I'll Help You Hide From Them

Nightmare

I find Ralph flicking through his book while sitting on my sofa.

"Ralph!" I gasp, shocked at how real this feels as I get up and run over to him.

"Hey Woolly Drew, did ya miss me?" He grins wrapping an arm around me and pulling me up against him.

"How are you here?" I ask him.

"I wouldn't leave my partner when he needs me the most. In fact, I don't think I'll be leaving you at all." He smiles at me.

"Ralph, I missed you." I tell him as I snuggle up against him, looking at the book to see that he's looking at the page I'm on.

"Remember this Drew?" He softly asks.

"How could I forget? I mean, I didn't recognise you when we were partnered up together but since I found it I've been thinking about that night so much." I admit honestly.

"I never forgot how you taste Drew." He sensually tells me.

I hesitate a little at the sound of this.

"I'm sorry Drew, I just forgot." He softly tells me.

"No, it's fine." I manage before laughing bitterly. "That phrase had been ruined for me."

He gently strokes my hair to help me relax.

"I really miss you Ralph. I know I keep saying it but it's so true." I tell him.

"You've got Kier now. He's a good kid, thanks for keeping an eye on him." He tells me soothingly.

"He reminds me a lot of you." I recall.

He nods, resting his forehead against mine for a moment before whispering "I love you Drew. God it was so painful working with you knowing that I wanted you but couldn't have you. Having you around gave me some of the best memories of my life but I was always so worried that I would be caught kissing you and we'd both lose our jobs."

"I guess there's nothing to worry about anymore." I slowly reply.

He instantly tilts his lips into mine in reply, tossing the book aside and tangling his strong hand in my hair while his other rubs loving circles on my waist. My hands wander all over his face and chest, desperate to feel that it's him.

The kiss escalates very quickly as he rolls the two of us off my sofa and onto my floor. The second my back touches the floor he unbuttons my shirt, keeping my hands pinned down against the floor. A strange grin forms when he uses my handcuffs to bind my hands together with the coffee table leg.

He pulls away from the kiss to observe me this vulnerable and flustered. "If you want me to stop, just tell me, okay partner?" He suggests.

I nod, tugging at the handcuffs to go back to kissing him again without success. "I love you Ralph." I tell him honestly but I feel on edge when he just laughs.

The laugh sounds familiar but I know it's definitely not Ralph's laugh. The more he laughs, the more I notice his hair changing colour and his jaw changing shape.

I freeze up in fear at the sight of Shane pinning me down with an almost inhumanly large grin and can barely even speak.

"Shh little lamb, it's okay. You taste better when you're aroused." He whispers.

A squeak escapes me when he licks my face.

I'm dreaming! Wake up! Please just wake up!

He just pulls out a small knife and presses it against my lips as if to shush me. A few tears spill over in absolute terror.

"What am I feeling like? I could make you symmetrical and have your other hand." He murmurs to himself.

I tug frantically at the restraints.

He grins at me. "Good thinking, once I cut off your other hand, you'll no longer be restrained. You're just so helpful lamb."

I whimper as he starts cutting open my stomach. The sight of him pushing his hand through the cut makes me finally wake up.

I try to slow my fast breaths but no matter what I do I keep seeing horrific images from the dream.

My exhausted body makes me start crying to try to make me tired enough to sleep another way. I quickly pull out my laptop and start trying to see if I can book an appointment with Dr. Illingworth sooner rather than later. On his website there's a 24 hour number. I look in the corner of the screen to see that it's only 2.03am so I try the number, not expecting much.

To my surprise after three rings he picks up. "Hello, Doctor Illingworth, who is this?"

"It's, um, it's Drew Woolnough." I shakily manage to try to cover up that I've been crying.

"Are you okay? Did something happen?" He asks.

I shake my head with a feeble sob, looking around at the dark room in fear before replying. "No, he eats me when I'm asleep." I whimper.

"Shane's in prison." He tries to reassure.

"I can't stop having nightmares about it and it all feels so real." I admit.

He takes a moment to think about it. "I'll open up my office earlier so that I can squeeze you in an appointment before I've been booked. See you in my office at 5.50. Until then I'd recommend you clear your mind by having a warm bath. Afterwards it will make you sleep a lot better." He suggests.

"Okay doctor, thank you so much for doing this for me." I sincerely tell him.

"Get some sleep until then." He replies before hanging up.

I don't waste any time before starting the hot water.