The Nightmare

9.

          Lilly helped me sit up on a wooden rocking chair that was near my bed.

"How you feeling?" She sighed fluffing up a pillow that was on my back.

"Fine." I yawned looking out the balcony. "What happened?"

"Rock." She spoke sitting on the bed. "It hit the back of your head."

"Any clue who did it?" I asked scratching at my arm, I was starting to get a rash.

"Sadly, no." She stood up and combed my hair through her fingers. "I was with Jerry." I nudged her playfully making her blush more. "No, not like that."

"Its normal to like someone." I sighed. "And Jerry is single, Your single-"

"Its not that..." She sighed."Its just not that simple, Sam."

"Where's Mikey?" I spoke changing the subject.

"Out with Jerry in the back." She smiled. "Playing catch or whatever boys do."

           "You son of a bitch..."Mikey chuckled as Jerry pulled out a baggy of homemade chocolate."Who made this? You?" He asked taking a nibble.

"Bro, I don't make, I take." Jerry sighed sealing up the bag. They both sat on a log bench in the backyard.

"So what's up with you and Danielle?" Jerry asked lighting a joint. "I mean, if u don't mind me asking." Mikey stopped what he was doing and looked at him. Jerry offered him another nibble.

"Is that why you brought me back here?" Mikey asked raising his eyebrow.

"No." Jerry smoked."I brought you back here to talk to my best friend. And get high in the process."

"You know me and Danielle are over." Mikey spoke taking the joint from Jerry. "You were there when...She was on top of the other captain." He took a deep inhale on the joint.

"Ah yes." Jerry chuckled a bit."She was scoring for the wrong team."

"Anyway, we broke up. I met Sam at the community service library thing. And now." Mikey paused holding the joint in his mouth as he took out a ring band from his shirt pocket.

"Bro!" Jerry laughed clapping his hands like a seal. "When you gonna do it? And what about-"

"Well, I'm gonna ask her grandma's permission. We can get hitched and take her to Mexico with me where I'll rent an apartment." Mikey smiled from ear to ear of how happy he was.

"Ill toke to that!" Jerry chuckled taking the joint and taking a big inhale. "Man, I need me some honey."

"Lilly is RIGHT inside." Mikey chuckled nudging him."Don't you have a thing for her?"

"Yeah." He smoked.

"Hey Mikey!" Lilly called out from the second floor balcony."Sam's awake!"

"Going!" He called out."Be back."

"Don't worry bout me." Jerry smoked. "Go to your damsel in distress." Mikey headed inside leaving Jerry alone as the sun was beginning to set.

           I headed down stairs, with the help of Lilly, to play some card games.

"Babe!" Mikey smiled picking me up and hugging me. "So glad your alright."

"Aren't we all..." I heard the sour voice of Danielle mumble. Mikey carried me over to the couch as he pulled the coffee table nearer.

"Go fish or Poker?" Lilly crunched on some peanuts as she shuffled the deck. She brought over a pillow and sat on that."I got like ten bucks I can bet."

"I got a pack of smokes." Mikey joined placing the box in the center.

"Danielle you playing?" Lilly chewed turning to her. Danielle was on the dining table painting her nails. "We're playing with anything u got. Money, smokes-"

"Alright." She smiled a devious smile as she plopped down next to Lilly. "A kiss. I'm setting down a kiss." Danielle kissed a napkin leaving a red lipstick kiss and placed it in the center.

"Whore..." Lilly mumbled but quietly enough so I could hear. I responded with an eyeroll."Alright, Sam? Anything?" I looked around for what was mine that I could bet.

"That necklace looks nice." Danielle pointed out. I looked down, I had forgotten about it. I shrugged taking it off and tossing it in the center. Afterall, it wasn't mine.

"Alright, house rules." Lilly sighed cutting the deck and giving us each a card.

         Jerry was still outside smoking, but also setting up a bonfire. He stopped to take a breath when he began to hear distant crying coming from the forest. It was a woman, it sounded like. He let out a sigh And tossed the last of the wood. The crying was still going on.

"Hello?" He called out. Whoever it was, she was sobbing heavily. Jerry put out his joint and walked into the forest. The sun was just about gone except for the purple redness in the sky. Between the trees and the branches he spotted a womanly figure. "Hey miss?!" He called out walking toward her. She had on a white nightgown, her hair was black. "You lost or something?" He chuckled still approaching her. He noticed one of her hands was dark...dark red, it looked longer than her left arm. He was about a few feet away from her when a branch he pushed back came back and whacked him in the face. "Agh fuck!" He cursed hiding his shame, and a cut cheek. "Miss?-" he turned back to see the woman was gone. He looked around to see if he could catch a glimpse of where she went. "Fuck...bad trip." He sighed with a shrug heading back.

           "Mikey wins!" Lilly smoked handing him the center rewards as I set my cards down. He got my necklace and handed it back to me. I smiled as he shot me a wink.

"Well!" Daniele sighed loudly."Guess I owe you something." She flirted with a wink. It really fucking annoyed me at this point.

"No thanks." Mikey cleared his throat, crimping up the napkin into a ball.

"Alright." She smirked turning to Lilly. "Let's get the House to decide."

"Forget it Danielle." Lilly sighed rolling her eyes as she gathered the cards. "He doesn't want to and I ain't gonna force him." Danielle's face was flushed with anger and threw her cards on the table. She headed upstairs and heard her shut a door, the third floor perhaps.