BackStage (Niall Horan Fan Fiction)

31. Ghosts

(Rachel's POV)

The whole area looks alien to me. I'm surrounded by giant towers. But it's the people I get scared about.

Mommy... mommy... mommy...

Where is she? I want my mommy. I came with mommy and daddy for an ice cream. They said they will buy me 3 scoops of chocolate ice cream. She told me not to let go of her hand, but these grown men start hurting my parents.

It's so noisy I want to cover my ears. I can't see daddy. My eyes are hurting. All I see is white.

Many big cameras everywhere. I'm scared mommy... I want to go home. These people are trying to hurt me. I want to go home.

I feel my cheeks getting wet. I don't care. All I want is my mom and dad. I run away from the tall people. I run as fast as I can. I hear people calling me "Don't run. Come back little girl." But I don't stop. I run through them to an empty road.

There's a loud honk. I look to my right. I hear people screaming. A big yellow truck coming to me. I close my eyes tight.

MOMMY...!!!

~~~~

'Rachel! Rachel! Wake up. C' mon girl, wake up. '

The distance voice made me startled and woke up with a jump. Where am l? I looked around. My eyes stopped near a pair of worried eyes.

My heart was beating fast and I was still shaking. I could feel flames burning my body.

'Are you alright, Rach?' Aliya asked me while rubbing my shoulder.

'Whe- where am... I?'

Aliya was a bit confused.

'We are in our hotel room.' to reassure my doubts she quickly answered.

My body relaxed the moment I heard the very word I wanted to hear.

'Rachel?' she took a moment, but then let it out, 'was it the same dream?'

My hands went through my tangled hair. We were sitting on my bed. It was still dark. Maybe it was midnight. Only the dim light from the bedside lamp eased the darkness.

'It's not a dream, Aliya. It's a nightmare. My nightmare.' I was still in a trance mode. Didn't know what to do or where to go.

'Calm yourself, Rachel. This was long time ago. You are safe now. Jasmine, Rosalind are here for you. I'm here for you. It's your past, buddy. Not your present or future.'

It may not be my present, but why did I feel something was coming for me? How can I explain this to Aliya? She knows my ins and outs. It was a relief in a moment like this.

'Go back to sleep. Think of happy thoughts.' She smiled. I was not sure how to proceed, but with a nod I lied back on my bed frightened to close my eyes.

~~~

'Hi my little baby. How are you?' A call from my mom.

I didn't get a good sleep after the horrible nightmare. It was something I had hidden in my deep conscious that I didn't like revisiting. It never comes back except as a dream which I cannot control. After a very long time it surfaced like a Tsunami. Although I tried to forget it, the feeling I felt was still poking me hard which gave me a very upsetting morning. Whaever I tried to do did not come as planned. No smile came to my face. No strength to work. All I could think was the warmth of my missing mother's touch. And here she was calling me just as if she was there to go through all my trouble from yesterday night.

'Mom.' All I could say was that. My voice cracked. A lump has stuck in my throat.

I was in Sarah's kitchen with my friends when I got the call. Although I was there no apatite came to me.

'What's wrong darling? Are you alright?' Just the voice my mom soothed my aching body. If only I could be next to her...

I left the crowded room to get some air. She was still holding on, but I didn't tell a single word till I walked out of the stadium.

'Rachel? Did you... was it a... hard night for you?' How can mothers sense their children's troubles?

'Mom...' I was speechless.

'Speak to me baby. I felt wired from the morning. I told your dad too. Only then I figured out it might be you. My guess was correct. OH... Rachel.' It was not Aliya. I was glad about that.

'Darling? Are you there?' I was hypnotized by mom's voice that I forgot I needed to respond.

'I'm here, mom. I... miss you.'

'We miss you a lot too, my little girl. Stay strong baby. We know how determined you are. Don't break for little things. You know your dad and mom are always there for you.'

'I know mom.' I didn't know whether to cry or smile. My heart was aching that I could not bear. I am strong but every strong person has their own weakness.

'Did you tell Paul?' I knew she would come to this topic. My parents rely on Uncle Paul as he was my guardian. And he knows my story too well. Maybe more than I know about that day.

'No. I didn't get a chance to meet him.'

'After I hang up go meet him, honey. He's all you have there.'

'And my friends, mom.' well... they deserved it.

'I know that. But an adult could help you more. Please do that.' Mom was trying hard not to break her composed tone. But inside I was sure of her plan a way to see me or fly me down home. And I wished the same.

At the end the call I stood near the fence watching the outside world functioning without a fuss.

'Ah... this stupid nightmare destroyed my whole day.' This day would be a total wacky episode for me. No excitement.

While I was standing alone, questioning myself about my day I listened to the wall talki to hold where Uncle Paul was at the moment. It seemed he was way too busy with the boys as they were getting ready for an interview. It was not nice to bother Paul about my life or make him concern when he'd got lot more important work to take care of.

It was my life and I had to face it once upon atime, and the result was the birth of Rachel James. It was too painful to goback to that day. I just ignored that it was not me. But sometimes it resurfacesto remind me that it was I, who went through such a scene.

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