In the Mind

Chapter 18: Reality

Elijah opened his eyes. He was sat up in his bed panting, but he was confused on why he was panting. He looked around his room, the room slightly dark indicating it was in the early morning.
"Elijah!" Natalie cried through the hallway. She soon entered Elijah's room in an outfit he recognized, but didn't remember when he saw it.

"Again mom. It happened again." Elijah said to his mom who sat on his bed. Elijah felt confused, his mind beginning to spin. He ran his hand through his wool like hair, sweat pouring off of him.

"Honey this is the fifth time now." Natalie said to Elijah. He started to feel weird. He ignored it, thinking maybe it was a deja vu. Natalie smiled sweetly and grabbed his hand.

"Yeah I know....I don't know why it keeps happening!" Elijah complained, his mind spinning even more.
"It's okay. They're just nightmares. I'm sure that in a few weeks you'll be nightmare free." Natalie replied, using her warm hand to rub Elijah's back. He got the feeling of deja vu again, but was confused about why. He didn't remember this happening, but he was getting that feeling.

"Okay." Elijah replied to Natalie, then looking at the clock. '5:09' it read.

"That's weird.....haven't I woke up like this before.....at this exact time....but it wasn't what happened here? God, why do I keep getting this feeling like this happened before? I think I would've remembered." Elijah thought to himself.
He ignored the feeling and clumsily got up and walked into the bathroom. He walked over to the sink and put both hands on each side of it. He looked up to stare at his refection.

"Wait....where did I get this scar?" Elijah whispered to himself. A thick scar ran across his throat, like something from a horror movie.

"I don't remember ge-" Elijah started before his world went black. Memories began flooding in his head. Flashbacks of Noah, Kishiki, Damion, and Natsuki.
"What the fuck?" Elijah questioned shakily. His body was shaking and goosebumps appeared all over his body.

"How am I.......I......I'm in a loop. An endless loop." Elijah said to himself in fear.
"But....but if I'm in a loop.....and I know what's gonna happen....I can stop it! I can stop Noah from dying!" Elijah said in excitement.

He finished getting ready for school and headed down the stairs anxiously. His mom was sitting at the kitchen table with food ready for him on the table.
"So in the time before.......I didn't say anything.....what if I say something......maybe I can ask her about how to change the future without coming out with the truth...yeah....yeah that'll work." Elijah contemplated in is mind.

"Hey mom? I wanted to ask you a question." Elijah said, digging into his cereal.
"Shoot." Natalie replied, looking at Elijah with curiosity.
"So......let's imagine that you knew what was gonna happen in the future, and what's gonna happen isn't exactly good. What would you do to stop that bad thing from happening." Elijah asked. Natalie raised an eyebrow.
"I think, you've been watching too many movies." Natalie replied with a chuckle.
"I'm serious! C'mon, at least give me somewhat of an answer." Elijah begged, causing Natalie to roll her eyes and let out another small laugh.
"Well what's this 'bad' thing that happens in the future that I 'supposedly' want to stop?" Natalie said air quoting specific words.

"Okay....let's say......one of your friends is........how do I put this...." Elijah started, trying to find the right words to explain how Noah dies without coming out with the full truth.

"Okay......one of your friends you know is gonna die from something. And what I mean by something I mean by like.....a creature." Elijah said.
"Don't tell me this is one of your nightmares! Elijah you need to stop worrying about things that happen in your dreams. That's all they are. Dreams." Natalie replied with worry in her voice.
"Mom, I really need an answer. What if you knew that your best friend was gonna get murdered by a creature, but makes it look like a suicide so no one suspects the creature. And that creature by the way is named Kishiki." Elijah explained, but instantly regretted saying it. He gave too much detail, making it sound like he was planning something.

"Oh god, now she's gonna think I'm doing something to him." Elijah thought to himself.
"Elijah, either you've been watching too many horror movies, or you're planning to do something. I really hope it's the first one." Natalie replied with concern. Elijah looked down.
"I'm not planning anything. Believe me. But I just need you to listen to me, and what I'm about to say might blow your mind, but you have to be understanding." Elijah explained. He knew the only way she'd understand him was by telling her the truth. At least he hoped.
"I'm all ears." Natalie replied, her eyes concentrated on Elijah.
"I don't know how I'm back here, but I know exactly what's gonna happen in the future starting today. I experienced it for myself. And I know you think that it was probably just a dream, but trust me, it wasn't a dream. Today, I go to school and I meet up with Noah. Liam and his gang try to beat us up, but Liam and his gang end up getting into a fight, causing them to get in trouble. Liam and his gang are gonna try and go after Noah and me, but before Liam can do anything, Kishiki puts him into a coma. Noah watches what happens to Liam, but before the next day Kishiki kills him, making it look like a suicide. I start to get depressed and starting next Monday, a new girl named Natsuki moves here and I meet her and become friends with her, despite me hating myself for doing it. That, and you told me that dad or Jamie died from Kishiki ripping him apart in front of you after a car accident the day you were supposed to get my older brother Damion. I met Damion at school I think next Tuesday....yeah Tuesday. I then find out that Jamie was gonna get rid of both Damion and me, but he only got a hold of Damion and got rid of him. But I brought him back even though he hated you. Then, this cold and evil version of Noah kept coming to me, saying how if he told me the truth, I'd probably end up not well so he didn't tell me, but come to find out he wanted to kill Natsuki, Damion, and I. Noah was gonna kill us, until he decided to watch me suffer. Then, that night I found out that everything in that world's fake and now I'm here. I need to stop all of this from happening." Elijah explained like reading a novel. He looked up at Natalie to find her ghost white.
"What?" Elijah asked. She shook her head and got up.
"No, no, no. They can't be right. This.....this isn't possible." Natalie said to herself while pacing the kitchen.
"What!" Elijah asked loudly. She looked at Elijah, tears strolling down her face.
"You don't remember anything do you?" Natalie asked, even more tears spilling from her eyes. Elijah gave a confused look, then shook his head.
"Elijah, your dad died a month ago from a murder and Damion is visiting Noah who's your cousin and Natsuki who's Noah's cousin. None of this Kishiki and ghost stuff happened. And the doctors said you had trauma from seeing your dad murdered and said you might develop issues and I think he was right." Natalie explained. Elijah's eyes grew wide, his heart pounding in his chest and the back of his neck burned.
"But....but.....how did I get this scar then? How come I don't remember any of this happening? Shouldn't I at least have remembered it?" Elijah asked, his mind spinning while he shook in his seat.

"That scar was from.......you really don't remember. I think honestly it's best you didn't know. You're already blaming things that happened on creatures from your dreams and things that supposedly happen in your head." Natalie replied. She picked up her phone and saw the time.

"I wonder it they're open." Natalie whispered to herself, entering a number into her phone.
"Who's open? Mom I wanna know what's going on!" Elijah said.
He rubbed his head, hoping that this was all a dream and he'd wake up soon. That he'd wake up in his bed to find Damion on a pallet by his side. To wake up in the morning and walk to school with Natsuki, even if he had to deal with Noah and Kishiki. He didn't want to deal with this.

"The therapist. I think it's time that you see one." Natalie said, putting her phone to her ear.
"No.....this.....this has to be a dream. This can't be real!" Elijah said to himself, he was shaking and his neck burned even more.
"Wake up! Just wake up!" Elijah screamed! The world became hazy, and eventually all he saw was black.