Author’s Note: Sorry about the wait, it has been a while. Well, I’m back now :) I hope you enjoy this chapter...
I didn’t even move before I noticed more cages around me. Where had they come from? I didn’t even bother trying to find a logical explanation because, right now, logic didn’t seem to be making any sense. If I wanted to get anywhere, I was going to have to rely on my instincts. My heart pounded when I thought about the Lost, that it could be them again. I shuffled towards the cage and, instead of a ghastly hand or face, I saw a soul. I small soul, curled up in the corner looking so lost and alone...looking so sad. “Hello?” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. The soul turned to look at me and it almost managed a smile.
“Hello.” It said, its voice eerily quiet.
“Come here...I...I want to talk.” The soul glanced to the side and then slowly floated towards me. Now that it was closer I could make out the features of a girl around seven or eight years old.
“What do you want to talk about, living one? What are you doing here? You should go, go far away before he finds you. Before He sees...”
“He...He knows I’m here. But...tell me, why are you here? Is it just you?”
“No,” said the girl “no, here are my friends. They’re stuck too...” Then, out of the darkness of the back of the cage more souls floated next to the girl. Men, women and children, all looking at me with that sad expression they had. “My friends...”
“Please, tell me, what is He doing? Can I help?”
“He took us.” Said a man “He took us from our homes and friends and family.”
“First is started with the nightmares,” said a young boy of around five “it started with the horrible dreams. The ones that used to scare me and wake me up at night.”
Then the girl I’d been talking to at first continued “there was always someone who pretended to be nice to us...but they weren’t nice. They stole us.”
“Stole us from our bodies.” They chorused together, I shivered at the strange harmony their voices created. “They ripped us apart. Ripped us away from everything. Took us...”
"Why?” I said, frowning “was there any reason...were your souls special?”
“Yes...” Said the girl frowning as if trying to recall a distant memory “I...I had a friend. A friend who could see ghosts and souls and...they said they saw my soul as being special. That is was different. That’s why they came for me...”
“He’s collecting us with the special souls,” said a woman with flowing hair “we’re the ones whose souls are brighter. Happier. So He took us.” I looked at the souls with confusion, they didn’t seem very bright. They seemed dull...almost fading.
“We’re fading now,” said the girl “we’re fading away. He’s kept us from life for so long...kept us from our bodies...we’re fading. We’re not meant to be like this. We won’t last.”
“But...how can you still be any use if you’re not as bright as you were?”
“A special soul is always special, I guess.” Said the little boy.
“But we don’t really understand why we’re special.” Said the girl “we all just got told that we were.”
“By who?” I said, afraid of the answer.
“Our friends.” Chorused the souls “the ones who could see.” That’s the answer I’d been afraid of. It had been nagging at me ever since the girl said she had a friend who could see. Could it be that Charlie had something to do with this? I mulled it over for a while and decided that, if my theory was true, I wouldn’t tell Charlie about it. He’d take it to heart and probably think the whole thing was his fault. Maybe if someone has a special soul, someone has to notice it. Maybe there are loads of people out there with special souls but He never finds them because they don’t have anyone to notice. Charlie noticed mine so He could find me.
“I miss my family.” Said the little girl, tearing me from my thoughts.
“And my friends,” said the boy. “Do you think they’ll remember me?”
“Have they forgotten us?” Said the girl.
“I’m sure they remember you and, one day, you’ll see them again.” I said, only hoping I could stick to my word. “I promise. I promise I’m going to help.”
“Thank you.” Chorused the souls “be careful...watch your step, keep your eyes open and hold your friends close. Don’t let him rule you like he rules us.”
There was darkness as the cages faded away into the nothing that seemed to take up so much space around me. I sighed, wondering why I made so many promises. So many promises to help...yet I couldn’t even help myself. It made me determined though. Made me determined to help, to help the people who were hurting...hurting because of all this. I was on to something. Some little thing I couldn’t quite grasp. But it was there. It was there but I couldn’t quite reach it. I just needed one more push...one more push so I could see it. Then it would be clear. Everything would fall into place. I had no idea that the push I needed would be coming so soon.
Author’s Note: Gosh, I can’t believe how close to finishing I am! I thought this would be longer but I guess this is just how the story wanted to tell itself. Maybe I’ll go back and add some more in another time but, for now, we’re nearing the end but the beginning of a new story. I hope you enjoy what’s left of this and what is to come next. :) Thanks for reading!
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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...
