The Lost Hale [𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐤𝐢]

01

NIGHTMARES IN A NEW TOWN

Imogen shot up in bed, gasping and looking around the room panicked. She gripped the bed covers and yelled out for her parents.

It was the same reoccurring nightmare. She would be surrounded by a circle of people, the faces consumed by the darkness and unrecognisable to her. They would call out her name in deafeningly loud tones and then the fire would come. She felt suffocated by the thick black smoke and the bodies would fall one by one. She would always wake up when the flames licked her skin and she cried out, attempting to shield herself with her arms up.

"Fire..let me out, please!" Imogen would let out a series of incomprehensible, panicked mumbles. Everything would turn black before she would wake up, she would bolt up in bed with sweat dripping down her forehead. Unbeknownst to Imogen, her eyes would always change to an unnatural bright blue colour and remain that blue for the time it took her to realise she was still at home and it had all been false.

Chris and Victoria would hear their daughter scream and run up the stairs to her bedroom, Chris holding his loaded gun at his side.

"Honey, is everything okay?" Chris would force the door open and would always survey the room with his gun before sighing, setting it back in his waistband.

"I'm fine.. I just had a nightmare.." Imogen would swallow, wiping the tears of distress that remained on her face. She would try to play it off as just a bad dream but they all knew it was something worse.

"The nightmare? That's the fifth time this week honey." Victoria frowned, looking at her with a worried expression.

"I'm fine, really mum. I've got to get ready for school unless I'm gonna be late on my first day. I'm already the new girl." Imogen said in a falsely calm manner and wriggled out from under the covers, getting off the bed quickly through the gap between her parents.

"Fine. But, are you sure you don't want to start tommorow? I'm sure the principal will understand." Victoria tried to reason with her stubborn daughter.

"Dad, tell her. Allison's starting today and I need to be around some people my own age. I always have that nightmare, it's nothing special." Imogen grumbled and walked into the bathroom, starting the shower.

"Okay, but if you two want to leave anytime just phone me and I'll be there to pick you up. You're stubborn just like your mother." Chris chuckled, calling across the room and towards the bathroom. The parents got no response and figured they were now being ignored.

"I'm worried about her Chris. What if she..finds out?" Victoria hissed upon reaching the bedroom door, lowering her voice.
"We'll deal with that when it comes to it. She's strong and stubborn, just like her mother." Chris sighed and threw Victoria a pointed look when he mentioned motherhood. Victoria had raised her, like her own and nothing could ever change their bond in his eyes.