Chapter 1: Never-Ending Nightmare

The story begins when he first shows up, and the first glimpse of fear.

She used to enjoy that moment. The time when her nightmare was pushed away and it was just the dark of her eyelids and the sound of her sister trying to wake her. She was thankful that the suffering and horror her mind created was suppressed, and it was replaced with the sweet comfort of pure darkness turning to light. She used to enjoy that moment, until it turned into the one time when she would experience something so unimaginably terrifying, that it drove her mad. The worst part of it all was that everyone just assumed she went crazy and everything that she was imagining was just that- her imagination. They took into consideration the fact that her step dad was one drink away from falling off the edge and the abuse her and her siblings endured from him. So they eventually stopped listening. “It’s just PTSD” they would say, or maybe “trauma does that to a kid, she will eventually grow up and realize it’s all in her head.” Her sister was the only one who knew it was not just trauma and it most definitely not all in her head. By the time anyone actually saw just how much pain she was going through, it was too late; he caught her.

                “Amelia! I told you ten times, you have to get up; we are going to be late!” She heard Maisie’s voice calling, but it seemed distant, farther than logically possible. Amelia slowly sat up in bed and looked around the room. Maisie was still calling her but it was as if her voice was getting caught in a river, and slowly drifted too far away to hear. Suddenly it got replaced with footsteps. She could hear heavy, powerful stomps slowly ascending up the stairs. Normally, any person coming up the steps that loud was her step dad, only this seemed unnatural. Scarcely a moment passed, but her curiosity changed into a fear so strong, that she held her breath. Maisie’s voice was so quiet and far and the footsteps got louder, closer.  They reached the top of the steps and picked up their pace. Tears ran down Amelia’s face and she began to scream, “HELP! HE’S COMING, HE’S COMING!!” Each floor board creaking led closer and closer to her room, where she was wrapped in her covers tightly, as if they would serve as some protection against him. Finally he reached her door, and there was a moment of dead silence. Amelia’s chest rose and fell so fast, it seemed it would burst, but she did not make a sound. The shiny, polished doorknob slowly began to turn; the door drifted open. Amelia’s scream pierced the air. One long, agonizing scream, and she squeezed her eyes shut, pushing herself as far back to the corner as she would go. A hand grabbed onto her shoulder, “AMELIA! Hey, wake up!” She opened her eyes and saw Masie holding tightly to her arm and glancing her up and down, concern clearly spreading across her face. Amelia was pushed into the corner of her bed, and she had sweat covering her body. “What kind of dream were you having? You screamed and thrashed around like crazy!”

“It wasn’t a dream Masie. Something was coming for me. I could hear you calling and I could tell you every word you were saying to me. He was stopping me from waking up! Please, you have to believe me! I know what it sounds like, but I swear, something is after me!” Amelia was shaking profusely and never took her pleading eyes off Masie.

“Uh, he? You are sounding kind of crazy Amelia. Just think for a second. Whatever you saw, or think you saw, it was all in your head. Things like that do exist, but only when you make them real.” She was trying to reassure her sister, and she kept her voice strong so Amelia would calm down a bit. “Sometimes your imagination is more of a curse than anything else. Trust me, you’re only eleven years old. I’m seventeen, so believe me when I tell you that the scary stuff you dream about, isn’t real unless you believe it’s there.” Amelia began to stutter, over and over, trying to get words out, but they were impossible to determine. “Hey! Are you even listening Amelia? Push that pretty brown hair out of your eyes and get ready for church, you need it.” Maisie turned and headed for the door.

“Wait, no please, no…er…please…don’t go! Maisie, p-p-please!” Amelia implored repetitively, but Masie left the room.

“Pft! Please, just get out of bed, Amelia. I tried to help you.” She was already almost down the steps, and Amelia took a few deep breaths. The shaking did not stop until sitting in the pew at church. That morning was the first time she truly experienced him, but it would not be the last.

Author's Note

This wasn't going to be a chapter but then I decided it could turn into something. Let me know what you think