Random Ideas

1: Nightmares

The dreams were recurring and frightening to say the least. Xena's grades were slipping and she needed sleep, she was now at that point where she couldn't give a fuck where she slept, as long as the figures from her dreams weren't disturbing her.

The figures has no faces, all of them seemed to be white mannequins, all with striking resemblances to the people she cared about with their hair and clothes, but they never spoke, only in terrifying whispers as they seemed to vanish and reappear without any sort of pattern, usually with some sharp object. Her parents had tried multiple psychiatric wards that put her on multiple drugs, but that never seemed to dull the nightmares. She always woke up in the same way, in a cold sweat and shaking like a leaf.

Today, her mother decided that it would be a good idea to try her luck with another psychologist who went by the name of Jacquie. She had heard good things about her and hoped that she could fix her bleary eyed, paranoid daughter. "Can you describe the nightmares to me Xena?" She asks in a chill tone, looking at her intently, a black pen hovering just shy of the crisp white paper. "They're like these terrors, I can't escape them." Xena squeaks, playing with the loose skin on her fingers and looking at the floor. Jacquie's expression remains the same as she scribbles down what Xena just said onto the notepad. "Can you tell me about what usually happens in theses terrors?" Xena takes in a breath, still not making eye contact with the slightly menacing woman. "There are all these figures, they seem to be like people I know, but they only talk in whispers before they disappear." Jacquie furrows her brow before looking over everything she had written down. "We've tried everything else, pills, hypnosis, even a tribal remedy I got so desperate." Her mother adds, Jacquie nodding and letting out a small sigh, she then stands up and takes Xena's mother out of the room. "We may need to keep her in here for a little while." Jacquie says after she closes the door to her office with Xena still sitting inside. Her mother looks at her through the plexiglass window, biting her lip. "If you think that will help." Hesitantly says her mother, Jacquie gives a fake smile. "It always helps. Despite the cold appearance, this place is very welcoming." Xena's mother didn't feel any better, but she trusted Jacquie's opinion. "Okay, she can stay here for as long as she needs."

Xena is surprised when her mother returns with tears in her eyes, she hugs her daughter. "Now Xena, you're going to stay here for a while." Xena's jaw drops, rage filling her. "This place is for psychos!" She exclaims, her mother tearing up. "Its what's best for you." Jacquie says, placing a cold hand on her shoulder. "I'm not staying here!" Xena exclaims as Jacquie calls in two other nurses, one of them with an afro and the other with a rather large forehead. They have a needle full of something at their sides, ready to use it if they need to. "Don't leave me here Mom." Xena says through tears. "Could you please leave the room Mrs. Provan." She hugs her daughter before she leaves, walking quickly down the hall and not turning back. "Mom!" Xena calls as she feels a sting in her arm and she goes all weak, her eyes closing and everything going black.

When she wakes up, she's in a whitewashed room with no sign of life except out the plexiglass window. Xena's head feels heavy as she walks towards the door, trying to open it unsuccessfully. Finally the door opens and she steps out of the room, this place seemed to be empty. She walks into the main area, people all sitting on the floor and gathered around a t.v that was just showing grey and white static. One of them turns their head to reveal the white faceless head of a mannequin, all of them follow this lead, walking and crawling towards her, harshly whispering her name and clawing at her with blood red fingernails. "Stop!" She yells at them as they scratch at her face and bare arms, nobody making any effort to stop them.

Nobody heard her screams.