Nightlight in the Dark (Skyelle x Catnap)

Chapter 2: Night between Dreams and Reality

Song Credits: Crystal Skies - One More Night

Italic - Importance/Text //// Bold - Emphasis/Phone Call //// ' ' - Thoughts //// ( ) - Memory

Something unexpected happened that night, and some memories pop up again. But which can she tell is real or not?

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I'll have to get over my night terrors eventually.

And by myself... 

I shift around some, trying to find a comfortable spot to sleep in. My three old mind wasn't that comprehensive, but I knew what was happening for me all the time.

Right now I just was watching the ceiling, then I hear it. Hiding under my blanket, I see my friend getting up, and was walking away.

"Theo! What're you doing?" His brown eyes look at me. They look dazed. Getting up, I tug his arm. He however turns to walk again. My eyes panic. 

"You're scaring me! Stop! T-this isn't you Theo!" I trip at some point, making me break. My friend was acting strange, and he leaves the room, making me sob into my arms.

This felt like some bad dream, but it wasn't, and I knew it too. Someone or something was messing with me. My best friend always responded to me.

After a while I hear footsteps. A woman in a nightgown comes in. "Oh goodness! Are you okay dear?" She gets on her knees, reaching out for me.

I flinch. I've never had a female try to help me that wasn't my teacher. Her eyes looked concerned. "I-I'm fine..."

However I hug her as soon as she was about to get up. She runs her hand through my hair. Sniffling, "I tripped and fell." The woman helps me up, and I rub my eyes.

"It's alright, accidents happen all of the time. Let's get you back to bed." I ask with the curiosity of a child. "What's your name?"

Her smile makes me smile too. "Claire Harper, but you can call me Ms. Harper. And you're Skyelle I assume?" I nod. She laughs. "Well it's nice to meet you Skyelle. I've heard that you can be a lot. But you're a sweetheart to me."

My smile appears when she says, "Sleep well Skyelle. Be careful next time. Okay?" I nod. She leaves me be on my bed. Thankfully I forgot what even happened that night.

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I hear whispers. My eyes jolt open. Sitting up on my bed I see nobody around. The silence was loud in my ears. Then I turn and see the red smoke again.

Filled with the curiosity of a child, I get up and go over to it. What was this stuff? And why does it appear at the weirdest times?

Just as I was about to reach out to it, a claw grabs me, making me scream.

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"Skyelle! Are you okay?" I gasp for air. My wary eyes look around, and I jump back. Theo looks concerned for me. "I-I'm good." His brown eyes distract me. I wanted to sob all over again.

My past was surely coming back to haunt me, right?

However the dams break, and I feel a hug around me as I cry. Memories of my old life, how I lost my mother. And almost losing my friend to an invisible force was all it took.

"Y-you weren't listening and I t-tripped on the ground!" Letting go, I see his eyes look sad. I just wanted to admit how I felt already. But in this situation, I can't exactly do that.

Flashes of the claw flashed in my mind. He sighs. "You screamed, and it woke me up. Was it another nightmare?" Shakily I nod. Whispering, "Sorry for being a lot to handle. I always was..."

My friend however gets my attention again. "I never said that. You were so unsure first, and I wanted to try and befriend you. I'm not sure why'd you even think that."

Inside I wince. Because my dad said I was. After mom died he was very cruel. Very... Unloving. Said it was my fault that my mother died. I always believed him.

Sometimes I wondered what it would be like if I was never born. Then maybe nobody would ever be burdened with me.

I don't see the camera looking in on our room. Or the metallic hand watching us that was also haunting my dreams that felt guilt of some sort...

...deep down.

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I scream in pain. My small body was hurt all over. The bottle was all over the floor. My father was yelling, I really didn't mean to spill my juice.

"-You're such a burden! If your mother didn't die then I wouldn't be bothered by you! And yet here I am, taking care of a stupid three year old!"

My sobs were ignored as he closes the door behind him. Shards were in my skin. It hurt to even dare and move around.

My eyes close, listening as the garage door shut behind his car. After a bit I get up, wincing in pain. Of course I can't stay here anymore.

So with a heavy heart I left that night, never coming back. The streets were harsh on my little body, but anywhere was better than that house.

Scavenging for food to survive was pitiful. My eyes cried every night, just wanting my mother back. She hummed for me everynight, and I missed that. I missed her.

I never meant to take that fruit off the plate, but I was so skinny and hungry that I had to. However that was the day where I was taken to the Orphanage.

Of course there were no missing posters, he didn't care enough to make any. I was finally free. And now I wasn't for much longer...

There were so many kids. All were my age, some were older. I guess that they hit the jackpot on homeless kids or something- 

My heart thumps as I stare into his eyes. I let out a meep, hiding in the bush again. The quiet talking was heard. But I wasn't going anywhere until the boy left me some sandwich, and I grabbed it quickly, and ate it up. 

 Every kid was out playing, and I noticed the same boy reading by a fake tree by my spot. I then poke up behind him, recognizing the picture of a child in a tree.

That was the same story my mother had read to me, long before she passed. I speak up in a quiet voice, "I like that one..." He turns, surprised to see my face.

I swore that my heart raced when I stared back into his brown eyes. Then I knew it. 

That was my first crush...