The Darkness Of Transparency

Chapter Two

"I still get nightmares. In fact, I get them so often I should be used to them by now. I'm not. No one ever really gets used to nightmares.”

― Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves

Chapter 2

The next morning when I should've awoken, I laid unblinkingly in bed. The bed in which I had been unable to sleep, the bed where I laid awake in all night, thinking of what would happen if I told Lily what I saw.    

When I told her- if I told her that I still can see ghosts- she wouldn't-couldn't love me anymore. She would take me back and they would put me in absolute confinement. No sunlight, no books, no Lily.   

 I can't, I won’t tell. I won't tell. I just won't tell.   

 I jumped as my bedroom door opened.

"Hey Sweety," whispered Lily. "Do you feel better? Last night you seemed rather pale. You look like you didn't get an ounce of sleep last night."

"I had a nightmare." which wasn't exactly true, but my thoughts were horrid enough. She came over to me and smoothed the hair off my forehead with her cool touch.    

"Why don't you go back to sleep, I'll be right here." She said softly.    

"Okay," I mumbled, before I rolled over and dozed off.        

A man clad in black stood at a wooden counter. His voice was sweet as nectar as he whispered to an elderly lady who stood at the cash register with her face turned away. She seemed to be under a trance of which she couldn't break. He moved even closer until his lips where nearly at her ear.    

Suddenly the lady jumped back looking frightened and newly awakened. Her eyes where open wide and her wrinkled face blanched as she looked at the man with new eyes.    

She took in his formal attire. He was dressed sharply in a black suit, black trousers, black silk shirt, and a black tie, tied crisply at his neck. His shadowy appearance was cloaked by a hooded trench coat with deep pockets and a hood that casted a shadow down to his nose, obscuring his eyes and leaving only his mouth in view.     

He whispered to the woman once again his body language became taunt as she refused him of what he was asking.    

She trembled afraid and meek but she wouldn't give into the man. Each time he took a step closer her body shook harder and harder. His movements changed from charming to predatory as his anger rose. A dank chill spread though out the room. Ice sickles formed on the ceiling like rapidly growing stalactites. Ice coated the floor as snow covered the counter.    

The man raised his hand and called out-

"THEIA! Theia! Theia! Darling wake up wake up! Please wake up!" Lily shook my shoulders and hugged me to her chest when my eyes flew open. I hung limp in her arms for a few moments trying to get my bearings, before I hugged her back fiercely, remembering the dream and the dark and the coldness.    “

“Nightmare. Just a nightmare," whispered Lily. "It’s okay I've got you."

I let out a tearless sob, "I'm too old for this. Why- why is this happening?"

"Theia, baby everyone has bad dreams." she whispered, "shhh shhh it'll be okay." Lily cued softly, rocking back and forth on the bed.    

Suddenly we heard a big crash from downstairs that made is both jump. We shared a look and ran towards it. We skidded out the door, down the hall, and slid down the curved banister. Our bare feet slapped the cold marble as we kept up our brisk pace into the kitchen.