Nightmares Within Me

Night 1 Part 2

I thought it was over. I thought that I had seen what I had to to make up for what I'd done. I thought that I wouldn't have to suffer anymore but when the dark opened into the light I knew it wasn't over, I knew I still had a long way to go before I was done with this. I watched as the dark split and light flooded my vision. I didn't shy away from it, I didn't show any signs of it affecting me. I saw it open to a field that I was unfamiliar with but was very familiar with the people in the field. Lillian and Justyn were there, alive and scared. Ryder was there along with Austin, Grace, and Gavin. They sat in the weirdest order as well, like they were positioned to be two boys, two girls, two boys. It was weird that my mind noticed that but it had to mean something later if I had noticed it. Going from left to right it was Gavin, then Ryder, then Grace and Lillian, then Justyn and Austin. They all looked confused but unhurt. Images of Lillian, Justyn, and Ryder flashed through my mind but I shoved them away. Right now they were ok and I had more to worry about with more people here now. I had to figure out what was going on and what else changed now. I was fully aware that there was nothing here right now that could cause harm to anyone but I couldn't see anyone else get hurt. I began to spin, now realizing that I wasn't locked or restrained to anything. I could move again. I spun and looked at all the things I could see but stopped when I saw a figure, just in front of the tree line to the right of everyone. I went closer until I couldn't go any further, knowing I now had a barrier again. I tried to see who it was and after a minute I took a step back extremely confused as to why Ryder's brother, Nathan, was here. He didn't make a motion to do anything, he just stood there. I watched him for the time being and after a while realized that he wasn't going to do anything that would require my attention, at least right now, and I turned back to the group of people sitting before me. I walked towards them and as I expected was stopped by a barrier. I turned away frustrated and yelled. I turned back towards it and ran at it, slamming my body into it like it would so something. I simply bounced off of it like I was nothing, and I kind of was really and fell to the ground. I was getting angry and began pounding my fists on the invisible wall shielding me away from my family. I knew how this was going to go. I'd have to watch them all die in some way and it would haunt me for the rest of my life.

I hit that wall until my hands bleed and my shoulder was too sore to move. I watched as one by one they all fell asleep, one of them saying anything but all laying on each other for comfort of knowing they were not alone more than comfort in general, cuz I guarantee that half of them aren't comfortable enough to sleep on. I laughed as some of them began cracking jokes and the laughed that I never thought I'd hear again echoed through the space that had been too silent this entire time. I laughed along with them. The fact that Gavin or Austin could try and make a joke at this time gave me some hope that this wouldn't end the same way I was thinking it was going to. I laughed and hoped that I would be able to hear this at a time I wasn't scared beyond belief. I was hoping that I would be able to get through this like I normally do. I stayed up all night telling myself I was keeping permanent night watch for them.

Nothing happened the entire night, Nathan never moved either which I found odd as the group hadn't seemed to notice him either and they all looked over there at some points but showed no indication that they saw him there. Not even Ryder, who I was expecting out of all of them would see him. If he was he was going a great job at hiding it but it was unsettling. Just having him stand there and stare at the group. It was weird. He hadn't noticed me either, hadn't even looked my way. I knew no one could see me but that made it worse i think. To have him just staring at the group, them not noticing him, and him not doing anything. It made me uneasy and my eyes kept darting back to him. Sooner or later I knew he would play a role in this. Good or bad, I can't tell but I knew he'd do something. The night passed slowly but at least now I had some idea of what time it was. It looked to be about twelve to one in the morning by the way the moon was positioned when Ryder woke up. His eyes darting around wildly like he too was having a nightmare. They passed over me without a second glance and I let out a breath. Whether it was one or relief or sadness I couldn't tell you but after that, he went back to sleep and didn't wake up till two in the afternoon when the group voted that Grace was the one who would wake him up. They all fought to hold in laughter until even I couldn't and she slapped him hard on the side of his face causing him to shoot upright, looking around like a gun had gone off. Everyone laughed and Ryder simply lets out a string of cuss words with gesture that made them all laugh harder. It almost was a normal morning until the laughter died down and they all looked at each other with a look I had never seen on any of their faces, at least not here. I could only recall it on Ryder's face while he was chained to the wall but that was it. Quickly Austin thought of a topic and they all began talking.

At times I would chime in, though no one could hear me it almost felt normal cuz sometimes that would happen and no one would acknowledge me so in a way it was like I was there but no one cared. My heart sank at that realization but I simply looked up and watched, it was then I realized that Nathan had moved. He was not directly behind the group, in front of a large oak tree. He held the same state, the same everything. The only change was the place he was standing. Still, no one noticed him, or me, and still he didn't try to interact with anything. It put me on alert and had me keeping a closer eye on him now.