Insanes

Chapter 7

"Ana, wake up." I heard a soft voice in my ear and I opened my eyes to see that, well, I can't see. I turn my head and see a slight outline of Thorn. I blink a few times as my eyes adjust and see him put a finger up to his lips, telling me to be quiet and then pointed to the front of the car. We appeared to be at a rest stop and Dustin and Scarlet were both asleep. I looked at Thorn again and he was getting out of the car so I did the same. Once we were out, we found a picnic table nearby and sat at it, both of us sitting on one side. He took my hand and I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"Finally, some actual alone time. I've been meaning to catch up." I could see his near-perfect smile under the one street lamp's light and I smiled back.

"I was actually hoping you'd say that." I saw him raise an eyebrow and I took a deep breath. "Not long after we left the Clinic, my dad got in a car crash. Died on impact..." My voice trailed off, as it always does when I bring this touchy subject up. His face softened and saw sympathy in his eyes. He hugged me tight and I sniffled.

"I'm so sorry Ana." He pulled away and wiped away a tear rolling down my cheek with his thumb. He then proceeded to cup my chin in his hand and tilt my head up a little so that I'm staring into his dark eyes. After a moment or two, I saw white flash in them and then fire. I flinched back and rubbed my eyes. "Ana, are you okay?" I looked back up at him and his eyes were red and he was snarling at me. I got up and took a few steps back.

"Thorn, stop that!" 

"Stop what, I'm not doing anything!" He got up and took a step closer. I took another step back and shut my eyes hard, putting up a hand signaling not to come any closer. I sat on the pavement and curled up in a ball, feeling a panic attack coming on. I opened my eyes to see Thorn looked like a demon, his eyes blood red, giant fangs protruding from his mouth, claws that shone in the moonlight. I scooted back to the car and started hyperventilating. What was going on??

"Ana, it's okay! it's just me!" I closed my eyes again and held my head in my hands, rocking back and forth a little. I heard the back of the car open just as the Whispers started up. Seriously, why now?! I looked back up to see several demonic-looking creatures crawling closer to me. I decided now was the time to scream. Thorn came into view and gave me my pill bottle along with some water. I opened the bottle and took out a couple pills and downed them with water quickly. I then felt an arm wrap around me and I curled up in a tighter ball, shaking and still hyperventilating. Then it went dark. 

I was standing in a dark room. I've been here before.

In my nightmares. 

There wasn't much in the room except for a desk, a chair, and a portrait of me. As always, I sit at the desk and watch the painting, taking in the detail and the intricacy of it. After a few moments, it starts to melt off the canvas. It seeps out of the frame onto the wall behind it and continues melting onto the floor. Then, it turns into a double of me, except with red eyes instead of my deep blue. I stand up and take a few steps back. It then walks towards me until a foot or two away. I know exactly what happens, so I have no idea why it always haunts me and scares me. My double then proceeds to emit a high pitched scream, and the entire room is set ablaze. The fire travels up my double's body and disintegrates it, leaving me alone in the burning room. I do nothing except stand there because the fire never hurt me. Then, a voice out of nowhere whispers:

"You will never wake up from this nightmare, Anastasia. Be very afraid of the future, for when it comes, you will not be prepared and will become weak and vulnerable. No one will be able to save you this time, Ana, because all of your loved ones will die, and you will be left alone to suffer." 

I shed a tear and it falls onto the fire and I scream. "No! No one's going to die!" It sizzles and the fire grows, now starting to burn me. I start screaming and running around the room aimlessly, tripping over the chair and hitting my head on the desk. I land with a thump on the ground as my whole body is set on fire and burns. I try screaming more, but nothing comes out. I reach up to touch the spot on my head where I hit the desk and feel wetness: blood. I lay motionless as darkness starts creeping into my vision, then the burning room disappears and I'm left in nothingness.