Page 33 of Beautiful Nightmare

I fall to my knees, trembling in grief.

A stake to the heart,then off with his head.

Followed by the burning of the body.

It’s the only way to ensure he stays fucking dead.

The cracklingof the flames againstthe cross creeps up Beckham’s body, and I slam my fists into the ground.

Screaming “No!” my vision blurs and the painful throb of my headache returns. Everything begins to spin, and nausea returns. My body propels into the black abyss that surrounds me, and internally, I hope this is the end. The thought is ruined when it suddenly stops.

Wide-eyed, I search the area around me, confused, and immediately I know I am back in the safety of my room.

Without hesitation, I lean onto my side and shrink into myself, with my arms wrapping around my bent knees and holding them tightly and painfully into my chest. Silence surrounds me, and I remain here, lying in a state of anxious calm, awaiting the next terrorizing experience to begin.

15

ROYCE

Fatigued, my mind finally allowed my body to give in to a deep slumber.

No flashes of haunted memories assault me for once, and instead my eyes were only greeted by darkness, and it welcomed me with open arms. As the darkness fades, light rises, forcing my eyelids to flutter.

Yawning, my arms rise and my legs stretch. My body prepares for the aches and sharp pain to follow, but strangely enough, it does not.

Placing my arms back down next to me, I turn my head in a state of confusion.

“Auk ria, spur notra. Sheeb mortus nor vine. Auk ria, spur notra. Sheeb mortus nor vine.”Soft whispers and sharp hisses alert me to the fact I am not alone.White granulated substances are next to me, and my peripheral vision notices that my hair is now clean, shiny, and fanned out. Flickers of light bounce off the wall, and the warm aroma of candles invades my nose.

Swallowing hard, my breathing becomes heavier as my heart rate speeds. All he would have to do is see my chest rising and falling quicker to know I am awake. But as I wait, no harsh footsteps follow.

My head turns, my neck creaking, and my eyes continue to observe.

“We summon you to protect our own,” a strong female voice chants before it all stops. My eyes shift, waiting in this awkward silence, but nobody moves.

Bewildered, my hands attempt to plant themselves firmly on the floor, acting as an anchor so I can rise. But as they are expecting to grip the boards, they fall right past them and are only met with air and space. The fuck?

Panic invades my thoughts, and my legs and feet flail like I am riding an imaginary bike.

I am levitating.

Wide-eyed and shocked, the most polite words that I have ever uttered leave me, “I would like to come down now, please.”

Tiny giggles follow before I am left to the silence once more.

With a furrowed brow, my nostrils flare. They changed me; my clothes are different. I am in an ankle-length silk nightdress that is too long for me, delicate gold anklets meet the hem, and my bare feet have toe rings. Moving my gaze up my body, the bruising has vanished, and as I wiggle my fingers, the broken bones are healed.

“And from our dust and ashes to your body and soul, we will survive the night, and their darkness shall never come for us!” Both voices unite and declare in unison, and by the time they reach their last word, my body is safely back onto solid ground.

And with great pride, one of the voices states, “Our baby girl, you are free.”

My torso jolts up, my back straight as my breath is swept away from me. Tears are freely flowing. I’m not sure when they started, but I make no effort to control them or stop. Hands tremble, and as I tuck my long, wavy hair behind my ears, my head tilts toward one of the shadowy figures standing behind white candles and the circle of what looks to be salt as she fills in the gap for me.

Making my way up her body, the emotions releasing on the outside are now swelling internally.

White hair and her bright smile greet me.

“Mommy.”