Blank

Two

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T W O
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A rough gut twisting scream rang from my throat as I sat up. Tearing my eyes open, I gasped for breathe and examined the room around me. My whole body was layered with sweat and my heart pounded rapidly in my chest, pulsing through each and every vein that ran through my body.

Choking out a sob, I pulled my knees up to my chest and rocked myself back and forth.

The nightmares were so real I could feel them still lingering on my skin. I felt like I was still choking from the smoke filled air and crimson red blood was still running down my arms, whether it was mine or someone else's, I was unaware but it was still a haunting scene. My heart felt as if all the strings had been snipped with dull kids scissors and I couldn't describe the emotions that were trying to win control.

"Blake?" My gaze shot over to my little sister standing in the doorway, light spilling out over the carpet from underneath her closed bedroom door. "Are you okay?" She clutched her teddy bear close to her chest and waited for an answer.

"I'm sorry Emy," Wiping the tears from my cheeks, I pushed my blankets so Emersyn could have an empty spot to sit.

She walked slowly and handed me her bear as she pulled herself onto my bed. "Are you having bad dreams again? Mom told dad she hears you scream at night and I hear them too."

Not knowing what to say, I pushed a strand of blond hair behind her ear and ran my thumb over her soft cheek. "You've been crying?" Pulling my hand away, I watched my 9 year old sister break down in front of me.

"Are they about me again?" Her tears followed one after the other.

"No! I promise they aren't. Nothing is going to happen. You're safe." Gently, I wrapped my sister in my arms and held her close to me, tears of my own slipping down my cheeks.

"What are they about?" She sniffled, rubbing her nose with the corner of her sleeve.

"About...a little house on the top of a hill, like a castle. Three little boys live there, and they like to dance with flamingo's, and then their hair started to turn pink," A small smile graced my lips as my sister chuckled into my chest.

"Do the flamingo's sing too?" Her innocent question brought me a warm comfort.

"They love to sing, just like you," I tapped her nose and she giggled. She wrapped her small arms around me and tightened her embrace.

"I love you."

°•°•

Time felt as if it was going slower than usual. Walking down the halls it felt as if everyone was walking and talking in slow motion, the only thing not going slow were my unwanted thoughts and I couldn't seem to slow them down no matter what I did.

Although, the days grew easier to plaster a fake smile onto my face and even fake a laugh here and there, I still felt drained in so many ways.

My parents started getting calls from my teachers and they forced me to study. They didn't seem to care about the voices filled with worry over me, all they seemed to hear was how many sheets of blank homework I had been turning in and it gave me no time to let everything sink in or leave my mind. I hadn't had any time to myself and not even Emersyn was allowed to talk to me.