The Trench

Chapter 21 - Professor Michaels

The house was dark, the only lights coming from the porch lights outside. I stood and waited inside the bedroom door, I could hear someone walking in the hall with slow deliberate steps. The glass of water I was holding dropped from my fingers and shattered against the hardwood and the steps faltered.

Cautiously I crept to the wall beside the door and covered my hand with my mouth, praying they couldn't hear my heavy breathing.

Please don't let me get a panic attack now, you know how to defend yourself you can do it.

I can feel the person step inside the bedroom and pause before carefully stepping towards my bed. I slowly creep to my left and felt around with my hand. My fingers trace the wall beside me until they hit the doorframe, and then thin air.

I take a small step left about ready to make a run for it, the floorboards underneath my foot betrays me and lets out a small squeak. We both freeze, them trying to pinpoint the sound and me trying not to make any more.

I stand there in the dark, silence is all around me. I don't even hear them move until a gloved hand is grabbing at my shirt. I shriek in surprise and lunge forwards with my elbow out and I connect with something and the hand lets me go. I stumble into the hall and run.

How long is this hallway? This isn't my house anymore.

The unfamiliar hall went on for ages, with twists and turns and doors that won't open, all while the hooded figure behind is taunting. Walking slowly but somehow I never get any further away from them.

A voice echoes through the hall. "Emily."

"I'm not Emily!" I cry but the voice is relentless, calling out for Emily as I run through a maze of hallways. I finally come to the end and just as I'm about to turn around to face the intruder, a heavy object connects with my head.

I jerk upwards in a panic before I realize I'm at home. I lean forwards and put my head in my hands, my forehead was wet and I realize I'm covered in sweat. My sheets and pillow are wet, my comforter strewn onto the floor from thrashing around trying to escape my dream. I take a few deep breaths and grab my phone checking the time. 5:15 Am. I still have a while before my alarm goes off for class, today isn't a morning I have to be at the barn but I get up anyways.

Thinking about sleep after that dream is a joke. Coffee was my best friend and we stayed up together watching the sun rise, the dark brew settling my nerves, until it was time to leave for class. I threw on a plain white long sleeve shirt and some heather grey sweatpants and tossed my brown hair in a bun and called it good.

I get to class way too early, so I sit at my desk and read my book until people start filing in. It's a classic bad-boy-turned-good by the love of a girl. Where he's a pain in the ass and boarder line abusive but she just takes it and thinks it's normal.

This shit is so toxic. I think to myself as I turn a page, in the midst of an argument where he breaks shit and makes her cry. I shake my head and chuckle, it's garbage but it's written beautifully.

After a riveting chapter where they make up after the argument I take a look around noting almost everyone is here, I glance at the clock and it shows we only have 5 minutes left until class starts. Neither Mae nor Aimee are in their seats. I pull out my phone about to text Aimee when she bursts through the door in a hurry. As she's pushing past it her bag gets caught on the doors handle jerking it off her shoulder, in a wave of curses she gathers her items that fell out and stuffs them back in making her way to her desk. There's muttered laughter from the students and she holds both middle fingers up as she plops down in her chair.