That night Pomni woke up in a cold sweat. She had a nightmare about the exit door. She, again, saw one up in her face as she sat up in her bed. Then, just as quickly, it disappeared. Every time I close my eyes, it's there.
She decided she couldn't sleep, so she got out of bed in her pj's, and left the room.
Pomni noticed Ragatha's door wasn't shut all the way. What's that all about?
Pomni walked out to the 'balcony', but was surprised to see someone else there. As she got closer, she realized it was Ragatha.
Pomni's face went a few shades redder as she approached the ragdoll, who was still wearing her nightgown. She's so beautiful...
Ragatha noticed the jester and smiled. "Couldn't sleep?" She asked with a smirk.
"Y-Yes..." Pomni stuttered.
"Neither could I. I always come up here when I can't sleep." The ragdoll explained.
"Wanna explore the circus?" Ragatha offered with a warm smile.
"Y-Yeah! Sure!" Pomni agreed.
The two of them descended down to the checkered floor and began walking, when Pomni stopped in her tracks.
"Pomni? You ok?" Ragatha asked the jester.
But Pomni was staring at an exit door, which apparently only she could see.
"Pomni?" Ragatha repeated, her concern growing.
Pomni didn't necessarily want to, but it's almost like the door was drawing her in. She instinctively took a step forward, then another, then another.
Eventually she was running for the door, and Ragatha went after her, now actually being able to see the door.
"Pomni!"
The jester could vaguely hear her name being called, but at this point, her mind was running in autopilot.
She ran through the door, followed by the ragdoll, and they ran into a small hallway with another door at the end of it.
"POMNI!" Ragatha's cries grew in volume and desperation.
After they had run through a couple more doors, Ragatha finally caught up.
"POMNI!!!" Ragatha grabbed her hand, tears in her eyes, and pulled her close.
The ragdoll looked at the smaller girl's face, whose pupils were both tiny and shaking violently.
"Pomni...?" Ragatha whispered.
Pomni's pupils grew, and her body became more relaxed.
Then, she passed out.
"POMNI!" Ragatha exclaimed. She picked up the smaller girl, bridal style, and carried her back through the doors.
She was blushing a bit, but decided getting Pomni back was more important. The jester was... Shaking. Like she was having a nightmare. Ragatha pulled her closer to her body, making sure nothing hurt her.
"I'm not leaving you alone tonight, Pom Pom," Ragatha promised. "No way."
Ragatha carried an unconscious Pomni up back to the dorms, and opened up her room, to find that Jax left a centipede on her pillow. But right now, she was too tired to care.
She tentatively picked up the centipede in a tissue, shaking slightly, and dropped it in a glass jar.
She checked the bed to make sure there weren't any more bugs, then gently laid Pomni on the soft cushions.
Since sleep was optional anyway, Ragatha simply sat on the floor and watched Pomni's chest rise and fall. She's so cute... The ragdoll's intrusive thoughts screamed at her.
Ragatha sat there on the ground until Caine convinced the sun to rise.
When she didn't come to breakfast, Jax came knocking on her door.
"Hey, Rags! Did you abstract or something?"
Ragatha sighed angrily at Jax, but answered the door nonetheless.
"Go away, Jax. I'm fine. I won't be participating in today's adventure, so tell Caine and the others. Oh, and here you go." Ragatha said as she gave the centipede in the jar to him.
"I'll be feeding this to Bubble." Jax smiled.
Ragatha was about to close the door when Jax saw Pomni still sound asleep on her bed.
"Whyyy is Pomni in your bed?" Jax smirked.
"It's... A long story. And it's not what you're thinking, Jax." Ragatha grumbled as she flicked Jax on the head, and shut the door.
Once the door was shut though, Ragatha blushed at the thought of sharing a bed with Pomni.
The ragdoll turned towards the bed where Pomni was snoring softly. Ragatha's cheeks became flushed at that.
"Please wake up soon, Poms," Ragatha whispered in the sleeping girl's ear. "I'm worried about you."
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Pomni shot up awake some hours later, confused but flustered at the fact she was in RAGATHA'S BED.
"Pomni!" Ragatha exclaimed, wrapping the girl in a hug. "You scared me! What was that door about?" She asked quietly.
"I-I don't... Know..." Pomni was flustered but terrified because she had given in to the door, in front of Ragatha.
"Well, I can try and help you make sure that doesn't happen again, ok?" Ragatha pulled Pomni closer to her in a hug, making the jester even redder.
"Y-Yeah, ok..." Pomni stuttered." H-How did I get into your room, anyway?"
"Oh! I-uh... Carried you... But, Pomni, you were shaking in your sleep. Is something wrong?" Ragatha put a hand on the jester's shoulder.
She carried me? Pomni blushed at the thought. But maybe it was time to share her nightmares with Ragatha. Maybe she could help...
No, I don't want to worry her. She's got her own problems, and I've got mine.
"I... D-Don't want to put my problems on you. They're for me to deal with, not you."
Ragatha's heart broke as she listened to the girl speak. She sat down on the bed, Pomni still in it, and hugged her again.
"Please, Pomni... I'm worried about you. I care about you. Please just tell me what's bothering you so I can help. I... I don't think I can bear to lose someone else again, especially not you." Ragatha spoke.
Pomni was beet red at her words, but she was also touched, so she clung a little tighter into the hug.
"I've... Been having these... Nightmares... Every night. About the exit doors. And I'm seeing exit doors everywhere I look. Every time I close my eyes, there they are. It's beginning to become too much for me..." Pomni explained.
Ragatha covered her mouth in horror, and simply laid down on the bed and brought Pomni closer.
"I'm sorry, Poms. No one should have to go through that. And especially not you. You've had it so tough, but you've stayed strong throughout it all. You're brave, you know. Braver than I could ever be." Ragatha reassured the smaller girl.
They were both blushing like crazy, and eventually Ragatha got up from the bed, followed by Pomni.
"Well, I'm going to head out. Yell if you need anything, but please, PLEASE rest." Ragatha pleaded.
"O-Ok. I'll be in my room if you need me." Pomni replied, before turning and leaving the room.
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That night, for the first time since Pomni got to the circus, she slept soundly without a nightmare.
But will the peace last?
YOU ARE READING
Nightmares (TADC)
Fanfiction⬆️(Not my art!)⬆️ Pomni can't take this anymore. The exit doors keep flashing through her vision, taunting her with the possibility of escape. She knows that it's impossible, but she still wants to try. On top of that, she's starting to develop some...
