Emma: The Monster Inside Me (HTTYD Fanfic, Book 3)

Chapter 16: Nightmares

Everything was black, a molten midnight fog clouding everything in front of me. There was nothing, only empty, black space.

Loneliness...

You're alone. No one cares about you, not after what you've become. Not what you were willing to sacrifice for one girl. Not after making a decision that affected the entire universe for the sake of one. Just one. You're selfish. You're a monster.

Monster. Don't let out the monster inside. Fear her. Fear her.

"Danny?" I called out into the darkness. "Daniel, where are you? Don't leave me! Please, don't let me be alone!"

I gasped as chilling whispers slowly arose from around me. The shadows had voices, and they were taunting me. Mocking me. Condemning me. They became louder and louder, closer and closer, until they were all around me. Their whispers became a deafening hiss, a roaring chant, and I pressed my hands to my ears in an attempt to drown it out. The cursed chantings were only amplified in response.

Monster, monster, selfish monster. Fear her, fear her, don't let out the monster inside.

Lonely, you're alone. They don't trust you. You're a monster.

Monster, monster, selfish monster. Fear her, fear her, don't let out the monster inside.

"Stop it! Stop! Leave me alone!" I screamed. "Daniel! Daniel!" I cried desperately.

All at once, the voices ceased, the inky, blank atmosphere curling around me. The abrupt silence that followed left a hollow ringing in my ears.

Emptiness again... Lonely... You're alone.

"Emma," came the voice I longed to hear. The billowing fog parted to reveal Daniel, a ripple of smoke stirring in his wake.

"Danny," I breathed, relieved. "I'm so lost, please help me. Stay with me, please, don't let me be alone again."

He stepped toward me, and all at once his skin was a pale gray, tight against his bones: the image of a walking corpse. "It's your fault I'm dead. You did this to me."

You did this to me........

I screamed in horror, clutching at my head.

I gasped and sat up in a frantic thrash, gulping air into my lungs. I looked around wildly and it took me several long, confused seconds to remember where I was.

I looked around the cave. The fire was now a glowing pile of embers. Everyone else was still asleep. My heartbeat refused to slow, pounding as though it wanted to break free from my body, from the horrible nightmare I had witnessed.

I took a couple of minutes to recover, breathing in shallow gasps. I squeezed my eyes shut in an effort to calm down, only to see the flash of an image. The image of Daniel's discolored, rotting form standing in front of me. My eyes shot open again and I shivered. I got to my feet and made my way out of the cave into open space where I could breathe better. I sucked in this new air greedily, letting the sunshine melt into the cracks of my skin and soak in through my clothes. I wandered away from the cave and into a clearing in the woods.

My clothes were still slightly damp from the evening before and I welcomed the warmth the sun's rays provided. I willed myself to focus on that feeling in a desperate attempt to replace the heavy, dread and fear after my nightmare. The dream had me badly shaken.