Date: 5/28/2017
By Ecnelis_Lataf
Last night I fell into a sleep that felt so cold and dark. I was surprised to find out I hadn’t screamed at any point while dreaming it. ____________________________________ It started with drowning. I was in a lake, deep below the surface. I could hear someone shouting a name but I didn’t know it. My eyes grew heavy and my lungs were filling with water fast. It hurt. It hurt so much. "Pete! Pete save me!" I shouted in my mind, terrified. A hand grabbed mine. Strong and warm. I knew this person...and yet I didn’t know them. * * * * A light. Bright. Blinding. I coughed and rolled over to the side of the bed. Water came back up. My throat burned. I was dizzy. A man called my name but I didn’t recognize it as mine. He held my hair so it didn’t get anything on it, his free hand rubbing my back gently. “I’m glad you’re awake.” The man said, his voice was familiar. A part of me feared it, the other part enjoyed it. I couldn’t understand why though. “What...happened?” I finally choked out breathlessly. No more water able to come up. “You fell asleep in the bath. You started having one of your nightmares. It’s a good thing I got here when I did.” The man said and helped me back against the pillow. I could see him now. Short dark hair. It was black or a very dark brown. Tanned skin. Athletic build. I could tell he definitely had a labor job. Officer maybe? He had a gun on his hip. I remember flinching when I saw that. He removed the gun and put it on the table by my bed. “Sorry I forgot you aren’t fond of those. I just got off work when I came over.” the man said and sat down next to me. His gaze was cold as ice but only for a moment. It didn’t worry me though. * * * * I was suddenly walking through the streets trying to get back home. I start heading inside when the man from before calls to me. “Claira!” He calls and I turn to see him. His hair had been slicked back and his eyes were far kinder than before. I opened the door to get inside. “Your memory is still clouded I’m guessing. I’m Pete remember? I got you to the doctor’s the other day.” He told me and followed me in. I stared ahead of me though. Frozen. There was blood everywhere. “Evan.” I whispered and ran upstairs, Pete following me. “Evan!” There was so much blood and I found a man lying in the center of a room...blood pooled around him. “Evan! No no no!” I shouted as Pete pulled me back and covered my eyes. * * * * Darkness again and I was in a room that felt both familiar and not. I could hear laughter and whispering but I couldn’t see where it was coming from. The darkness terrified me. “Pete!” I called as I trembled on the bed. “Pete help! Please don’t leave me alone!”