When she was little, she has an imaginary friend named Bennett. She would play and talk with it but as she grew up, she started to forget about it.
She still remembers how it felt to have one because it sometimes appears in her nightmare.
Emily sighs, her nightmares has become worse since the last few years. She daydreams a lot, thinking of monsters and all other creatures. She even writes about it or draw them sometimes.
Emily lay on her bed and closes her eyes, she listens to the chirping sounds of the birds outside her apartment.
Three am in the morning, the door to her room creaks. Emily jolts up from her tiny bed, she looks around, nothing.
She secure her robe tightly in front of her waist when she drops her cold feet on the floor.
The floor creaks under her weight, Emily search for her phone and turns on the flashlight.
She moves around her small apartment checking if someone wants to break in.
When she was done with her investigation, she went back to bed.
The whooping sounds of the wind pushes her window open. The air in Emily's room becomes still.
Emily frowns, she tries to get up but realize her body is pinned to her bed.
She opens her eyes in time to see an eerie shadow above her as it cling to her ceiling.
She has been seeing it for the past years now, that is why she is always scared to sleep.
Emily recites her bible verses silently, the same bible verse her mother taught her when she was young.
' even though I walk through the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for the lord is with me.......
The shadows moves swiftly from her ceiling to her floor.
Emily tries to make out the shape of the eerie shadow but she can't, in her mind, she keeps on reciting her bible verse until it disappears into the thin air.
Emily gasps for air, she clutch her robe tightly and she scrambles out of her bed.
That is enough sleep for tonight, she curls up on the cold floor and struggles to keep her eyes open.
This is how she has been living for years, her nightmares comes to get whenever she sleeps.
She even told the priest that comes regularly to the prison her problem, he always tell her to pray.
Emily shivers on the cold floor, she prays silently for morning to come by soon.
It is the witching hour, the time she always have nightmares.
Morning came by faster than she blink her eyes, Emily remains stiff on the ground.
The sound of bell increases as someone is probably outside, Lucas.
She hears the lock been picked but she care less. Emily stares ahead in shock, slowly she is succumbing to madness and it is eating her soul slowly but deeply.
" Emily?", Lucas calls out to her but she can't even open her mouth to speak.
He finally finds her in her room.
" Emily!", He rushes to her side as he gently shake her.
Emily blinks, she look at him before trying to sit up which he help her with.
" Are you okay?", He asks as deep frown etch on his face.
" I am okay", she replies gruffly as she pushes his hands off her.
Lucas didn't mind that instead, he follows her to the kitchen where she opens the fridge to drink water.
" You don't like the house?", He mutters as he observe her.
She refuses to speak, Emily moves to the sitting room and Lucas trailing behind her asking her questions.
Will it be nice if she shares her problem to him, he is after all her parole officer not her therapist.
" I can't sleep", Emily confesses, the words spills out of her before she can stop it.
She stares at him with her empty eyes that has dark circles underneath it. Lucas eyes twitch, he is just seeing that now.
" Why?"
" Because... Because I always have this nightmare anytime I sleep. I don't know why, it feels like demons are luring around me ready to devour my fear", Emily breathes.
She shudders as she remembers the shadow she saw this morning. " There is this shadow, it comes for me every night."
" Do you think about scary things before you sleep?"
" Yes, I imagine things a lot. When I was younger before the death of my aunty, I have this imaginary world that I created up here", she points to her head.
Lucas didn't rush her, he rubs her arm in a soothing way. There is something about Emily that amuses him. He finds himself checking up on her when she was in prison. When he was told that he will be her parole officer, he felt happy that day.
" It is alright", he coos her like a child missing her mother.
He didn't judge her or make her feel uncomfortable.
" Did you kill your Aunty?", He asks the question running in his mind.
" No", she whispers.
" I am happy you told me this."
Enough of her personal life, Emily removes his hand from her body.
" I will be in the shower."
Emily removes her robe and turn on the shower.
The warm water run down her body and relieve the tension in her shoulder.
Emily sighs, she lean against the wall and close her eyes.
Shit!
She forgot her towel, did she even have one?
Emily puts on her robe when she finally manage to untangle the knots in her hair.
Lucas looks up when he heard her soft footsteps.
" Here, I got this for you", he drops the shopping bag beside her bed. " I am not sure I got the size right but it should be enough."
" Thank you."
After getting dressed, Emily sits on her stool as she munched on the cereal Lucas prepared for her.
She stares outside through her window and watches the little children playing with ball.
Emily didn't realize there is a smile on her face until she feels her cheek aching from smiling too hard.
" I am staying here with you tonight in case the shadow reappears", Lucas announces to which Emily nods.
