Lilith

Nightmare

I'm plunged into darkness again, so thick I can't see anything. I reach out, my arms flailing for something solid, but what I touch isn’t a wall—it feels leathery, unnerving. Panic grips me as realization dawns: I'm inside luggage. My heart pounds fiercely, threatening to burst from my chest as my breathing turns shallow. Gasping for air, I can’t get enough; the world feels distant, like I’m detached, observing my own panic from outside.

I tremble, cold sweat forming on my forehead. Thoughts race, fear escalating, urging me to escape, but there’s nowhere to go. Then, rain—drops pitter-pattering through small holes, the luggage slowly filling with water. I scream for help, my voice hoarse, desperate, but no one comes.

Suddenly, the luggage opens. Rain and dim light pour in, revealing his face, looking down at me with an eerie calmness. As the luggage floods, his laugh breaks the silence. It starts low, a sinister rumble, then climbs into a manic cackle, echoing around me. It's wrong, so chillingly joyful in a moment of pure terror. Hearing it, madness personified, my heart races, instincts screaming to flee. But I’m trapped.

When he finally stops laughing and mocks me, calling me pathetic, a new level of fear takes hold. His hand reaches for me...

I wake up, breathless, the nightmare of that memory still so vivid, so visceral, His laugh, that terrifying sound.

I look at my phone to see the time and its 5AM. Its too early but now I can't go back to sleep every time I close my eyes there he is my adoptive father starting down at me with a wicked grin on his face.

Lovely start to my morning ist it. I mean if it started this well i can hardly imagine it'll get any worse.

After a few hours i decided to go down to the kitchen, As I walk in, the familiar sight of my family gathered around the table greets me. It's been a few weeks since Vice found me training, and though I'm healed now, things still feel a bit off. My brothers and Leo are deep in plans for revenge against the Russians, and they've started teaching me how to handle a gun.

I offer a quiet "good morning" as I take my seat, but Salvatore's request to see me in his office after breakfast sends a jolt of anxiety through me. What could I have possibly done wrong? Has he found out about the secret training sessions I had before I was fully recovered? Panic sets in as I try to recall every misstep, every mistake I've made.

Unable to pinpoint anything specific, I simply nod at him, my appetite suddenly gone as I pick at my breakfast, my mind consumed with worry.

I head back to my room after breakfast, the weight of Salvatore's impending meeting still heavy on my mind. As I change out of my pajamas and into regular clothes, I can't shake the feeling of unease that's settled in my chest. Every little noise makes me jump, every creak of the floorboards sending my heart racing.

I try to distract myself by focusing on the task at hand, smoothing out my shirt and pulling on my jeans, but the nagging worry won't leave me alone. What could Salvatore possibly want to talk to me about? I run through a hundred different scenarios in my head, each one more terrifying than  the last

But eventually, I force myself to push those thoughts aside. There's no use in worrying about something I can't control. With a deep breath, I steel myself for whatever awaits me in Salvatore's office and head out the door, determined to face whatever comes my way.

I step into Salvatore's office, and I'm immediately struck by its beauty. The room is adorned with rich mahogany furniture and elegant décor, giving it an air of sophistication that makes me feel out of place. I take a seat in front of his desk as instructed, trying to ignore the knot of nerves that's formed in my stomach.

Salvatore wastes no time getting straight to the point, pulling out my school report and questioning why I dropped out in my final year. Relief floods through me as I realize that this is all he wants to talk about, but I can't help feeling a twinge of annoyance. Why is he digging into my past now, months after the fact? And if he's going to snoop, he might as well go through all the info, right?

"I don't know, maybe the fact that my so-called mother killed herself because her shitty husband left and I was left on my own, so I had to work to actually live," I reply, my tone sharper than intended as I recount the painful reason for my decision.

The office falls silent as I finish speaking, and I suddenly feel self-conscious under Salvatore's gaze. He clears his throat awkwardly before informing me that I'll be starting school on Monday, attending the same one as Marco, who had to repeat a year.

"I can't believe this," I mutter under my breath, disbelief and frustration bubbling up inside me.

Salvatore's voice cuts through the silence, firm and unwavering, telling me there's no way out of it. "You will be going. There's no if, ands, or buts."

Defeated, I simply nod my head in resignation as I make my way out of the office. Salvatore's parting words about no uniform and Aurora taking me shopping for school supplies offer little consolation in the face of my impending return to the dreaded halls of school.

I walk out to meet Aurora so we can go shopping for school stuff I'm not really exited for it.

As we navigate through the aisles of the first store, Aurora's excitement is palpable, and I can't help but feel a little lighter in her presence.

"Okay, first things first, let's grab some notebooks and pens," Aurora declares, leading the way to the stationary section.

I nod, trying to muster up some enthusiasm of my own. "Yeah, sounds good."

Aurora's eyes light up as she scans the shelves, picking out colorful notebooks and an assortment of pens. "How about these ones? They're cute, right?"

I examine the notebooks she's chosen, nodding in approval. "Yeah, they're perfect."

As we move on to the clothing stores, Aurora's excitement only seems to grow. She pulls out various tops and bottoms, holding them up for my inspection.

"What do you think about this one?" she asks, holding up a flowy blouse.

I hesitate for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, it's nice. I like it."

Aurora grins, adding it to our growing pile of clothes. "Great! Now let's find you some jeans to go with it."

As we continue shopping, Aurora's chatter keeps the atmosphere light and upbeat, and for the first time since Salvatore's announcement, I find myself genuinely enjoying the moment with Aurora.

.......

Hello bitches and bros and non-binary hoes 🤪

I'm back.. hopefully I didn't fail any of my exams. Anyway this story is so cringe 😬 😫 💀

But what do y'all think about it so far?

Also I'm kinda thinking of giving her more trauma for the road 🤔 but idk 😐