Heart of the Ocean

Chapter 5 - Waking Nightmares

That evening I sat cocooned in blankets, a warm cup of honey tea in my hands, and thought about Nate with a semi clear head. When he was near me his very presence overwhelmed my senses and made it very hard to think or even form a coherent sentence (which explained my awkward squarks and frog noises). But now that I was left in peace, I realised just how peculiar he was.

For one thing, how did he beat me back to my dorm? I left half-way through the seminar… did that mean he rushed out after I left and follow me home?

My heart sped up at the thought of Nate rushing out to make sure I was ok. I grinned taking a sip of tea.

But he was sat there waiting for me. He got there before me. So, he couldn’t have followed me home.

He had plenty of time to get there before me since I deviated to the shop for ice-cream. But, that still doesn’t explain how he knew which dorm I was in.

I looked down at my mug of tea. And how did he cool his tea like that? I shook my head at the impossible puzzle.

I felt my face tighten into a frown. Should I be worried? Was Nate some creepy stalker with the nose of a wolf? I giggled at the thought of Nate covered in black shaggy fir. Less wolf and more over-sized puppy, I mused.

Despite the funny thought that Nate might be a werewolf, I still felt a slight sense of unease. Who or what was Nate?

At that moment I felt the hairs on the back on my arm stand on end and my body shivered, though I was tightly wrapped in my blankets. I looked at the darkened window to double check that I hadn’t left it to open and let in a draught.

I gasped in shock. Staring back at me was the leering face of a skull, its hollow sockets staring back at me. As a watched in horror the pearly white bone was engulfed in red hot flame. As the skull burned it left of oily, black smoke that gushed from the skull’s mouth, eyes, and nose.

I could feel the heat of the flames radiating off the skull like an inferno, burning the moisture from the air and singeing my lungs. Panic rose from my stomach and bile filled my throat. My mind screamed in horror- was I burning? Was I on fire?!

The smoke filled the entire room now. Everything covered in impenetrable black. I felt the smoke pour into my mouth and nose, filling my lungs, filling my very body.

Now I couldn’t breathe, and my vision was blurry. I felt my conscience start to slip away.

In the space of a heart beat the skull was gone and my own bone white face stared back from window. My reflect was open mouthed, eyes wide as saucers.

I shakily lifted a finger and touched my face, expecting to feel brittle bone. All I felt was my doughy cheeks. They weren’t even hot, in fact they were ice to the touch.

I took a shuddering breath to calm my nerves. What the hell was that?! A panic attack? A hallucination?

I could still smell smoke in my hair and my eyes burned from the heat.

If I could still feel it then did that mean it was real? The smoke alarm didn’t go off.

My throat burning, I padded over to the kitchen to get some water. Rose, one of my flat mates, was sat at the table having toast and marmalade. Rose was small and slightly chubby, in Rose’s case, her full figure suited her – giving the figure of a woman. Her hair was honey brown and fell in tight curls which she kept tied in vibrant silk bands. She wore a vest and a long flowy skirt – very bohemian. Her look was completed with several golden bangles and earrings which tinkled as she moved.  

“Hi Clio” Rose sing songed brightly, giving me a warm smile.

“Hi Rose” I mumbled in return, aiming for the sink.

“Long day or freshers’ flu?” she asked, gesturing at my blanket armour, “Do you want to have some super and chat?”

I realised what I must look like, skuttling through the kitchen, wrapped like a mummy. “I’m just getting some water, I’m not feeling so good” I said, “Did you smell smoke earlier?”

Rose grimaced apologetically, “That might have been me making toast. I burned the first slice. I’m pretty proud of the fact I didn’t set off the fire alarms actually – then everyone would come for my guts” she laughed.

Was that it, I thought. Had I just smelled burning toast and my mind fabricated some elaborate illusion to terrify me? I shuddered at the thought, was I losing my mind?

“You should take it easy, gal” Rose said, smiling sympathetically.

I nodded and quickly legged it back to my room. It was easier if Rose just thought I had come down with freshers’ flu rather than know my mind was hallucinating.

