Nightmares

Chapter 6

"That makes no sense!" I cried.

" So, are you really that scared of mentally ill people? I mean, Lily was freaked out but even I was surprised! " It cackled villainously.

"My dream? How do you know about my dream?" I was breathing heavily, and getting weaker. I was having a panic attack.

"A demon." Lily announced. She walked into the room to stand in front of Lucy and face me. "She's a demon. I summoned her."

I was so confused. Lily looked so calm in front of this monster, Lucy. A warm tear ran down my cheek.

"Lily, please tell me what's going on..." I said, struggling to find the air to speak.

"Malika, just breathe," Lily whispered gently, walking towards me," I'll explain everythi-"

That's all I heard before everything went black. My head hit the wooden floors hard, making them creak. I heard Lily trying to wake me and screaming at Lucy. I couldn't make out what she said, but I felt her cradle me in her arms and carry me to my room. I managed to open my eyes and see Mother and Lina asleep on the couch.

Lily laid me down on my bed, kissed my forehead and whispered," I'm so sorry, Malika."

***

I was in a dark room, strapped tighly to a chair with ropes. The rope scratched against my skin, causing it to rash. I tried to move, but I was paralysed. I scanned my surroundings for anything I could recognise, but it was a completely empty room.

There she was, Lucy, standing in front of me. Her sinister smile sent chills down my spine. Tears uncontrollably flooded out of my eyes as memories of what happened came back.

"Aaah," she sighed," Lily really messed up, didn't she?"  After no response, she giggled furiously. "I guess I should bring her in... Of course, we had to punish her for letting you find out..."

I managed to whisper, "We?"

"My father and me, of course!" she laughed, walking towards the dark end of the room and returning with Lily. Lily was looking down, her hair covering her face. Lucy dragged her across the damp cement floor.

"L-Lil-y?" I questioned, my mouth still slightly numb.

Lucy kicked her side and she fell to the floor. Lily weakly lifted her head to reveal her beaten face. Cuts, bruises, blood and burns covered her beautiful face. The sight made me sob.

"I'm sorry, Malika. I used you. I used your anxiety and your nightmares and I regret everything! I'm so sorry!" Lily cried.

"H-how?" I asked.

Lily only looked down. She was ashamed. It made my heart sink to my toes. Lucy screeched at her in the foreign language I heard in Lily's room before. Lily flinched.

"When Dad died, I hadn't told him how much I cared or what I wanted to confess or that I," she paused," I loved him... I became extremely depressed and naive. People persuaded me to get into devil worshipping."

I couldn't comprehend it; the fact that Lily had been through so much. Yet, it all made sense. The way her clothing changed, her moods changed, my dreams changed...

"I eventually met Lucy. I told her what happened to Dad," she began sobbing," and she said there was a way to see him again."

"M-my dr-dreams?"

"Yes," Lily nodded,"Lucy would help me perform rituals to see what you saw in your dreams. Your anxiety and being a light sleeper made it easy to get in your head. Lucy would manipulate your dreams so I could see what I wished. Dreams were the only way..."

It all came together like pieces of a puzzle. It all fitted together.

"Why w-would you do th-this to me?" I cried.

"She was selfish!" Lucy screeched. She kicked Lily in the ribs. "Why do you think she left you when you screamed in your worst nightmare?"

Lily was in so much pain, but sat up and looked me in the eye.

"Malika, I was selfish. I just wanted to see Dad. Lucy mixed things up; she twisted it around! All I did was relive it!" Lily sobbed.

"When you almost found out about her plan, she decided to punish you, with that nightmare based your fear!"cackled Lucy.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you, Mal! I just wanted to make it seem like they was just nightmares!"

"I can't believe you did this!"I screamed, anger forcing my mouth to move.

Both of us cried until Lucy grunted in disgust. "Oh my Lucifer! Will you two just say goodbye already?!"

"Goodbye?" I asked.

Lily took a deep breath."Malika, I'm sacrificing myself."