Nightmares Never Go Away

Chapter Ten: This Is A Nightmare

"I know you're secret Jayden." a muffled male voice whispers in my ear.

I don't know who he is. I don't recognize his voice as the feel of the mask he's wearing scratches against the side of my face.

Why am I on the ground? Why is my head throbbing and pounding to no end? What's going on?

"Don't worry I won't tell anyone as long as you don't tell anyone my secret." he laughs as I struggle to open my eyes.

I can't, the pain is inevitable I can barely handle it. I want it to stop. I want to know what's going on when the last thing I remember is the corn maze. I don't remember falling down and landing on the ground. I don't remember anything.

I attempt to move, roll over and get up as my vision blurs as my eyes open. I can only see fuzzy images of what's around me and it's not what I'm expecting. I don't see the corn maze but the inside of a house I don't remember stepping into. I'm not outside anymore like I was but there is one thing I do remember. One face I've seen before standing in front of me, the scarecrow. And just as quick as I begin to piece what happened together I'm pushed back and everything turns black.

There is nothing, nothing except the echoing inside the house of his footsteps departing. He's leaving me by myself but I don't want to be here. I don't want to be in this house full of darkness.

*****

I'm so cold. I'm freezing as the cold air doesn't let up and I feel water falling on top of me.

From the feel of my surroundings, without opening my eyes just yet, I'm laying on the hardwood floor. Drops of water I am now realizing hitting my face has to be the rain pouring down from above me. Soaking me and causing me to shiver.

I shoot my eyes open finally remembering what I had forgotten and now remembered. Vivian.

As I glance around the house I grew up in Vivian is nowhere in sight and I don't remember how I got here. Darkness is all around me, swallowing me up in the house with holes up above the attic where I'm laying on the floor. Water is leaking into the house from outside and I don't want to be here.

With my vision still a bit blurry from the rain falling down and the pitch black I sit up. Needing to find Vivian. Needing to know why I'm here and not at the corn maze like I should be with her.

I don't know why I'm here and I shouldn't be. I'm hours from where I should be and I have no explanation for it than someone brought me because I didn't get here by myself.

This isn't where I want to be. This isn't where I should be.

My head instantly pounds in the back of my head. Every movement of mine causing more pain I didn't realize I was in. "What the fuck happened?" I ask out loud to no one but myself.

I move my hand to the back of my head, the most throbbing pain I've ever had not lessening. Searching, looking around frantically for Vivian but she's not here. I don't see her. Where is she? Is she here?

I stumble to get up, Vivian my main concern and getting out of the house. Getting back home and not being somewhere I never wanted to wake up with no clue of what happened. I need to find her. I have to. Where could she be? How did I get here away from the corn maze we were at moments ago? Or was that hours ago?

Standing up leaning against the wall my mind blanks. I can't remember. I can't think when my head hurts and the rain I thought was pouring onto me becomes apparently clear it wasn't water. It's not raining outside. It's coming from the attic and as my eyes start to focus holding my hand up I see red. Blood I don't think is mine but who else could it be?

"No." I shake my head. "No no I didn't- I couldn't..." I don't want to finish my worst fear out loud.

It can't be true. I wouldn't hurt Vivian. I wouldn't hurt anyone so the blood has to be mine. But then why is it still dripping down from the attic?

This is a nightmare. This isn't real. I'm dreaming and I want to wake up now!

I turn around, walking out of the house I can't breathe in. I don't want to be here as I feel myself going insane. I'm dreaming, I have to be dreaming but as I reach the door the air feels too real. Everything feels too real as I open the door looking out to the familiar property away from town.

"I'm miles from home but I'm home at the same time." I say, wondering just how I got here and why tonight? Why am I here?

The silence is burning inside me until I feel my phone go off in my pocket I forgot about. I fumble to get it as I stare out into the emptiness of a place I hate, "Jayden! Where are you I've-"

"Dad, I need you to pick me up." I cut him off trying to find the words before I fall apart. "Something happened."

"What happened?" he asks.

"I don't know where Vivian is." I answer truthfully. I don't know where she is. I don't know what happened.

"Where are you?"

"At...at the house." I tell him.

"Jayden, stop joking around and tell me where you are now!" he says not believing me. Not for one second thinking I'm at the old house we rarely talk about.

"Our old home." I whisper into the phone to him.