Chapter Ten. Kimberley.
I’m walking forward, stalking along this corridor with its familiar breeze-blocked walls and white painted floor. The bloodthirsty rumble of the crowd greets me, their rhythmic chanting becoming louder and stronger as I swallow down my unease, pushing my way through the swing door into near darkness. Dim green light flashes illuminating the path in front of me. The rumble becomes a roar. The crowd are animals. Literally. Deformed faces snarling, yelping, some jumping up at the chain links of the fight cage their teeth bared, eyes glowing. As I speed up the frenzy builds and I can hear screaming, a horrible keening wail that seems to go on forever. I race to the cage, throwing myself at the mesh of metal bars. Inside she’s down on the canvas, a canvas painted blood red from her wounds. A huge creature stands over her beating its chest and howling with evil joy. Barely alive she crawls towards me, her skin is flayed, face torn, eyes pleading as her mouth gapes open with that terrible sound. I claw desperately at the bars, if only I can reach her. The creature glances down at Cheryl’s broken body then grins up at me demonically. Now I’m the one screaming.
“Please! No!”
I bolt upright my eyes shooting open. Sunlight filters in through my bedroom curtains and there’s the dull sound of traffic in the distance.
A nightmare, it was just a nightmare.
I look down at my trembling hands.
Fcuk!
I’m covered in a thin sheen of sweat but I still shiver as a wisp of cool air hits my back.
Cheryl…I’ve got to call Cheryl!
Fumbling about on the bedside table I grab my phone. My mouth dry I listen to each ring intently, silently willing her to answer.
“Hi”
“Cheryl. Hi” my voice trembles with emotion.
“Kimberley?” she questions sounding groggy as fcuk, “why are you calling me at…
There’s some clattering in the background.
“…quarter past five on the morning of me fight?”
“Err…” I pause suddenly feeling very foolish and inconsiderate, “I…err…had a nightmare about you…there was a monster”
Oh God…Kimberley you idiot!
I bury my face in my hand waiting for the inevitable tirade about my selfishness but it never comes, instead there’s a tired-sounding chuckle.
“I’m fine pet, no monsters under the bed I promise”
“Sorry” I apologise weakly.
How could she be so understanding on such an important day?!
“It’s ok, now if I can just grab a couple more hours sleep”
“Yeah, totally” I sigh in relief, “I’ll see you later then”
She yawns.
“Yep, bye”
“Bye…”
I end the call staring down at the phone in my hand before quietly adding,
“…love you”
The remainder of the day passes smoothly enough with me dropping in at The Leopard Loungespecially to arrange one-night cover for both myself and Nadine. I had been pondering for a while and eventually decided that should I be forced to watch Cheryl getting mauled by Mad Mandy I’d rather do it with a friendly face by my side. Unfortunately the earlier nightmare had preyed on my mind that much that I’d become emotionally overwhelmed, opening up a little too much to my second in command…
