Nightmares

Chapter 16

The hospital was nice, clean. It had beds and warmth. It was really bright. I still had to get used to white light.

I was told to eat something, but I wasn't hungry. I hadn't eaten for two years, but I wasn't hungry. The doctors found no food or water in my system and were baffled as to how I survived and managed to grow without nutrients.

I'd been in the hospital for half an hour before Aunt Kayla got there. She was horrified to see me so thin and bony. She had never hugged me tighter than she did in that moment. I couldn't hug her back with the same strength as I was so weak.

When I did eat, the food didn't stay down. I thought for sure that this had something to do with Lucifer. He was powerful and he did poison me once.

I was interviewed the day after I was found. It was a woman and a man, probably in their thirties.

"Let's jump right in," the woman said, switching on a tape recorder," What happened to you, Malika?"

I went on to tell my story. I told them about my nightmares, Lucy, the barn, Lucifer, hell and my escape. Obviously, they didn't believe me.

The man began, "Look, Sweeth-"

"Please never call me Sweetheart! " I interrupted. I felt the tears coming out of hiding. I had been so numb in hell, but it all sunk in that day.

"Malika, why should we believe that you and your family were taken to hell and you found your way back?" he asked. He really did want to believe me, I could see it in his eyes.

"Well, I don't see any reason why I would hide it if someone kidnapped me for two years! I'm telling the truth, I swear to God!" I screamed.

They both looked at each other as if they were giving up on me. I couldn't stand it.

"No one has found my family's bodies! Do you know why? I watched them as they died and pain and agony! I witnessed their deaths and I couldn't do anything about it because humans are powerless in hell! Their bodies are still down there because I didn't have time to get them! I still have the fresh cuts! I still have the burns on my arms! I killed the devil! I killed the freaking devil and I don't even get any credit!" I cried. I stopped when I realised I was sobbing.

"I'm sorry for your loss." the man said, looking to his feet. They left the room. I wandered in my thoughts.

I'd been kidnapped and put in hell. I'd witnessed the death of my family. I'd survived two years in hell. I'd escaped. I was alive.

***

They were all there. Mother held Lina in her arms. Father stood behind Mother, holding her. Lily laughed and danced around the house. I was just standing there, taking it all in.

"Lina is so beautiful!" Father exclaimed.

We all giggled. We never thought Father would be able to see her. A tear fell from my eye.

"Malika, are you okay?" Mother asked me.

I nodded." Yes! Yes, everything is perfect."

I wanted to stay with them. Everything was so quiet and peaceful. I would be so happy.

Lily put her arm around me. "I love you, sister!" she said. She pushed me onto the couch and jumped on top of me. We both laughed hysterically.

Father started bleeding. His head, his body, everything was bleeding. Mother started shaking, like she was being shocked. She dropped Lina and she knocked her head hard. Lily stood up and faced me, covered in blood and bruises, missing chunks of her body.

Lucifer stepped into the room with the slit still in his neck.

"Thought you'd seen the last of me?" He cackled wickedly.

I started backing up but he ran towards me with a shard of glass in his hand. I tried to run away, but he got his revenge on me.