Not So Different After All

11: Living Nightmare

Cheryl woke up in a white room. She was wearing white, the walls were white, the floor was white, the ceiling was white. There was absolutely no noise in the room. There was a strong, bitter smell. She couldn't put her finger on it. But it made her stomach churn. All of a sudden, she heard a loud noise from behind her. She whipped her head around and saw Jason standing there, bullet hole in his forehead. The blood was pouring out.

"Jason?" Cheryl breathed. He was emotionless. He was wearing white too, but now the blood from his forehead was getting on his clothes. Cheryl felt tears come to her eyes.

"Cheryl!"

Cheryl spun around the other way and saw Toni standing a good distance away from her. She too was wearing all white.

"Toni? What the hell is going on?" Cheryl asked. Toni looked terrified, and shook her head at Cheryl. Then-

BANG!

Toni's body rocked back as a bullet went through her chest. Cheryl screamed and looked back at Jason, who was holding the gun. Cheryl ran to Toni, who was on the floor. There was so much blood. It was pouring out of her body, on to the floor, soaking her dress. Cheryl put her hand over the bullet wound, now she was covered in blood.

"Toni, please stay with me," Cheryl cried.

"Cheryl," Toni said quietly. Cheryl's ears were ringing and she felt like she was drowning in blood. She was trying so hard to stop the bleeding.

"I need you, Toni. I need you here with me," she sobbed. Toni opened her mouth to say something back, but her eyes fluttered closed, and the slight ringing in Cheryl's ears became a constant ring.

"No, no . . ."

"No!" Cheryl yelled. She sat up abruptly, breathing heavily. It was still dark out. She didn't know where she was, she just knew her head hurt. Cheryl felt a hand on her leg and jumped.

"Cheryl? What's wrong?" Toni mumbled groggily, squinting at the red head. It all came flooding back to Cheryl. The party at Veronica's, drinking more than she should've, throwing up, Toni taking her home. Her surroundings came back too. She was on Toni's couch.

"Cher?" Toni repeated. Cheryl took a few deep breaths.

"Just . . . a night terror. I get them a lot," she breathed. Toni ran her thumb over the fabric on Cheryl's pajama pants, comforting her.

"I'll go get you some water," she said, getting up to grab her the drink. Cheryl tried to slow down her breathing. Toni returned and Cheryl practically downed the glass in 3 seconds.

"What was it about?" Toni asked, perching herself on the end of the couch.

"Everything was white, and Jason was there, and—and he had the bullet in his forehead, and then—then you were there and h-he shot you. There was so much blood, and-" Cheryl explained, but stopped because of how much she was hyperventilating.

"Calm down, Cheryl. I'm right here, you're ok," Toni reassured. Cheryl released a breath and closed her eyes.

"I know, it's just—it was so real," she said wearily.

"It's ok. I'm gonna go back to sleep, if that's ok with you. You can wake me up with anything you need," Toni responded.

"Wait, T. Can you—could you maybe sleep up here with me?" she asked timidly. Toni smiled and nodded, and Cheryl scooted forward so Toni could have the space behind her. They were impossibly close on the tiny couch, Cheryl's backside pressing into Toni's front. But with Toni's arm around her, she felt like she could relax.