now tell me, how did all my dreams turn to nightmares?

Chapter 5

Cheryl groaned as she opened her eyes to reveal the pitch black of night still present in her cramped bedroom. She reached over and grabbed her phone, hit the unlock button, and was annoyed to see the time was 3:57 in the morning.

The redhead had tossed and turned almost the entire night. The weekend had flown by after visiting the cemetery, and in a few short hours she'd be forced to face another long day of school avoiding the people she once considered her friends.

She returned the phone to her nightstand and rolled onto her side, facing the wall. Just as the pull of sleep began to find her once more, loud voices could be heard arguing from outside. The trailer park was a far cry from Thistlehouse, where the closest house was miles away. Her nights were filled trying to drown out the sounds of motorcycle engines, trains passing by, and even the occasional gunshot.

It reminded her of the weeks she spent living with Toni after her girlfriend had rescued her from the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, but during that time she had the pink haired girl by her side constantly, protecting her. Now, Cheryl was alone. She would give anything to have those warm, loving arms wrapped around her right now, keeping her safe, while a certain raspy voice whispered in her ear to fall back asleep because they'd be damned to let anything happen to her again.

Tears pooled in her eyes as she reflected on the memory. She sniffled them back to no avail, as sobs soon took over her body. Cheryl laid in the dark room, pulled her pillow closer, and tried to imagine it was Toni she was clinging to rather than a lumpy discount store pillow.

At some point sleep did find her, because the next thing she knew her alarm was sounding, and it was time to get ready for school. Cheryl knew she must have passed out from crying, her body having given into the exhaustion.

Cheryl sat up, stretched, and aggressively rubbed her eyes, willing herself to wake up. As per her routine, she walked to the closet and selected a drab outfit for the day before tossing it on the bed and venturing into the bathroom to shower.

She reached behind the curtain to turn on the faucet, allowing the water time to warm up while she brushed her teeth. A few minutes later she stripped from her pajamas, stepped into the shower, and allowed the water to hit her bare skin.

"AHH!" Cheryl's scream filled the small trailer. While shower never got as hot as she liked, it was typically at least somewhat warm. Today, however, the redhead had been greeted with freezing cold water.

"Cheryl?! Are you ok in there?"

She jumped out of the shower, not even bothering to turn it off, and grabbed her towel. Cheryl's body shivered as she tightened the cotton around herself, hoping it would provide her some warmth.

Claude knocked on the bathroom door, "Are you alright? What's wrong?"

Cheryl opened the door to see her very concerned uncle standing before her, "Cold."

"Shit, the water heater go out again?" He pushed passed her and checked the water temperature before sighing and turning off the faucet. "Sorry, Goose. No money to get it fixed for a few days. Looks like it's cold showers for the rest of the week."

"Oh, absolutely not," she huffed, shaking her head.

"Don't know what to tell ya. Last repair cost almost $500, and the bank account is dry until payday."

"I can't shower in water that cold... it... I just can't okay?"

Don't think about it. Don't let your mind go there.

She fought back memories of the last time she was engulfed in cold water. It was the reason most of her showers bordered on scolding, even if that was not an option anymore. Cold water brought her back to a time she wished she could forget all together, and she wasn't about to willingly inflict that on herself.