Only a dream

Chapter 18

I am numb. Everywhere. I can't feel my toes. Or my fingers. Or me. I am nothing. Just a waste of space and energy. I can't hear anything. I can't see anything. I can't feel anything. I'm not anything.

"Samantha?"

Wait. My ears work. Barely. It was a whisper. I don't know who or what spoke. Maybe I didn't hear anything. Maybe I'm hallucinating. After all, the only thing I can see is, well, nothing. I've been robbed of my senses.


"Samantha!"

Definitely not a hallucination. I can actually hear someone. Hardly. I think that they are above me. Or behind me. Or in front. I don't know, it's all a blur. But I know one thug for sure, I'm not dead. James -no,Valerie- didn't kill me. This time.

"Samantha! Wake up!"

Behind me. The voice is definitely behind me. And it's familiar. Very familiar. James. It's gotta be James.

"Muffin, get'cha self up! I know your awake!"

He grabs my shoulders and I'm being shaken. All I can feel is his hands, rocking me back and forth. Like a hurricane and a tornado, but not as dramatic.

"C'mon, wake up!"

Something strikes me across my cheek. Hard. My eyes fly open and I push myself up to my feet, the blood red moon grinning over the tree line. Still night time.
James is standing in front of me, looking shaken and angry. We are still by the rock.the rock where I thought I was gonna die. I'm standing only a few feet away from it.

"Geez, dolly! You scared the knickers off me!"

I reach my hand up to my stinging cheek and glare at James. I squint my eyes and form my tingling lips into a snarl.
I move my hand away and drop it at my side, clenching my fingers into fists.

"You hit me!" I growl.

James looks confused, but still angry. "Well you weren't waking up," he shrugs.

I scoff at him. "So you HIT me?!"

"I...um...well sorry darlin' but I...I'm sorry..."

I stomp over to James, who stands somewhat sheepishly in front of the rock. I throw my hands at his chest and push the old man to the ground. His eyes go wide and he makes an 'oomf' noise as his back greets the grass.

"Don't ever touch me again!" I scream, my voice echoing in the eerie silence if the still night. I don't know where this new anger is from, probably delays reactions of everything this man has caused for me, but I honestly don't care. I just want him to pay.

"Samantha, hon, I'm sorry! I don't know what it was th-"

"Shut up!"

James looks startled, the anger withering away slowly. "Muffin, I shouldn't have-"

"Don't even try, psycho! You had no right to hit me!"

"Look, I'm sorry, I don't..." He trails off.

I stamp me feet over to him, so I tower over his frail, old body. He suddenly looks young, his features soften and his green eyes glow. He shrouds his shoulders and frowns.

"Listen'ta me. I'm sorry, but I've gotta tell you something!" He begs.

I lick my lips absently as I think about this. I don't really care what he has to say. But I'll let him speak anyways.

"What?" I ask.

He clears his throat. "Valerie. She possessed me. Twice. The first time I was unaware, but the second time...I...I stopped her. Before she killed you. I saved you."

I laugh at him, right in his face. "You did everything but save me! You put me through this hell and I don't even know why! Why'd you bring Valerie to me? Huh? Why did you cause this? Why did you KILL her?"

He takes a long, deep breath. "You really wanna know, pumpkin?"

I nod, "Umm yeah! I kinda do!"

"Okay, well here goes," James says. I back away to give him some space and he stands up. He leads me to the rock and sits me down. He perches beside me. Clearing his throat he continues, "Twelve long years ago, I came into these very woods. I was lookin' for some berries, to make a pie for my little sister, Melanie. Melanie was a gem, a beauty, long auburn hair, and beautiful, golden brown eyes that sparkled in the light. Oh, her eyes were marvellous, the prettiest around. She was my pride and joy, and my responsibility. Ya see, my parents died when I was sixteen and I had to care for my wee sister when she was only seven.
"Anyways, back to the witch. Mel wanted a pie, blueberry preferably, so I went out into these here woods and took her with me. We were happy and singin' and picking berries. I turned away for a second, only a second, when I was trying to reach the back of a bush. I always promised myself that I'd keep an eye on my little sis, but I...it...it was one second and..."

His voice catches in his throat and his eyes cloud over. His face wrinkles with complete, and utter despair. His mouth forms the word 'Mel' over and over again. I stare at him, worried.

"James?" I whisper, shaking his old shoulders, "James c'mon, keep going."

He goes really stiff for a second and I panic thinking I'd hurt him or something. But he quickly loosens up and re-clears his throat.

"Sorry muffin, I...I dunno what happened...I just.." He trails off.

"Just continue," I say. And he nods.

"As I was saying, I left Mel alone for a second, the longest second of my life. I'd just turned around when her little high pitched scream rang out through the air. I watched as she was dragged into he trees by someone else. A girl. I sprinted after them, following my little sis's wails. After awhile though. I lost sight of her...and...and her screams...they-they just stopped. I thought I'd lost her, muffin. But I didn't give up. I heard a soft rustle in the distance, and so I used that as my guideline. I soon found this clearing. Mel was lying unconscious on the rock, the dead pup beside her. The dogs organs were gone and my mind was in a frenzy. I was paralyzed, I couldn't move. Then I saw Valerie coming towards Mel with...with some sorta knife. She brought it over to my sister, unaware of me and dropped it down near Mel's face, tracing scars into her perfect skin. I couldn't move... Why couldn't I move?!"

James screams into the night and pounds his brittle fists into the hard stone underneath us. Bitter tears roll down his face. I reach out to comfort him.

"Almost done James, finish he story." I whisper.

He breaths raggedly but continues. It's hard to understand what he saying because fat, angry tears roll down his face.

"I...I couldn't move at all. I watched as Valerie sliced my girl open and removed her insides. One by one, I watched everything inside my sis get torn out. Once Valerie reached her heart, I broke from my trance and...and lunged towards her. I smashed her skull into the dirt and kicked her until she threw up. I ripped her hair and screamed at her. She smiled the whole bloody time. By then, I realized that Mel was gone. I beat Valerie until she passed out. Once I-I was done with her I forced myself to look at Mel. I screamed when I did, from anger and sadness. A small message was written in her blood on the stone...I...I...after that I took Valerie to my home and tortured her, for Mel. I then hung her once I couldn't take it anymore."

He buried his face in his hands and sobs some more. I don't know know what to say... Maybe he isn't crazy.

"The message!" He blurts suddenly. He jolts from the rock and turns to face it. I hop off and stand beside him, gazing at the smooth stone. He points at the surface and crumples to the ground in agony.

"I'm sorry!" He wails, and I thought he was talking about Mel until he points to the rock again and cries, "I'm sorry Samantha! I'm sorry!"

And I don't know how I missed it before. Written in dried up crimson letters is the message. I almost scream myself once I read it.


"Brown eyes are boring. I want green ones. Time to find a new butterfly.'