has gone on yet but I hope this leaves you wanting to know what happens. Thanks again for reading :)