Save Me From My Nightmare

Holly munched away on a gooey slice of pizza, the cheese stretching like trapped souls trying to run away from hell only snapping when she flashed her finger beneath the triangle and smiled as she took a huge bite out of it. I nibbled on a piece of pepperoni, enjoying the smoky, spicy flavour that invaded my tongue as I stared absently around the mall surrounding us. ‘Are you alright, Auntie Keeley?’ Holly asked quietly when she looked up from the pizza she was chewing, her green eyes piercing my blue ones like laser beams as I nodded my head and forced a wide smile onto my lips. ‘You know, this is my first slumber party.’

‘Really?’ I asked her curiously, earning a sheepish nod. Giggling, I ruffled her hair softly. ‘There’s a first time for everything, eh? Tell you what, we’ll finish this and then we’ll get some candy a couple of movies. Sound good?’ Holly nodded eagerly, finishing up her pizza and leaping from the chair. Laughing, I gulped down the last of my drink and went to pay for the food before the two of us skipped out into the mall again. As we walked out into the open space where a huge fountain spurted water into the air like an elephant’s trunk, my phone began to sing and dance in my bag. Holly groaned, whining that it was a girl’s day out.

At seeing it was my new phone with Iain’s face flashing on the front caused me to hiss a curse word, telling Holly to be as quiet as she could as I spoke on the phone because it was really important. ‘Hello?’ I answered meekly, listening closely to the engine of a car in the background. Iain greeted me with a hiss, muttering about him having a stupid headache and the mother of all lumps on the back of his head. ‘Oh, have you taken some Solpadine? There’s some in a cupboard in the kitchen over the sink - that should clear it up.’ I tried my best to sound sweet and innocent, though my voice shook with fear over what he would say when he found I wasn’t home.

‘Of course I haven’t taken anything, stupid bitch. Some of us have to work! Anyways, I just rang to tell you I need to go back to New York for a couple of days. I expect the house to be spotless when I return on Tuesday. If I smell the slightest hint of men in my house, I will scar you so badly no one will ever want to even look at you,’ Iain seethed, causing me to flinch. Though relief was coursing through my veins at the sound of my fiancée leaving me for a whole four days and leaving my body to recover, I still felt the fear of having three days worth of pent up anger thrown upon me when he returned. ‘Talk later. Love you, Slut.’

The phone went dead and I shoved it in my bag again, hitting the heel of my hand to my forehead. Holly put a hand on my elbow, trying to comfort me as I removed my hand and managed to pry my eyes open. Green orbs smoothed over my facial features, trying to determine what I was feeling. ‘Come on, hon. Let’s get you those things I promised.’ Holly creased her brows at me, but took my hand nonetheless as we walked over to a huge store at the other end of the mall. Bright colours shone back at me, pinks and yellows mouldings together like messed up sweets and bright red the colours of strawberries. ‘Take your pick of anything you want, my treat.’

‘Christ, Holly, did you max Keeley’s card out or something?’ Zacky exclaimed when he swung open the front door to reveal little Holly clutching to a load of bags. Her grin was obvious and it only made him smile back, like a chain reaction. Shaking my head, I wandered around the back of the car to shut the boot up before Holly rushed back out of the house again and pecked my cheek. When she was back inside to get packed for her sleepover, I made my move to get home but I was stopped by a hand on my wrist. Spinning around, I forced a reluctant smile at Zacky. ‘Don’t leave just yet, come in and have a drink with me. It gets rather lonely living with just your daughter who’s normally out every day at school.’

‘It’s not the smartest of ideas, is it, Zacky?’ I mumbled, trying to take my delicate wrist from his grip. But Zacky had other ideas. Locking his fingers within mine, he told me he was going to hold me hostage with a joking smile on his beautiful lips. Sighing, I allowed him to lead me into the house as Holly galloped down the stairs with her bag slung over her shoulder. She watched with innocent curiosity, smiling as she noticed our hands mingled together in an intimate embrace that caused my skin to tingle. Blushing, I motioned for her to follow us through to the living room. Holly dumped her bag in the hallway and skipped away to the living room to steal the seat before I could escape.

The doorbell rang as soon as Zacky went off to fetch me a drink, causing Holly to jump excitedly from her seat and run towards the hallway squealing happily. I followed slowly after her, helping her to open the front door and swing it open to reveal a tall girl with brownish hair that fell to her shoulders in straight locks. Her brown eyes looked up at me standing in the doorway, cocking her eyebrow curiously. ‘I though you said your mom had blonde hair,’ the girl sneered, giggling slightly as Holly looked down at her feet. She’d obviously not told her friends about her mom’s sudden departure to Las Vegas. I knew exactly what she was going through so cleared my throat.

‘I dyed it,’ I lied. ‘I got bored of being blonde, y’know, everyone’s gotta have a change at some point. Now, go have fun sweetie and Daddy will come pick you up tomorrow.’ I kissed Holly’s head gently, patting her back to encourage her out of the house. She looked up and smiled at me, mouthing a thank you as I winked and shooed her off. ‘Don’t stay up too late; you’ll be all zombified in the morning otherwise.’ Holly giggled. The other girl turned and stared at me for a moment longer as I wiggled my fingers, waving goodbye before shutting the door after making sure Holly got in the car with her friend safely.

‘Alone at last.’