Chapter 8: Home Dreaming

It turned out getting home was harder than I had originally thought. For starters when I got off at the next station I was fined on the spot, Then when I used the rest of my money to book another train ride home I found out there where no other trains running for the night. That left me standard and without money for a hotel room. So until the morning came which was a fair way, away all I could do was alternate between hiding under cover from the rain on the platform, or using the warmth of a nearby McDonald's until it was time. It was a long night.

But eventually the sun came up and I couldn't be more grateful, the rain had also vanished for a blue sky to start the day. Barely able to keep my eyes open I made a strong effort to stay awake to make sure I didn't miss my train. Once on I relaxed a little, while I didn't want to miss my stop again I just rested my eyes, flirting with sleep.

Thankfully it was the weekend and when I finally made it back to my flat I could crash and that's exactly what I did. I got into my flat and after locking the door went straight to the couch and crashed, not even bothering to make it to the bedroom. I slept the rest of the day.

“Find me...” A voice so distant but yet familiar. The room was dark, light didn't exist where I was. I stumbled around looking, searching and feeling my way around the darkness.

“Who are you!?” I yelled into the pitch black

“You know”

I felt damp, and I felt cold as the shivers ran up my legs. But the cold didn't last to long, before I felt the warmth of a gust of wind, like a summer breeze but yet it felt so out of place in the dark

“You want to find me?” The voice spoke again, this time booming around me. I slumped down to my knees, my hands touching the damp surface below

“If I know what you are, I don't want to find you” I protested

“You cannot hide from the truth” It spoke again this time more softly “What do you desire?”

“I don't know!?” I screamed

“You know, Find me”

“I don't!” I yelled again “I refuse”

“You cannot escape me...”

Light began to pour into my dark world, all from one source. In front of me it cast light over everything in it's path. Looking into the light shielding my eyes I peered out. I saw my own reflection but as I kept looking the world built around me, my face was surrounded by something, a frame of some kind. But then more details rendered in, above my frame came a nose, than eyes. As the reflection continued to fill in I realised that the frame was a mouth, teeth and all and I was looking out from it. The haunting facial features of that woman suddenly became clear.

I took a backwards step

“No” I muttered, but then the world that wasn't my mirror began to fill in. What I had once thought where mountains started to resemble large teeth, white and shining, the light creating a glaring reflection off of them. The cavern I was in was becoming incredibly detailed. Teeth rose up like walls, the surface I had stood on was now a tongue and behind me was my demise

“You cannot escape me...” He voice boomed behind me

I tried to run, but her tongue was quick to act throwing me up against the roof of my cavern.

“You only delay the inevitable” she spoke again mashing me into the roof as she did. “You can escape for a moment, but you'll still find me”

“I don't understand” I cried

“Ready to be one with me” She said with haste.

The tongue lowered itself, the lips began to close light fading away. I screamed I kicked and I fought but I was left in the dark again, although this time I could make out some of my surroundings. I got washed over, now I felt like I was caught in a 'rip' it drew me back and back. I tried to fight the current but there was no fighting.

All that I had left was to accept by fate, to tired I stopped my struggle and I was washed away down the abyss behind me. I expected pain but none came. I was in the darkness again when suddenly a spot light came down on a lone figure. It was her.

She approached me, but something was different, she didn't tower over me, in fact I was at eye level with her. Was I tall!?

“Is this what you want?” She spoke

“I'm lost” I replied

“I know” She paused “You want me, but you also want to stand as equal

“But i'm don't want you”

“Then why am I here?”

“I don't know” Still as confused as ever

“Give in” she said “there is no escape”

She vanished in front of me, but then the world started to build itself again around me, living walls and a lake of acid. I tried to pull myself out but I couldn't, I was going under. It didn't sting, but I couldn't hold my breath when I finally did go under...

I shot awake, heart racing and now upright on the couch I had fell onto. I took in my surroundings and my heart rate began to lower as the feeling of safety washed over me, feeling safe and secure in my own home. It was dark here, I must have been out of it for a while. My stomach growled indicating it was time to make dinner or something to eat, but it also refreshed my memory of my most recent dream. I shuddered.

“What was that?” I questioned myself, but I decided not to ponder on it to deeply. I was an over-thinker and If I spent a lot of time thinking about the dream I could drive myself crazy. I noticed I was very sweaty, and I had kicked all the pillows of my couch.

Crazy bitch was stalking me in my dreams. I thought to myself, I chuckled at that. Not being able to ignore my rumbling tummy anymore I finally got up to go and make myself something. When I got up though I only realised how incredibly sore I felt, my muscles felt like they had all gone through a heavy workout, She had left me a bit battered and bruised. But while I was sore now, I couldn't help but think what damage she could inflict at her full potential. Again I tried to quash the thought.

But as I went and started making my two minute noodles by mind could not find itself with something to better occupy the time. What did the dream mean, I wasn't one to believe in dreams. Most cases I cast them aside without thinking they're to important. But I hadn't had an experience in a dream before quite like this one.

Was there some part of me that believed she would come for me? No, I thought it absurd, she'd just go find some new prey. But was there some part of me that was drawn to her, that's what I thought was puzzling about my dream. If I took away the pain she was capable of inflicting, she was a desirable woman. Surely that wasn't the case, as pretty as she was I couldn't see myself ever wanting her. Then again she was smart too, if she wasn't using it for the wrong reasons, could I possibly like her? Smart and Sexy, I suppose most guys would give up anything to be with a woman like that, but this one came with to many negatives bundled in.

Of course the height difference between us, it'd never work out anyway, even if she wasn't crazy. Height though? Is that what it was about? Was it possible I could look at her differently if I was the same size as she? The dream had touched on it, while I was comfortable in my own skin would I be in anyway attracted to her if I stood at the same height?

My noodles boiled and I turned my attention back to them. But I still did some thinking. As I made my way back to the couch, cup in hand.

No that wasn't the point I don't think, it wasn't about equality and it wasn't about attraction, surely It was just my brain messing with me, triggered from the traumatic experience I went through. I had perhaps undersold what I had been through, no doubt running into a situation like that i'd be left with scars. When I thought about it deeper I had been physically and mentally hurt from my encounter, not to mention I had almost been forcibly abducted which was something I probably hadn't thought to hard on. That'd be enough to shake anybody up.

That had to be it, nothing more. Just trauma giving me some anxiety.

I headed back to my couch and flipped own the laptop sitting on the coffee table. I also flicked on the TV hoping not to miss the 6pm headlines for the day. With the laptop now awoken from it's sleep I opened a new tab on my internet browser and headed to Facebook to see what the latest was with my friends. I had a message from someone, I clicked to see, my heart sank.

Missed Messages From Holly Warnock (4)

• “Enjoy your little Victory for now”