My Nightmare Just Became Real

Chapter 19 - Cold and Hot

Author’s Note: Thank you for all the support and comments and...well, everything. I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed this.

It was that corridor again. And I was just walking and walking to the darkness at the other end. I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to go into the darkness again. I didn’t want the things to get me. To take me. I felt that, at the end of the corridor, there was something. I just couldn’t get to it. The darkness was in the way and the things were in the way. The cold hands that grabbed me. The corridor got darker again and I broke into a run, desperate to get away from the hands. Get away before they noticed me. But they noticed me anyway. The hands grabbed me. Pulling my arms, my legs. Brushing my neck and my back. Clawing my feet so I fell to the floor and then...I felt them all over me. Writhing on the floor. Cold as ice. I tried to get away, tried to get free but...they held on tightly.

I woke up shivering on the floor. My skin was cold and my nerves were shaken. What did this new dream mean? I’d told Charlie about my new dream yesterday and he said to wait and see what happens with it. So I got dressed and set off down the street to see Charlie. I looked at my watch and winced. It was only ten past seven so I hoped Charlie would be awake.  I knocked on the door and it was opened by Charlie’s mum. “Hi, I was wondering if Charlie is up yet?”

“He might be but he’s not coming to school today. He’s been up most of the night with a temperature.” Said his mum.

“Oh, no.” I said, a little worried “can I go and see him anyway? Before I go to school?”

“Well,” her face softened “alright then.”

“Thank you.”

When I got to Charlie’s room I thought he must be asleep because his eyes were closed and his breathing steady. Just as I was about to leave he said “I’m awake you know. Just...resting my eyes.” He looked up at me.

“Are you alright?”

“I’ll be ok after a few days.” He glanced at his clock “why are you here so early?”

I sighed “I had a dream but, it doesn’t matter now.” I put a hand to his forehead “you’re boiling, do you know that?”

“Or maybe your hands are just cold.” He smiled “what about your dream?”

“I...it was strange. It was that corridor again.”

“Did the hands grab you again?”

“Yes but...it was worse this time. They...they were cold. Charlie, I thought I was going to-“

“No, you won’t.” Said Charlie, cutting me off. He squeezed my hand reassuringly, even his hand was warmer than usual.

“Shouldn’t you...you know. Have a cloth on your head or something?” I said, worried.

Charlie laughed “it’s just the way you said that then. And, yes, Mum was just off to get one before you came. She’ll probably be coming with a bucket of ice now.”

I smiled “well, I’ll be sure to tell you what happens at school today.”

“And I’ll tell you what happens...um, here.”

I laughed “I’m sure it will be very interesting.” I ruffled his hair “bye-“

“Wait, don’t go yet. I’m going to be bored out of my mind all day. The least you could do is stay here for a while longer.”

“Well, ok then. It’s only twenty past seven anyway.”

Charlie shook his head “I wait to see the day you sleep in late, Lily.”

“I probably would if it wasn’t for some stupid soul stealer.”

“I guess...”

“What does your soul look like, Charlie?”

“I don’t know.” He said, shrugging “I’ve never really thought about it because I can’t see it.”

“Why?”

“Well you can’t see yourself without a mirror so I guess it works the same way with souls. You can’t see your own soul.”

“What about in the mirror?”

Charlie laughed “oh, if only it was that simple. Maybe there is a special mirror like that out there but ordinary ones certainly don’t work.”

“Charlie, it’s time for your medicine.” Said his mum, coming into the room.

I grinned at him “yes, you should have your medicine. I’m going to go now, but I’ll be back later.” I said, letting go of his hand. “Bye.”

“Bye,” said Charlie, eyeing the spoon in his mum’s hand warily.

After a most uneventful day at school I was walking home. My bag full of books banging against my side with every step. My geography textbook was digging into me painfully but I was only a few metres away from Charlie’s house where I said I’d stop by. I knocked on the door and waited a few moments. After some time, there was still no answer so I knocked again and the door swung open. Funny, I thought, taking a step inside. “Hello?” I called. Maybe Charlie’s parents were in the garden or something. I went into the living room and looked out of the window. No, no one in the garden. How odd. I couldn’t seem to find anyone downstairs so I went up. Surely they hadn’t gone out and forgot to lock the door and, anyway, Charlie was ill so why would they have left him alone?

 I looked in his room and saw him asleep. There was no mistake this time, one arm was hanging off his bed and his head was turned to the side. I watched him for a moment, wondering if he really was awake and just pretending to sleep because of me. The steady rise and fall of his chest never faltered so I went down the landing to his parents’ room. I knocked, just in case. There was no answer so I went in.

 I froze. What was going on?

Author’s Note: Well, there’s plenty of things the imagination could be thinking there but you’ll only find out what actually happens in the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed this and I’d love to hear your thoughts :) Thanks for reading.