Nightmares Are Real

Chapter 1

I'm in a hospital. The beds are made but empty. This is where lives began and ended. I think of Grandad. Coming to see him in his final days.

I notice a red balloon at the end of my bed. The type clowns sell at the circus. I get up as though the melancholy balloon is dragging me towards it.

I spot another balloon at the door. As I walk towards it my leg brushes on the first balloon. I hear an explosion, and smell burning plastic. The balloon is on fire. My clothes could have been on fire if it had happened seconds before.

The fire quickly spreads on to the bed. The crisp white sheets turning black as tar. I'm going to die. I picture black smoke curling into my lungs. When all of a sudden the fire stops. Like a magician had made the fire stop with a wave of his black and white wand.

It creeps me out. Like someone is watching me...... stalking me.........waiting for the kill. I walk across the white polished floor.

Careful not to touch the second balloon I go through the door. It reminds me of Easter egg hunts when I was younger, except when you're younger an Easter egg hunt is not lethal.

There's a third balloon by the sign for the X-Ray department. I slowly walk past and carry on down the empty corridor.

As I walk, I wonder why I'm here. Did I hurt myself? Did someone else? Perhaps family? Gran. Dad. Mum. My Brother. I've never felt fear like this before. It hurts.

A last balloon is on the door of the X-Ray waiting room. I gently push open the wooden door. I look around. A wheelchair. A walking stick, carefully balanced against the cream wall. Newspapers folded on seats. No more balloons. Just chairs.

I hear a rasping noise behind me. Ghostly, strangled breathing. My heart thumps in my chest. Pounding over and over. I forget the breathing as cold sweat drips from my forehead. True, utter fear grips my defenceless body.

I turn around to find a painted face greeting me. I scream. My life flashes before my eyes. Mum. Dad. My brother. My friends. My life...

"Peek-A-Boo! I see you!"

I wake up, happy to know that the nightmare is over. I examine my surroundings expecting to see a pile of homework on my desk. But no. I'm in a hospital. And there's a red balloon at the end of my bed.