Real or Fake?

Paralyzed With Fear

Anti never really remembers his nightmares. He really only just has them and then once he wakes up, they're gone to him. Faded like they never existed.

But this time. . . .

This time he could tell he'd be remembering everything. No matter if he wanted to or not.

He was in this very house. It was dark and quiet. Not a sound was being made.

It was like no one lived there anymore. Or they were hiding. But from what?

Or who?

Anti walked through the house. Every room he crossed by. Not even the doors made a sound as he opened them. Was he deaf in this dream?

He wanted to turn on the lights but his body wouldn't move to do so. He wanted out of there. It was so creepy at night like this. At least with anyone home at this time of night, he'd hear snoring, a TV or light music.

But there was nothing.

Where was everyone?

Finally, however, he made it to the back yard. Over by one of the trees was a figure. He shook like he was laughing.

Anti had a hard time trying to look at him from afar so he went closer.

As he came around to the back of the tree, figure stopped shaking but Anti could see a small grin on his face. He still couldn't tell who this man was, though. His hair covered his face and he had his head down. . . .

But that smile. . .

Anti edged a little closer. He seemed. . . . wet? Had it been raining?

Anti wanted to say something but found he couldn't. Was it out of fear or could he really just couldn't speak in this nightmare?

'Look around you . . .'

A voice echoed in his head. The voice sounded too familiar.

'Look around and see what you have done. Remember what you did?'

Anti's heart raced as the man grinned wider.

He looked around him briefly only to see there were other people around him.

On the ground almost lifeless.

Crumpled in a mess of their own defeat.

Anti looked closer, his eyes adjusting to the dark.

A man looked up at him, pure hatred in his eyes. Fresh scars on his face, blood on his clothes.

'M-marvin?' Anti mouthed the words but no sound came out. He tried to rush to him but the magician just disappeared into smoke.

'How could you do this?'

Anti ran to another figure to see it was Jackie. He was laying on his side, coughing up blood, holding his stomach, 'Jackie! Hold on! I'll get Henrik!' but he vanished, too.

Chase and Jameson looked up at him, fear in their eyes.

Resentment.

Chase just looked torn apart. Like he just wanted it all to end, 'Where are they?' he cried to himself, 'Where are my babies?'

Then they disappeared like the others.

Anti fell to the ground, himself.

'Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up!!!'

A foot came into view beside him and he glanced up at the grinning shadow he had seen before by the tree.

The man leaned down slowly next to him.