Nightmares Are Real

Chapter 2 - Gone

Time seemed to slow down and everything around me became blurry. A little human gone, vanished. And it is my fault. All my fault. I begin to feel uneasy and try to reach out to grab something but miss and grab air. I stumble and fall knocking myself out.

With great effort, I open my eyes to see everlasting darkness. Nothing but pitch black. Slowly I get to my feet, after regaining my balance I turn around in a circle, hoping to something, anything. I hear a small sound behind me and cautiously turn around. My eyes rest upon I flicker of yellow light. Relief floods through me as a begin to make my way towards the mysterious light. Yet, I don't seem to be getting any closer towards the light source. I break out into a jog trying to, in vain, get closer to the light. I force my oversized feet to move faster as I desperately sprint towards the light. My breath comes in sharp gasps as I run towards the light. I begin to get hopeful as the light seems to ever so slightly slow allowing me to edge closer. I muster up all my strength as a final attempt to reach the light and sprint towards it. I will my legs to move faster and try to control my ragged breathing. I focus on the light. I must get to the light.

I close my eyes and propel myself to the mysterious light. "Must get to the light." I think over and over in my mind. But my body fails me. My legs, now screaming in pain, stop completely, causing me to fall onto my knees. I throw up onto the floor beside me my body refusing to walk a step further. I wipe my mouth on the back of my furry hand and force open my eyes to see the light moving towards me. I begin to hiccup with relief and have to will myself to calm down and take deep breaths. I lift my eyes and see little human holding a candle. She looks at me with inquisitive eyes. My jaw drops. she is here. Alive. In front of me.

 I rub my eyes to see that my eyes aren't lying to me that Sadie Jones is indeed in front of me. She tilts her head slightly and questions, "Is thing alright?" I dumbly nod back. She smiles and I begin to relax until I notice something not right about her. Her eyes aren't humany. They aren't humany at all. They are soulless pits. Confuzzled I search her innocent face once again until my eyes rest upon her smile. I take in a sharp breath. Her teeth are caked in blood. "No no no no no no no no no. This isn't right." I whisper. Realisation hits me. This isn't little human. Not even big humans eat raw blood. Only one thing that I know eats raw blood and has soulless pits for eyes. Nightmares.

The Nightmare must have seen it in my eyes as it gave me a sly smile. "What is wrong thing?" It asks me only its voice isn't sweet like Sadie's. It is the screams of terrified innocent children. I try to get up so I can look it in the eye but my legs are like troll's mucus, I fall onto my talons. I try to stifle a cry as a black liquid leaks out of my hands, I tenderly wipe it off onto my fur and look the Nightmare in the eye. It laughs deafeningly as its body morphs before my eyes from innocent Sadie into the eight legged creature that abducted her. Horror consumes me as  I get a closer look at it. It was, by far, one of the most terrifying Nightmares that I have ever seen. Its boy was covered in tiny painful razors and at the end of each arm was pointed claw that looked as though it could pierce the thickest of skin. It's head was perched upon a long slender neck. The Nightmare's head was by far the worst thing. Too terrifying to put into words. A long sly grin with pointed teeth caked in deep red blood. What could be seen as deformed eyes where never ending pits of certain death yet you could feel them boring holes into your soul. My face must of humoured it as it lets out another ear piercing laugh.

The Nightmare glides closer towards me. I try in vain o swallow the lump in my throat. I muster up the courage and look at it in the excuse for an eye. "Where is the human?" I say in a barely audible whisper. It grins and etches closer to my face. "That is none of your concern" The Nightmare screeches back in reply. "Why would you care anyway? Small human is not of your kind, so why bother looking for her?" I look away. The Nightmare was right. I am not a human, so why in the realm would I care for one? But then I think about deeper. I care because I am not like other Nightmares. I do not scare. For that is not my job. My job is to care. To care for humans. I care for them by helping them forget about all the horrors of their own imagination.  I help rid of their fears. I help them. I help humans. I help them because they are interesting creatures. They are funny with their silly rituals and ways. They care for each other and that is something I never had. I help them because I care. And I care because I like humans. I like Sadie.

 I stare at the Nightmare. "Tell me where she is." It sighs and then smiles ever so slightly.  "Come find her." It blows out the candle.