The nightmares
Chapter 1
“Come out, come out, where ever you are”, he chanted tauntingly from somewhere behind me. I wasn’t sure where. I looked behind me but saw nothing but darkness. My heart was thudding painfully loud in my chest and I was covered in sweat. I moved my legs faster until my joints ached. Rounding a sharp corner, I saw a door and I lunged for it. The knob turned easily and I was momentarily relieved. Until I opened the door, looked up, and screamed.
“Jamie, wake up!” a frantic voice said from beside me. Opening my eyes hesitantly, I looked up at the voice. It was my mother’s voice that had woken me from my horrific nightmare.
“Hey mom”, I said sitting up and throwing back the covers. I walked over to the floor length mirror on my wall and checked my reflection. I just barely caught a glimpse of my mother’s worried and confused look face before I went to the bathroom to wash my face. I was just drying off my face with a towel when I heard the floor creak behind me. I brought my head up and saw my mom standing there with her arms crossed over her chest.
I sighed and turned to look her in the eye. “Mom”, I said trying to use my calmest voice, “I’m fine; seriously, I just……had that dream again. It’s no big deal.”
“Jamie……honey, you’ve been having these dreams for three weeks straight. I’m sorry but I’m calling Dr. Kibosh and making you an appointment. She winced as she finished her sentence and I knew why; ever since I was attacked and kidnapped two months ago, she had been frantic to get me to see my therapist, Dr. Kibosh.
“NO!” I screamed at her, “I’m fine.” I’ve already told you that I’m over what happened. I’ve moved on and so should you!” I slammed the door in her face and turned on the shower. I stripped off my sweat-soaked clothes and threw them in the hamper then stepped under the warm spray. The water felt good on my skin. After stepping out of the shower, I went into my room and closed my door. I pulled open my closet door and took out my favorite pair of blue jeans and a lavender sweater. I pulled my long brown hair into a pony tail and walked down stairs.
As usual, my dad was sitting in his chair at the head of the dining room table reading a newspaper and drinking coffee out of his Star Wars mug. My little brother Todd was sitting on the floor playing with his cars. “Good morning, daddy”, I said to him as I plopped down in the chair beside of him.
‘ “Mornin’ ’, honey” he said leaning over to kiss me on the forehead. I noticed that he wasn’t wearing his wedding ring today yet again and with a sinking feeling in my stomach I expected the worst. He and my mom had been having fights recently ever since my aunt charlotte got sick and needed to be flown here from Miami. “Hey little buddy” I said to Todd as I leaned over and ruffled his hair
He smiled up at me and held up one of his cars for me to take. “You want to pray cars wiff me?” he said with hope in his little brown eyes. Todd was only three and a half and he was my inspiration for life. He was better than me on the inside, his heart was purer.
“Sure sweetie”. I got down on my knees beside him and started to roll the toy car back and forth while making a purring noise. He laughed and my heart skipped a beat. I looked at him and smiled back. “What’s so funny?” I say trying to sound offended.
“Dats not how a car sounds” he chokes out between giggles.
“Oh, really?’’, I say acting serious, “what does a car sound like then?”
“Like this, Brrrrrrr…..” he made the noise with his little mouth and giggled as if the making the sound tickled his lips.
I consider it for a split second and then leaned over and grabbed him around the stomach. I rolled him onto his tummy and started tickling him until we were both laughing so hard there were tears in our eyes.
“Alright you two”, my mom said looking at us with admiration in her eyes,” Jamie do you have a ride to school today or do you want me to drive you?”
“Thanks mom, but Sean’s supposed to pick me up for school. He should be here any minute.” Then as if on cue, a horn sounded from outside. I laughed softly and whispered, “See, he’s always on time.” Sean had been my best friend since the first grade and we grew up together, then last year in the ninth grade, we fell in love. We had been worried that it would be weird and not work out because we were close like brother and sister but actually, it turned out great for us. “Bye guys, love ya’ll”. But before I turned to leave, I saw a look of sadness on Todd’s face and whispered, “We’ll go to the park when I get home, okay?’’. He nodded and I smiled and walked out the door.
