You're Mine

Chapter One: The Nightmare

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Waking from my slumber with a jolt, I look around my room only to greet darkness. Pitch black is all I see which brings a chill down my spine. Why isn't the hallway light on? What was that noise? Sliding out of bed I grab Mr. Snuggles, my teddy bear, before tiptoeing to my bedroom door. I cringe as the door opens with a loud creeeeaaak. I pause to listen for any other noises before I peek out into the obscure corridor. I step out using my free hand to search for the far wall that will guide me to my parent's room. Carefully walking down the corridor, while keeping close to the wall, I narrowly avoid the side table on the way down to their room. Finally reaching their enormous, oak doors I softly call out, "Mommy? Daddy?"

Surprisingly, I receive no answer from them. I push the doors open and walk inside. Their room is dimly lit by the moonlight streaming in through the open windows. Their sheer curtains gently sway in the breeze which causes them to cast shadows all around the room. I look toward their bed and just barely make out my mother's silhouette amongst the sheets. Her vibrant red curls poking out like swirls of ribbon on the pillow. I take a small step towards her when my foot touches something sticky and warm almost like a thick syrup. Ignoring the feeling of it coating my feet, I continue toward her bed while whispering, "Mommy? Mommy?" She doesn't answer me as I stand by her bed.

Standing slightly on my tiptoes, I grab as much of the silk sheets I can fit in my small hands and pull. They slide from her with ease almost like the sheets were just placed over her. Instead of me having to fight with them from being curled around her like usual. I step closer just as a large gust of wind pushes the curtains away from the window, allowing the moonlight to illuminate the room. That's when I see my mother laying there. Her once fair skin now passes for sickly pale. Her hair lays in disarray around her, a tumbled mess, like tall flames in a moving fire. Her vibrant, emerald eyes once filled with life and laughter now staring hauntingly back at me. The part that draws me in is her long pearly nightgown now coated in red like roses blooming out her chest. I look at the bed in horror as I hear the faint drip drop hitting the floor. Taking a deep breath as the room begins to spin, I release one last scream, "Mommy!" Just as everything fades to black.

With a gasp, I sit forward with small beads of sweat dripping down my forehead. I look around in panic before seeing I'm in my room not there, not in hers. "It's just a dream, just a dream," I mumble to myself as I run a hand through my thick curls that are so much like hers. With a sigh, I lay back down only to move again as I flip my pillow to the cooler side. I reach over to check my phone, but I'm blinded by the brightness. I quickly turn it down while blinking to clear the spots from my vision. I see it's nearly three o'clock in the morning and sigh. I lay it back down on the nightstand and close my eyes, longing for more sleep. Just a dream is what I tell myself repeatedly, but I know deep down that it's not a dream. In reality, it's a terrible memory that is going to continue haunting me. Dwelling on me each time I close my tired eyes and will be getting worse as the anniversary draws near. A day I so wish I could just forget instead of being a wreck as it approaches.