THE NIGHTMARE
1105 Words
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The moonlight filtered through the thin curtains of Sloane’s bedroom, casting soft, silvery streaks across the walls.
The room was quiet except for the rhythmic ticking of a clock and the faint rustle of leaves outside the window. Sloane laid tangled in the sheets, her breathing uneven, her face contorted with discomfort.
Her chest rose and fell erratically, her lips moving soundlessly as if she were speaking to someone only she could see.
Beads of sweat gathered on her forehead, dampening the strands of hair sticking to her skin.
In her dream, Sloane was standing in a vast, desolate field. The ground beneath her feet was cracked and dry, the air thick with an unnatural stillness.
A faint red glow pulsed on the horizon, casting everything in an ominous light. She looked down and realized she was barefoot, her feet coated in fine, red dust that seemed to cling to her skin like a living thing.
“Sloane…”
The voice was distant, barely more than a whisper, but it made her heart race. She spun around, searching for its source, but the field stretched endlessly in every direction.
The silence was oppressive, broken only by the occasional sound of something moving in the shadows just beyond her vision.
“Who’s there?”
she called out, her voice trembling.
The only response was the sound of footsteps, slow and deliberate, coming closer. Panic surged through her as she began to back away, her eyes darting wildly.
The red glow seemed to pulse in time with her heartbeat, growing brighter and more suffocating with every second.
Then, out of the darkness, a figure emerged. It was indistinct at first, a shadowy outline that seemed to shift and writhe as it moved. But as it drew closer, its features became clearer—and Sloane wished they hadn’t.
“Sloane,”
it said again, its voice a chilling mix of familiarity and malice.
She stumbled backward, her breath coming in gasps.
“Stay away!”
she screamed, but the figure only laughed, a low, guttural sound that sent shivers down her spine. She recognized the voice. That horrible voice.
She turned to run, but the ground beneath her feet began to crack and crumble, pulling her down.
She clawed at the earth, desperate to escape, but the red dust filled her lungs, choking her. The figure loomed over her now, its grin widening impossibly as it reached out.
“You can’t run from me,”
it whispered, its voice echoing inside her head.
“No!”
Sloane screamed, her voice breaking as the ground finally gave way, swallowing her into the darkness.
In the real world, Sloane thrashed violently in her bed, her arms flailing as though trying to fend off an unseen attacker.
Her breath came in short, panicked bursts, and her fists clenched the sheets tightly.
Finally, she woke with a sharp gasp, sitting upright as her eyes darted around the room. Her chest heaved, her body trembling as she tried to shake off the lingering terror.
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Adeline
A loud cry escaped my throat as Tears stung my eyes. My chest tightened as It refused to let me breathe normally. I tried to grab water from the table but my shaky hands dropped the glass, shattering it.
All of a sudden, the door burst open and My eyes looked at the person. My brother. He quickly rushed over to my side and I gasped when he held my arms and helped me before I could slip down from the bed.
“ Sloane “
I looked at him. My chest heaving up and down with pressure.
“ T-that- he- “
“ calm down “
My brother jerked my body making me look at him with wide eyes. Tears slipped out of my eyes and I held his shoulders.
“ He- “
I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him as he hugged me back. My fingers fisted his shirt as he kissed my head.
“ its over. Shhh “
I relaxed and gulped the lump formed in my throat. I laid my head on his shoulder as he sighed holding me tightly in his arms.
“ its over sweetheart “
He slowly held my arms and laid me back on the bed. My fingers gripping his arm tightly that my knuckles turned white.
Vincein held my hand back and squeezed them to assure me. My palms were damp with sweat and I took a shuddering breath.
“ d-dont go- “
“ I am here. Now rest “
He kissed my forehead and I slowly blinked my tired sleepy eyes before falling asleep.
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I laid my head on Vivian’s shoulder as she pulled me in her arms. When I woke up in morning, she was already here. Vincein called him after what happened last night.
“ now will you both tell why did you sneak out of the house ? “
My eyes widened at my brother’s sudden question. I knew he wanted us all to act normal for me but I did not want him to talk about this.
My nightmares had been returning and a promo was what my brother witnessed last night. I took a deep breath and suddenly …… Michele walked inside and looked at us making me and Vivian to look at him.
He looked at us confused but Vivian winked at him, signaling him but he gave us a stern look making me look away.
“ these two should be punished for sneaking out but- “
Me and Vivian looked at him in disbelief but his ‘ but ‘ saved us both. My brother looked at him with a questionable look.
“ the Santiagos are not happy with the outcome of the meeting and they have asked the chief of that project to conduct the meeting again “
My head snapped in my brother’s direction and noticed the change in his demeanor. He hated those Santiagos and if he found out-
“ there is one thing which can be very profitable for us in this matter “
I looked at Michele knowing the meaning behind his evil smirk. My heartbeat fasted as I waited for what He was going to say.
“ the Damon Santiago known to keep distance form girls was seen in club getting intimate “
My eyes widened in horror as I Looked at Michele. Did they find out it was me-? My head snapped at Vincein as a tear slipped out of my eye. If my brother found out it was me- his reputation-
I was doomed.
- Writer