“Jamie, wake up!” a frantic voice said from beside me. Opening my eyes hesitantly, I looked up at the voice. It was my mother’s voice that had woken me from my horrific nightmare.
“Hey mom”, I said sitting up and throwing back the covers. I walked over to the floor length mirror on my wall and checked my reflection. I just barely caught a glimpse of my mother’s worried and confused look face before I went to the bathroom to wash my face. I was just drying off my face with a towel when I heard the floor creak behind me. I brought my head up and saw my mom standing there with her arms crossed over her chest.
I sighed and turned to look her in the eye. “Mom”, I said trying to use my calmest voice, “I’m fine; seriously, I just……had that dream again. It’s no big deal.”
“Jamie……honey, you’ve been having these dreams for three weeks straight. I’m sorry but I’m calling Dr. Kibosh and making you an appointment. She winced as she finished her sentence and I knew why; ever since I was attacked and kidnapped two months ago, she had been frantic to get me to see my therapist, Dr. Kibosh.
“NO!” I screamed at her, “I’m fine.” I’ve already told you that I’m over what happened. I’ve moved on and so should you!” I slammed the door in her face and turned on the shower. I stripped off my sweat-soaked clothes and threw them in the hamper then stepped under the warm spray. The water felt good on my skin. After stepping out of the shower, I went into my room and closed my door. I pulled open my closet door and took out my favorite pair of blue jeans and a lavender sweater. I pulled my long brown hair into a pony tail and walked down stairs.
As usual, my dad was sitting in his chair at the head of the dining room table reading a newspaper and drinking coffee out of his Star Wars mug. My little brother Todd was sitting on the floor playing with his cars. “Good morning, daddy”, I said to him as I plopped down in the chair beside of him.
‘ “Mornin’ ’, honey” he said leaning over to kiss me on the forehead. I noticed that he wasn’t wearing his wedding ring today yet again and with a sinking feeling in my stomach I expected the worst. He and my mom had been having fights recently ever since my aunt charlotte got sick and needed to be flown here from Miami. “Hey little buddy” I said to Todd as I leaned over and ruffled his hair
He smiled up at me and held up one of his cars for me to take. “You want to pray cars wiff me?” he said with hope in his little brown eyes. Todd was only three and a half and he was my inspiration for life. He was better than me on the inside, his heart was purer.
“Sure sweetie”. I got down on my knees beside him and started to roll the toy car back and forth while making a purring noise. He laughed and my heart skipped a beat. I looked at him and smiled back. “What’s so funny?” I say trying to sound offended.
“Dats not how a car sounds” he chokes out between giggles.
“Oh, really?’’, I say acting serious, “what does a car sound like then?”
“Like this, Brrrrrrr…..” he made the noise with his little mouth and giggled as if the making the sound tickled his lips.
I consider it for a split second and then leaned over and grabbed him around the stomach. I rolled him onto his tummy and started tickling him until we were both laughing so hard there were tears in our eyes.
“Alright you two”, my mom said looking at us with admiration in her eyes,” Jamie do you have a ride to school today or do you want me to drive you?”
“Thanks mom, but Sean’s supposed to pick me up for school. He should be here any minute.” Then as if on cue, a horn sounded from outside. I laughed softly and whispered, “See, he’s always on time.” Sean had been my best friend since the first grade and we grew up together, then last year in the ninth grade, we fell in love. We had been worried that it would be weird and not work out because we were close like brother and sister but actually, it turned out great for us. “Bye guys, love ya’ll”. But before I turned to leave, I saw a look of sadness on Todd’s face and whispered, “We’ll go to the park when I get home, okay?’’. He nodded and I smiled and walked out the door.