Lights Of The Memory Lane ✔

#20 Clear

   The case...

   She had just forgotten about it and moved on from it, but now, someone reminded her that it will never end as long as the villain has not been captured.

   That is what Emily always thinks about every night, particularly this night. She just lies on her bed with her eyes wide open, unable to persuade herself to sleep. Every little sound that she hears makes her flinch and becoming aware of her surroundings. The crickets, the owl and the gust of freezing cold wind that sometimes knocks on her window cause her to sit upright in bed. She looks around her bedroom which is dimly lit with a string of fairy lights on the wall. The little glimmer of light illuminates the photographs of her family and friends on her desk which is frequently neat, organised and meticulous.

   Then, she moves her gaze to the blue clock on the wall and reads the time.

   1:43 a.m.

   She cannot sleep. Not with the onerous thoughts that keep running through her head. She has to do something to get her mind off it. Which is sleep. Just sleep. Try to do so even if her eyelids are stubborn to droop.

   Thus, she lies on her side, hugging her teddy bear tightly and close to her chest. She closes her eyes and forces herself to travel to the dreamland.

*******

   "Emily, darling, do you have something to tell me?"

   Freddy stands tall in front of Emily who shrinks back against the wall.

   There is an exchange of words between the two of them and suddenly Freddy starts to become violent and punches Emily in the face. Then, he asks something as he lifts her up by her bloody shirt and pins her against the wall.

   Emily answers his question, making him even more furious. The shouting and kicking rage in the dark, pathetic room. She cannot scream or beg for mercy. It is no use. So, she just lies on the floor, desperately covering her face and crying her eyes out.

   Eventually, Freddy stops torturing her and kneels on the floor beside her curled up body.

   Through her wet eyelashes, she can see Freddy's outstretched hand coming towards her face, causing her to whimper internally. She wants to avoid him, so she backs away, but she feels numb all around her body and nerves. She cannot move! And the hand is still coming at her. With her eyes tightly shut, she tries to squirm around and tell him to stop.

   "Emily.."

   She hears a gentle voice along with a calloused hand on her face. It feels familiar and fulls of affection, so she believes her instinct and opens her eyes, revealing a man sitting on her bed whilst gazing at her devotedly. She gasps and sits bolt upright.

   "Hey, Emily, you're okay."

   The reassuring voice calms her nerves and she turns on her right, seeing her father, Andrew.

   "Daddy..."

   "Did you just have a nightmare?" Andrew rubs Emily's shoulder.

   Emily just nods at her father's question.

   "Do you want to talk about it?"

   This time, she shakes her head and Andrew respects her decision. He does not want to push her and stress her out.