Broken Nightmares

Broken Nightmares Part 8

The second Lynne grew too far into the distance to see, I let it out as my insides burned.

The dark residue that I managed to keep inside my mouth splattered against the defenseless wall that I rested on for support, I didn't want to worry her. I've been in this place for the best of 7 hours now, and already I feel as if my body could drop at any moment. There was something in the air... A Sort of chemical that fed upon our insides, and our minds. I've already seen it, people losing their minds – people who began having dreams such as this since a couple of days ago.

The investigations that I've been making since I've been here have been pretty successful, I found a library with most books destroyed however, there were a few that weren't. They were books written by previous prisoners of this place.

“I found one! Kri, look!”, Emma motioned me over to the other side of the huge library, many shelves have been knocked over... or smashed over by something big along with a rotten corpse that filled the air with a foul smell. “What is it?” I asked with a bounce in my step. She sat on the floor surrounded by torn and damaged books, “I found a diary written 2 years ago... It's a biography about a boy who was out of town with his school friends one day. He witnessed a freak accident with a girl and a woman... ever since then, he's had weird nightmares every night. He later found out that others who were at the scene also experienced this nightmare. They eventually became trapped in the nightmare and began looking for a way out. They realised that there was no way to leave, they were trapped until they starved to death or... until their minds broke down enough to turn them into a mindless fish. Many entries include his friends going crazy one by one, he witnessed one of his close friends feeding on her boyfriends corpse to stay alive, she gazed at him aimlessly as the boys flesh dribbled from her starved mouth. More entries were included although nothing relevant, the last entry in the book talks about a “juggernaut”, a huge troll like humanoid that kills on sight, usually gruesomely as witnessed by the writer, the Juggernaut tore his best friend in two while he watched in horror. He's scared, with his writing becoming more rushed and scribbled. He writes that the Juggernaut is in the Library now, smashing through the shelves to get to him... then the rest of the page is smothered in ink.”.

After that I got split up with Emma, she seemed almost in a trance as she got up and left the library, I tried to follow her... but she seemed to walk towards the Juggernaut's direction. In a place like this, it's best to avoid danger as much as possible, and so I left her. I decided that I'd write a diary of my own experiences in here. For others who somehow wander into this place.

I pulled up my sweater, since I tucked the book under the waistband of my skirt. I had a few entries up to now, containing information on the Juggernaut, the branded doors and the chemical in the air. I didn't know the name of the chemical, although I knew that it was vented through the soft breeze that wavered throughout the building. I tried following the source of the breeze but it appeared to just come from the courtyard, I followed the breeze but it eventually stops at a bolted room on the highest floor, the doors; however, always have some sort of trap behind them. I noticed a a diary in the library about a group of girls who tested these doors, inscribing an X on them then checking back the day after, it appears the doors traps reset every 16 hours.  

The Juggernaut however, was about the entire width of the schools corridors, he has super human strength and aimlessly roams the 1st floor of the school. My initial thought was that he's protecting something, although... There only seems to be classrooms and the library on that floor.  

I stumbled down a few more corridors until I came to a classroom, the door was open. I decided to check it out, with the dagger in hand.

Slight whimpering came from a girl sat on a desk, clutching her knees close to her chest, it was Emma. “Emma, I found you.”, she looked up as her green eyes glistened in the moonlight, tears streamed down her red cheeks, she seemed lonely as she jumped off of the desk, running towards me and embracing me in a tight bear hug. “Kri... I was so scared on my own... why did you leave me?... Why?”, I didn't understand... She left me! Although, the toxin in the air may have been taking its toll on the both of us. “It's okay now..” I said in her terrified embrace, which became tighter until it was almost hard for me to breathe.

