Author’s Note: For AphroditeKid. I’ve dedicated this to you because of the endless support and motivation your comments have given me. Because you talk to me about nothing in particular. Because you really seem to be enjoying this story and because you are writing such a great one yourself. And, the most important reason, just because. I’m dedicating this to you, just because. Thank you. :)
I was in the forest again, it felt like my second home now. I was kneeling down next to Lewis and I noticed...his arm. It was bleeding. A cut, running along the length of his forearm, spilled red all over the forest floor. I looked at my own arm, seeing that there was no mark, no cut, no scratch. I stood up for a minute, wondering if I could move out of the clearing I was in, or if this was the extent of my dream. I felt something watching me, it’s eyes burning the back of my head. But I never got the chance to turn around. I was grabbed roughly, from behind, invisible arms pinching my skin, crushing me. I tried to scream. I tried and tried but...I couldn’t. I couldn’t make a single sound. Then I saw him. Lewis. He stood up, picking his body up from the floor and he...he had a knife. There was a crazed look in his eyes. His red eyes. A burning pain shot up my arm and, just as I was about to scream, it was gone. And there was peace...and darkness.
Groggily, I opened my eyes and for a moment I didn’t know where I was. Then I registered where I was and what had happened. My dream. As my vision swam into focus I sat up, and almost had a heart attack when I saw a figure lying on my floor. “Charlie! What are you doing?” I said, stumbling out of bed and kneeling beside him. “I...you...” he said quietly, his eyes closed “you almost died. Can I borrow...some energy?”
“What?” I said, confused “what do you want me to do?”
“Give me your hand.” Charlie squeezed my hand and, all of a sudden, I felt tired and all I wanted to do was curl up and go to sleep. Charlie stood up and I just crawled back into bed “what did you dream about?” He said, urgency in his voice.
“I was in the forest again.” I said, looking up at him once I’d made myself comfortable again “and Lewis, he...he cut my arm.” I stuck my arm out from under the covers to have a look at it, I saw that my red scar was fading a little. “Anyway, what did you mean I almost died? Why are you here?” Charlie perched on the end of my bed and rested his head in his hands “Lily, your soul almost left you. That cut on your arm...it lets your soul travel in and out of your body. Someone tried to steal your soul.”
“What?” I said, feeling my body go cold.
“I think your nightmare is...something else. It’s more than I thought it was. But, the worst part is, I don’t know what it is.”
“What? But I-“
“Can we talk about this in the morning?” Said Charlie, rubbing his eyes.
“No. Wait, I mean...I don’t want you to go. Please, stay here.” I said, not wanting to be left alone. Not when someone had tried to steal my soul. Charlie sighed and lay next to me, pinning the duvet down. I rolled onto my back, trying to keep my legs covered. I know it sounds silly, but I hate dangling my legs off the side of the bed, I always think something’s going to grab them. “Sorry,” said Charlie sitting up for a minute, releasing the duvet so I could pull it closer around me. “Go on then.” I said.
“There’s not much I can say.” Said Charlie, shrugging. “I don’t know what’s going on. But, all I do know is, I felt your soul leave your body so I came to bring it back.”
“You can do that?” I said in amazement..
“I guess things like this come with seeing ghosts. After all, that’s what ghosts are, souls.”
“Oh, right. What happens if I lose my soul?”
“Just about everything goes wrong.” Said Charlie, almost angry.
“Like what?”
“Everything there is to go wrong. You lose everything. You lose yourself, your mind, your thoughts, your feelings. Everything. The only thing that is left behind is your body.”
“Oh,” I said, a chill creeping up my spine.
“Lily, look, you have to promise me that, if anyone ever wants to take your soul, you won’t give it to them.”
“Like I would-“
“Just promise me.” He said, lacing his fingers with mine. I could never say no to Charlie and, even though I couldn’t see myself giving away my soul in the future, I knew I was going to have to stick to my promise. I didn’t break promises, not to Charlie anyway. “I promise.”
“Good,” said Charlie, visibly relaxing.
“Charlie,” I said, wondering if I could take advantage of his good mood, “you never did tell me what you feel when you see me. You said-“
“That I would tell you one day. Not now. Not now when...when your soul was almost taken.”
“Please?”
Charlie smiled “no way. Did you never hear that patience is a virtue?”
“Some virtue,” I mumbled.
“Every virtue is worth having, Lily. Don’t you forget it.”
“Will you stay here? Just for a while?”
“If you want.”
“Thanks. You’re the best friend I could ever have, do you know that?”
“I do now.”
“Well, don’t forget. Because it’s true.” I paused “Charlie, am I going to lose my soul?”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I do.”
“But how?”
“Because I’m the best friend you could ever have.” Charlie grinned at me.
“I believe you.”
Author’s Note: Well, I hope you enjoyed this and, don’t forget, I love hearing your thoughts :)
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My Nightmare Just Became Real
Fantasy15 year old Lily has a normal life, a best friend and doesn't do too badly at school. She's never had any trouble sleeping before until...the nightmare. A recurring nightmare that refuses to leave her alone and taints her sleep. She's not sure what...