He is trying to help her live a normal life which she isn't sure her life can be.Day went by so fast as night comes, Emily breathes harshly through her nose. She just showered and has changed into the pyjamas Lucas brought for her. Lucas knocks on her door, he waited for her to open it. " Hey", he says as he smile at her. " Are you ready for tonight?", He says in a rather professional way.Emily let out a small laugh, she never thought her parole officer will be sleeping with her tonight. She nods her head and shoves a blanket and pillow in his hands." You are sleeping on the couch", she says. " And don't try anything funny", Emily warns.
" We don't know what kind of monster is that. It might smell your fear", Lucas replies her. She didn't even realize that she said that out loud. He is right because the monster turns its head towards their direction. Emily gasps, the wolf like monster has no face but It has eyes everywhere. Its feet is like that of a chicken and its eyes is trying to search for the source of the sounds. The monster moaned, its ears twitched as it hunches over and continues drinking from the bloody lake. " Come on", Lucas whispers, he holds her hand and moved quietly. Emily move behind him, she mistakenly step on a twig which snaps under her feet. The creature turns, his eyes fixated on them. It moves with full speed, bearing his
" Mine, food", it cries and raises his arm, a vine like thing shoots out of his arm and pierces the stomach of the bat monster. " Food", it rejoices and run towards it.Emily stiffens, she watches with wide eyes as the monster devour its food. It split the stomach open, munching on the intestines.That is enough scene for Lucas, he drag Emily along with him.They run down the forest getting closer to the light.' almost there'Suddenly, a whooping sound is heard, it hits them and fling them to the ground but the impact with the ground never came as they fall into another dimension." Emily! Are you okay?", He asks as he sits up and reaches out for her hands." I am okay", she replies, aside from the lump growing at the back of her hand, then
" So your uncle is the real culprit", Lucas says as he closes his eyes. He is weak and tired from running, Lucas is about to fall asleep when he hears something moving. Emily notice that as well, she looks at Lucas who is also staring at her." What do you think that is?", She asks." I have no idea, stay behind me okay?." Emily swallows loudly as she holds unto his shirt.Lucas didn't know what to do but he is willing to fight it with all his might. He gathers his courage and tries to move but the sound stops. Emily breathes when she hears no sound, she looks at Lucas who licks his dry lips. He is trying hard to hide his fears and protect them.Everywhere is so dark that they hardly sees each other. Emily glances around, anything can come out and attack them in the dark." Lucas", Emily ca
Lucas moves closer to the edge of the hill, still holding her hand in his." Are you ready?", He asks as he stares at the ground, the ground didn't look far from up but the obstacles on it is what scares Emily." Yes", Emily swallows hard and involuntarily tightens her hold on his hand in a firm grip. With a light push, Emily yelps as she skids down the hill. She stumbles upon a rock and fall.Emily hits her stomach on a rock which shoots pain all over her body. She can't control the way she is tumbling, eventually, Emily lands on the ground with lots of bruises and cuts.She groans as she can't stand, Lucas tumbles down after Emily and lands beside her. Emily stares at the cloud, she feels numb and so
Emily races back to where Lucas is, she almost cry when she sees the situation he is in.The blood stain on his shirt and his pale face makes him resemble a vampire." Lucas", Emily cries as she kneels beside him, Emily cradles his face and help him up. " Come on Lucas, I have found the river."Lucas groans as Emily drags him up, he rests his arm on her shoulder and limps towards the river." We are almost there Lucas, hold on please", Emily urges him to continue moving forward when he stops." I can't", he complains. " I can't go any further."" No Lucas, you have to. You can't die on me, we are going to get out of this place together." Emily quickly wipe the tears that falls on her cheek and hurls him forward when he is about to fall.
" Please snap out of this, please I beg you", Lucas begs, he looks worried and stressed. Emily tries to control her fears but the changes in the surroundings adds to her panic. Lucas puts his hand on her back and rubs it in a comforting way. " Please Emily, come back to me", he whispers in Emily's ear as the woman in his arms trembles. Emily is scared, she trys to breathe but it is very difficult to do. Her heart pounds in her chest and inhaling becomes difficult. The darkness intensifies and howling voices of monsters is heard. Lucas looks around to be sure they are alone, Emily is making no changes instead it is getting worse. She is having a panic attack. " Breathe baby, please", Lucas sees no changes so, he did what is right and helpful by saying sweet words to her which helped a little.
How can she run away and leave Lucas behind. Lucas! She suddenly stops and turns around. She can't leave Lucas alone, Lucas will never leave her alone with a monster if it was him. Turning around, she sees the monster at the door sneering at her. Lucas is right, the monster can't leave the room. Lucas falls to his knees as the monster kicks him, the force causes Lucas to roll on his back. Dragging the chain saw, it refuses to start. The ogre smile in victory. It drags the mallet on the ground as it moves closer to Lucas. " No!", Emily yells. She did the bravest thing she can think of, Emily runs back to Lucas with her axe raise in the air. Letting out a war cry, Emily cuts the monster on its leg.