“E-Emma... Y-you're crushing me!” she didn't let up though – instead, her grip became even tighter as the air in my lungs escaped through my gasp. “I won't let you leave me again... I need you.” her voice became cold, I thought of the weapon in my hand as the air in my lungs had completely exhaled, and her grip on me failed to let any more in. “P-please... Emma..”, there was nothing else I could do, her grip slowly tightened, her strength was unbelievable. If this went on any longer she's sure to crush me... with quick thinking I drove the dagger into her back, drawing blood through her pale sweater “ARRGH”. She stumbled backwards and fell to the floor, releasing me from her grip which allowed a rush of air to enter my hungry lungs, causing my breathing to quickly grow ragged.

“Why, Kri? We're friends!... Friends...” her eyes had changed, she looked psychotic, like her previous person ceased to exist and instead, replaced with a maniac, “Emma! Calm down... This isn't like you.”.

My heart pounded against my rib cage as my lungs still fought desperately for air. I slowly backed towards the doorway to the room trying my hardest to keep eye contact, it suddenly hit me that we were on the 1st floor, and chains sounded in the distance. “Emma... we don't have time for this. The Juggernaut's coming!”, “We... We can hide under the desks together! Me and you! We'll be safe.” a psychotic smile appeared across her face. I didn't want to spend anymore time in here, the Juggernaut was sure to of heard us and sounded as if he was moving closer. I tried to turn round but Emma flailed towards me with a small plank of wood she must of picked up off of the floor.  

“Rarrgh!” a war cry blasted from her voice box as she ran towards me, with dagger in hand I raised it up, slicing through the air and plunged into her stomach... it all happened too quickly, although I couldn't get deep enough as she quickly pulled away the second my blade penetrated her liver. “You... I thought we were friends, Ku-ri~!” I backed out of the room but my right foot caught on the door-frame, causing me to fall backwards onto my butt. Dust whooshed around the air in the breeze that rolled through the hallway as Emma also fell to the floor of her own will, beginning to hungrily lick the blood that seeped from her stomach, staining her clothing.

I picked myself up, running in the direction I followed before I met the room. I didn't look back, I just kept running for as long as my drained stamina would allow before my lungs couldn't take anymore, I turned a sharp right before dropping my body against the wall. My heart pounded as hard as it's little vessels would allow, I was sure to pass out any second now. My breathing was ragged and my eyes fell blurry.

Ten minutes must of passed as my breathing slowed although my eyes stayed blurry, a figure stood above my tired body, I didn't even have the energy to look up, to identify them. I noticed by their legs that it seemed male, wearing baggy trousers, “Are you okay? Aletta? I'll help you up... I know a safe place.” Why is he calling me Aletta? I thought to myself, although in this state, as he helped me up the most I could do was whimper.

With my arm forced around his shoulder, the guy with short dark hair lead me down a corridor, he stopped dead before long. “W-who are you?” He shouted out, “You... You want to harm my Aletta, don't you?” with that he dropped me to the floor with a ­-thump-. My body refused to move, as I desperately attempted to pick myself up to no avail. “You can't have her...” He knelt down to grab the dagger held loosely in my right hand, with that he stood up and left my field of vision, rushing towards whomever stood before him although quickly disposed of as the sound of tearing flesh filled my ears, a crushing sound then followed as he was flung, his bloodied body landing beside me. I wanted to scream, to scurry away from his lifeless eyes that glared at my own. A soft whimper escaped his mouth as small, soft hands grabbed hold of my ankles, pulling me away from the fidgety body that laid next to me. My arms trailed above my head as I was dragged by my legs, the guy who swore to protect me leaving my sight in a puddle of his own entrails... His cries still echoed throughout the hallways as if he was still very much alive. “W... where.... are you...” I could barely speak, the toxins began taking a toll on me as I coughed, it wasn't much of a cough rather than vomit. My insides stained the torso of my sweater aswell as dribbling out of my mouth.

Ten more minutes passed however, and we were still moving. However, I did get a sight of my captor, she had long white hair. At first, I thought... It might have been Rayne... But where could she be taking me? I heard screams from far away, maybe the Juggernaut caught someone? The thought of Emma filled my mind, even from what happened... I still wondered if she was alright, I wanted her to be alright.