Nightmare

Chapter TWO

I calmed down, it’s really over. This was officially the worst nightmare that I had in my entire life. 

As I was regaining my thoughts, I looked at the clock '' Oh crap, I'm late for school ''.I had only ten minutes to get ready and head to my lessons. Rapidly changing my pajamas, I switched to my school uniform. As I was buttoning my shirt, I noticed a small scar on my hand ..just like .. in my dream. ''No no, that was only a dream, I'm overreacting. 

I didn't like the idea of being late. Again. Even though my house if near the school, I somehow manage to come late twice ore three times a week. Considering that it's my last school year, this could badly influence my performance.  

Speaking about me, I'm currently eighteen, yes the sweet age of eighteen. The most decisive things happen during this period , slowly entering adult life , dating, having your first break-up, working, going to college, living an independent life, to each differently... I have entered adult life long before becoming eighteen, I have tasted both, its the sweet and the sour parts. As I said, I'm a completely normal adult. I have a normal life, normal friends, family, and a lovely boyfriend of course. Being observant and realistic are two of things that describe me best  .I’m good at sports, have a large circle of friends, creative when I want to, intelligent, can smack someone when I feel the need to, sometimes I’m too cruel, even with myself .I speak fluently sarcasm. This is who I am, or, maybe what I’m trying to make people see.  

The world is cruel nowadays. If you show weakness, and they sense it , you become the prey instead of the hunter.

I am Raven and, right now I'm in trouble. 

''As expected Raven, late again ''. the principal caught me while I tried to sneak into class.

''Good morning, I, um was just going to the bathroom.''

''At least you should try to put more effort into lying. You're having a test and don't think you'll get extra time for being late. '' she was gone 

I rushed to my class. Again, another boring day.  

It was a long day though, a long boring day. 

After school me and my boyfriend, Derek decided to spend some time together, as a normal couple does. But we are not a normal couple. Fortunately. We are more like best friends and that stuff, we like to prank each other, make jokes about everything, and I'm really glad we are acting this way. He's one of my rays of sunshine in this life.  

Forgetting about the assignments due tomorrow, I came home pretty late and headed straight to sleep... 

Birds chirping ...the wind slowly blows ...The smell, again this smell... I'm coming back to my sense. As I'm opening my eyes, my body jolts in surprise. ''No, no, not here again. Why is this happening on repeat?'' I realized that I woke up in the same field, at that specific time, just like before. 

My legs intuitively moved to the direction where the village was. '' Wait a minute. I'm not going back there again, the place where all my issues started. There I was kidn*pped and kept as a prisoner.'' 

This is just a dream, right? I just have to wake up and end-all this. ''Now concentrate, come on, wake up.'' I even tried to pinch myself, but no use, I guess it's not working this way.  

''At least I know where I should head'' I looked in the forest's direction and hurried.

It's been hours since I started walking until I found that river. There was no trail after me, but somehow I felt ..watched. I dashed to the other side and looked after that man in the red cloak. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be found. ''What should I do now? '' I thought to myself.  

I sat on the ground trying to think of a probable outcome. 

Shortly after, I heard the leaves rustling. ''Chill Raven, it's a forest, animals are living out there. '' right, animals.  Animal or not, something was coming for me, I sensed it. I got up and immediately clenched my fists in an attempt to smack the one approaching me. 

''We met again.''  

The voice, where did I hear that? ''Sleep well'' I remembered, it's him, that one soldier. How could he cross the river without vanishing? Maybe he's not one them? The wrong answer, last he killed me so I can't be sure. I can't see him! Where is he? My breathing and heart rate increased, somehow I was feeling him near, even though no one was there. ''Talk to him, maybe he is mistaken, maybe you're not the one he's hunting. Maybe he knows why you're being hunt.''

''Who are you? Why do you want to kill me? I'm not the one you're searching for. You are mistaken.'' I barely spoke, managing somehow to control my trembling tone.

Silence.

''What if the voice is only in my head '' silly me.

A sharp blade cut my throat in a blink of an eye.

''I never commit mistakes. Never. " the man whispered in my ear before I took my last breath.   

It’s 3 a.m, I can't get out of my head what just happened. It's the second night I'm dealing with this nightmare. I got out of bed and went to wash my face ''I need to cool down.'' Entering the bathroom, I switched on the light. What I saw horrified me. Chill ran down my spine. 

The mark from the knife was on my neck. The scars were there. I looked at my hand the small cut that the man in the red cloak made was there too. 

In a blink of an eye, the light turned off. I felt heavy hands resting on my shoulders and heavy breathing in the crock of my neck.

I couldn't hold my tears back and move. The hands continued to roam to the length of my arms. He turned me to face him and lifted my chin up. 

''Oh no, don't cry, I will make sure to come to you more often.'' 

I woke up in sweat and tears. ''W-what is going on? '' I was on my bed. ''How did I? I was in the bathroom! Was this a part of the nightmare too?''

                                                                                ***

I didn't sleep that night or other nights ahead....no sleeping pills could help me get rid of that terror. I was stuck in the same time lapse, dying every single night.