Back in my room I glanced at my phone and saw I had a message from Zara- my closest girlfriend. Zara had joined college in the second year. She took an instant liking to me for some reason and stuck to me like glue. Her sharp tongue helped keep Valerie and her crew off my back during sixth form so I actually managed to have a great time at college with Zara and Alaric.

I grabbed my phone, and quickly punched in a message, explaining the bizarre illusion I had experienced that evening. I explained that it could have just been my brain just playing tricks on me.

But I trusted Zara. I owe Zara a lot for fending off Valerie at college so I took a deep breath and explained how I thought there might be something supernatural going on.

I didn’t mention Nate or his mysterious powers. A primal part of me wanted to keep the gorgeous Nate all to myself. Zara was something of a man-eater and I Nate would be next on her list if she found out about him.

Instead, I explained that something supernatural might be to blame. Even as I wrote the words I felt how ridiculous it sounded and I could practically hear Zara’s eyes rolling. But my suspicions just flowed out of me.

               Calm down C

               Are you sure you’re not on something? Has anyone slipped you anything in the last hour?

Safely barricaded in my room my mind raced with possible reasons for my sudden hallucination. I looked down on the half empty mug of tea and narrowed my eyes. Was it possible that someone had spiked my stash of tea as a prank?

Pranks were going on all over the block. The best prank so far was when the last fire alarm went off. One guy was stood outside wrapped in a towel and covered in gravy. Apparently, his flat mate had unscrewed the shower head and filled it with gravy granules. Then another flatmate had sent off the fire alarm- making the humiliation complete.

So, I would not be surprised if someone had slipped a drug in my food as part of a prank.

The tea was the most likely suspect as I left it out on the side next to the kettle- like everyone did.

I sighed. Great. Now I was going to have to throw away every bit of food that was not sealed. That included my tea – which was a special home blend.

I messaged Zara back.

               You’re probably right Z. This whole block had been crazy about pranks. Someone must have slipped something into my tea leaves or something.

               Do you want me to come over? Sounds terrifying?

No thanks girlie – thanks for worrying.

I just overreacted.

               In the morning you need to report this to the Dean.

               These pranks are getting out of hand.

You’re probably right

               I’m ALWAYS right. Never forget it :P

               Sleep tight. Lets go for coffee in the morning

Sounds good Z. See you at the normal place.

               10 am it. Night chick

Night

I breathed a sigh of relief. Trust Zara to have everything figured out. It hadn’t even occurred to me that someone would have the nerve to spike my drinks at home. This place was f****d up.

Still, I shuddered at the memory of the haunting skull- the image was burned to the back of my eyelids every time I blinked.

I needed a shower to take away the smell of smoke, real or an illusion, it clung to my hair and skin.

As I let the hot water pour down my body I scrubbed at my skin, using a jasmine and honeysuckle body wash to erase the smell of smoke.

I lathered up my hair and gave that a good wash too.

Even though I felt cleaner something inside me still felt impure and my muscles were still bunched up- like my body was readying itself for flight.

With my eyes shut an image of Nate rose before my eyes, taking the place of that unholy skull.

I focused on his image instead. Imagined my hands running through his short hair. Imagined holding his hard muscles. I even wondered what he would smell like.

I felt the blook rush to my cheeks again.

I wish Nate were here now. His laughter would chase away these ghosts.

As I was getting out the shower, I heard a knock at my door and Rose called out, “Clio?”.

I muttered to myself, looking for some clothes to throw on before answering the door. Rose must have been worrying about me having freshers’ flu. Maybe she had goals of being the mother hen of the flat.

“You in there Clio?” Rose called again.

Damn it, I cursed. My discarded clothes were no- where to be found. I shrugged. Rose was a girl and I’m sure she’d seen countless girls in towels at the swimming pool.

I opened the door, expecting Rose.

Instead, Nate filled the door frame with his immense bulk. His smouldering eyes staring intensely at my towelled body. A thoughtful look on his face.