Nightmares

Chapter 4

Lily was gone when I woke up; probably went to her room. I crawled out of bed and went straight to the kitchen.

Mother and Lina were still sleeping so I wandered around the house, lost in my thoughts.

I should be studying. Exams are so close. Oh no, I'll fail, won't I?

I heard a muffled sounds coming from Lily's room. It sounded like voices. I tiptoed towards her room and hovered my ear by the door.

Lily was saying words that I struggled to recognise. She said them so casually, like she was having a conversation with someone.

She suddenly went quiet and a deep, sinister growl filled the silence. It wasn't a single voice, but many, speaking at different speeds. They rushed and uttered horrifyingly malicious phrases in the foreign language. My knees went weak. All the blood drained from my face as I heard this noise.

I raced to my bedroom and shut the door as mutely as I possibly could;  trying so hard not to fall onto my shaking knees. On the verge of tears, I plunged into the bed and burried my head in pillows. I had to block out this demonic sound.

Tears uncontrollably soaked into the pillow. I was so scared. I had no idea what was going on. The voice still leaked through the material and entered my brain.

It echoed on and on around my head. I could feel it's words bouncing back and forth against my skull like a basketball.

Then it stopped.

All I heard was the door creak open and Lily's light footsteps. Her feet slightly brushed the wooden floors as she walked. Her steps were getting louder and louder, as if she was closer...and closer...and closer...

Silence.

I could see her shadow from the gap between the door and the floor. She was just... standing there.

Is she waiting for me? Is she waiting for... it?

My heart raced as the door slowly opened.

"Malika? What's wrong?" she asked. She seemed normal.

"Wha-what was tha-that voice in your r-room?" I stuttered. Tear stains spread all over my face.

" Ugh! Mal, it was a video I was watching! " she shouted, irritated.

She didn't watch videos very often, especially such creepy ones.

"Oh... Well, it really frightened me!" I said, my voice shaking.

"Oh my... WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP TALKING LIKE THAT!" she screamed.

I can't lie, I was shocked. Lily had never screamed at me like that before. Especially about my accent. She said it reminded her of Father.

"I thought I reminded you of Father..."

"Exactly! You're a constant reminder that I'll never see him ever again!" Her eyes were glimmering.

"Did you dream of him last night, too?"

Neither of us said anything for atleast a minute. Lily was trying to gather her thoughts.

"No," she finally blurted out," I..."

"You what?" I asked, worried.

She ran off, and I didn't bother chasing after her.

She's tired. Give her some time.