Split

Lydia’s scream sliced through the air as she ripped herself out of the nightmare. She jolted up right, entangled in the sheets. She gripped the sheets, trying desperately to catch her breath. Her hair was sticking to her temples from sweat. Her heart was thumping violently within her chest, as if it were trying to break free. Her skin was prickled with goosebumps. This was how she woke up every night.

Five months ago, it had started out as nothing more then a strange dream.

It would always start out calm and serene. Then it would melt into darkness with a strange, thick fog swallowing her body.

Out of the darkness, she’d hear a voice. Every night, for the first few weeks of the first month, she’d hear nothing but that voice. She was never able to register what the voice sounded like, because it was always a whisper. But the tone of it was dark and malevolent, sending chills down her spine.

Then by the second month, things became even more unnerving. The voice would call out her name, as if trying to lure her towards it. Every time she’d try to refuse it, but her feet would start walking towards it against her will.

It was like this for the first two months, the shadow visiting her every night. Every night it would call out to her, and every night she’d try to find it whether she wanted to or not.

Lydia would wake up trembling, a strange feeling in her stomach. Like something was very wrong. She knew it was just a dream, but something about it made her think it was real. It was getting worse. She could always still hear the haunting whispers, even after she’d woken up. Like they were an echo left behind from the nightmares that eventually faded after she’d wake up.

Over the past few months, her nightmare had gotten much worse.

She started seeing a shadow moving about, focused on her. She’d never see it’s face, but she knew it was watching her. She would just stand there, clenching her fingers as the silhouette circled around her. It would whisper her name, sending chills down Lydia’s spine. Every night, it lingered in front of her, as though observing her.

Every night she’d ask who it was.

Tonight it answered.

The shadow slinked towards her, and Lydia instantly felt cold. The dark silhouette slowly melted into a girl, the shadows falling from her body like a black robe. Lydia realized she was staring at herself. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she looked across the room at herself, as though looking through a mirror. Her identical leered at her, a cruel smirk curling at her lips. A darkness swam within her blue eyes, making Lydia’s skin crawl with fear. 

'Hello, Lydia.’ she heard her own voice, but it wasn’t her speaking.  

It was her reflection.
 

‘My name is Calista.’

Lydia tried to find her own words. “What do you want?”

‘You.’

Lydia was frightened, and she couldn’t look away from the look of evil etched onto her own face. Yet it wasn’t even her face. There’s no way she could look so evil.

Her reflection reached out towards her and Lydia tried to back away, but her feet were stuck to the floor. Calista pressed her hand to Lydia’s chest. A searing pain tore through Lydia, who started to scream. Calista opened her mouth, a shrill scream flying passed her lips in unison.

That’s when Lydia tore out of the nightmare, gasping for air. Her skin was clammy with sweat, her fingers ice cold.

Tonight was the worst yet. 

Lydia tried to control the shakes, shivers running up and down her spine.

She shut her eyes, trying to clear her mind. But when she did, she saw Calista’s face, staring back at her. Her own face.

Lydia became frustrated with herself, willing herself not to be afraid. Over and over she told herself that it wasn’t real, that it was just a nightmare.

The only thing that kept Lydia from losing it completely was the fact that Calista was only in her dreams.

But as Lydia curled back into her covers, she could still hear Calista whispering to her.

Reviews

[dw817]

OMy, a start to what could be a bipolar mentality - or - something beyond the grave ? Definitely well worded and written !

[Lydia Shutter]

Frightening images throughout this story and the fact the character is named "Lydia" made it very presonal for me! Is Calista her alter ego? A reflection that reaches out of the mirror to grab a person....gives me goosebumps! Very well written. Lydi**