Catharsis

The Nightmare Begins

Tw for gore, blood, angst, etc.

"Shane?"
"Dad?? Dad!" The boy excitedly ran to his father and embraced him. "Oh, you're alive, you're alive..." Taylor repeated quietly, simply taking in the moment. He was soon joined by an ominous voice in the distance. 'Not for much longer, he's not!' It sneered, cackling.

The boy let out a whimper as a horde of snakes dashed at them, looking to his father desperately. "Dad, snakes!" Shane finally cried. Taylor growled softly. "Run, Shane, run!" he commanded. "What about you, dad? I can't lose you again!"

"I know you can't, Shane. I'll be fine." He assured. With that, the teen did his best to run whilst his father tried to fight off the reptiles. He burned them, kicked them, punched them, but in the end...the snakes had wrapped around his limbs and acted like restraints.

A shadowy hand picked up the boy by the shirt collar. Nearby, a machine whirred to life. Taylor's heart dropped and suddenly began pumping the fastest it ever had. Which was odd that he could even feel the heartbeat, because he hadn't had one in over a year.

"Daaaad!" Shane screamed, trying to fight the hand. He kicked out and wriggled to no avail, being plopped into the machine. Nothing but shrill screams and shredding noises filled the air. Blood splattered all over everything, including the mortified father.

Shane's dismembered head popped out the other end of the woodchipper, rolling across the ground to stop at his parent's feet. His only son, dead. Brutally mutilated before his very eyes. Taylor couldn't help but wail and mourn for the loss of his son. The voice returned and taunted, 'He won't matter to you, only I will!'

The spirit woke up with a start. "Shane, Shane...no, God, don't kill my boy.." he pleaded, burying his face in his hands. He began to sob, the nightmare all too real for him to bear. Chris had been having his own dream.

In this dream, Chris was currently cuddling with his wife in bed. She felt so warm and smooth..he sighed in contentment. "Babe?" Cara said, trying to get his attention, "I don't feel so good." He opened his eyes, which had previously been closed.

The creature in bed with him wasn't his wife --- it was a creature pretending to be her! This thing literally looked like the human centipede or some shit! Chris, horrified, sprung out of bed. He rushed down the steps, catching sight of his three sons.

"Boys, you need to run!" he said quickly. "Why?" His youngest asked. "M - Mommy's not...mommy anymore!" Chris quaked. His oldest, Liam, scoffed and shrugged it off. "Whatever, dad. You can just say she wants left alone." At that moment, the grotesque abomination hung above them from a web.

The family all looked up, but alas, they were too late. 'She' devoured all three boys, blood soaking the walls and the confused husband's face. Chris backed away as it crept closer, jaws open wide. 'Family is so stupid,' A voice taunted, 'Friends are just so much better and way more fun!'

Chris awoke, emitting a shrill blood-curdling scream. Dave, who'd still been in his bed, rolled over to face him. "Chris, you ok?" Not long after those words had been uttered, the guitarist started to sob. Dave frowned, "Bad dream?" he asked softly.

"It was so real, Dave. So real." Chris continued to cry, burying his face in his frontman's chest. Dave simply stroked his back comfortingly and held him, understanding the man's pain. Hell, when they first moved in, he had a nightmare that he was being gutted alive.