The Unseen

Chapter 1

A bloodcurdling shriek reverberated off of the walls in the apartment complex. Heavy footsteps thudded up the hall to the flower adorned door on the right. A middle aged man threw the door open and rushed to the twin sized bed. A little girl the age of 10 writhed and screamed, tangling herself in the covers. The man gently held her down and tried to soothe her.

"Kristine, come quick!" He hollered towards the hall, "It's happening again!" He then turned to the girl still kicking in the bed. "Shhh my love," he crooned in a strong voice, "It's just a nightmare. Wake up, c'mon darling, wake." The girl shrieked wildly and struggled to get free of the man's grasp.

A woman clad in a bathrobe rushed in the room and kneeled next to the bed. "Lucille, baby, wake up!" She said over the little girl's cries. The girl fell silent. She collapsed on the bed, shaking ever so slightly. The man gave the woman a grateful look.

"Lucille..." The woman tucked her dripping hair behind her ears and reached over to dab the cool sweat off of the girl's forehead. Lucille stirred.

"Ma.... Dad.." She trailed off in a hoarse voice.

"Luce, we're here." Her father sighed in relief.

"Nightmare." Lucille murmured sleepily.

"What about, sweetheart?" Inquired Kristine.

"Bapa. Bapa came back. He didn't look like Bapa though. You know that scary movie you told me not to watch when you went to work?" Her mother and father nodded. "Well... I watched it. I'm sorry. But the... The zombies in the movie, Bapa looked like them." Her mother and father caught each other's eye and exchanged uneasy expressions. "Is Bapa really gone, Ma?" Lucille asked.

"Yes, honey. It was just a dream." Her voice quavered at 'dream'.

"Go back to sleep, Luce."

Lucille's eyes fluttered and drooped. After a moment, she murmured, "He's not gone. He's still here. I see him." Then she let out a soft snore.

"Brent.."

"Not now." The man, Brent, led Kristine out of the room by the hand and closed the door; not all the way, just barely cracked.

"Brent," Kristine whispered, "I'm scared for our baby girl. Can we try a therapist? A hypnotist? Anything. You know I'm willing to go to the edges of the earth to ensure her safety.."

Brent took Kristine by the shoulders and gave them a light squeeze. "The doctor said to wait it out, that it was just a phase. She's already on sleep medication-"

"But it's not working!" She hissed

"Fine. Sure. We'll try a therapist. Why not. It wouldn't hurt."

Kristine exhaled deeply. Brent then took his wife's arm, draped it over his shoulder, and then put his right arm under her knees and lifted her. He carried her bridal style all the way to their bedroom and laid her gently down on the soft bed. He walked around to the other side and slid in underneath the covers. He pulled the chain on the lit lamp to his right and adjusted himself to full comfort.

"Brent..." Kristine's tired voice found him in the darkness.

"Hmm...?" He murmured.

"Do you think she really saw Dad?"

"Bapa Rob?"

Kristine inhaled shakily, "Yes."

"I dunno, Kris... I think she did. She sees. No matter how much we both deny, she does. Do you want to know my thoughts?"

"Are they negative?"

"In a way..."

"Not really then. But since you brought it up, I have to know." She rubbed his back lightly.

"I don't think we can help her. I hate to say it, and I absolutely don't want to believe it, yet I feel in my heart that it's true."

"I know... I've felt the same. But I pushed the thought in the back of my mind. There has to be other people out there like her who can train her or help her cope or just get rid of the....." She faltered.

"Spirits..." Brent finished for her. Brent listened to Kristine's breathing even out. He fell asleep to her soft snores.