Nightmares

A Chapter by Baybee

Then the room went dark!

It seemed like whoever killed her father was lurking around in the darkness-somewhere in the house-waiting to pounce on her.

"No, Daddy please don't leave me!" Cathie shut her eyes and screamed causing Melly to answer with a cry of her own, just as the sound of footsteps got close to the room.

"Help!" She cried to no one in particular, moving jerkily on legs she could barely command-trying to scramble off to a corner as the footsteps were now accompanied by a shadow.

She had lost her Mother years back and now this?

Finally the shadow entered, revealing a human carrying a flashlight not letting Catherine make out if it were a he or she. But could a woman be so cold blooded?

What she did make out was the light pointed directly at her as if he-she had concluded it was a man-did not want her to as much as catch a glimpse of his face.

"Don't hurt me please!" She screamed, and she screamed, and screamed; it was oblivion she was screaming for, oblivion and an end to her living nightmare, but oblivion didn't come.

Why did peter not come to her rescue, was he dead? Or maybe he was the killer? But that didn't matter now as the figure closed the distance between them and laid a hand on her.

"It's okay Dearie..."

"Get your hands off-" Then she stopped.

That soothing voice wasn't that of a serial killer. Neither did the large green eyes that stared at her.

She blinked, something was not right. She was in her room not her dad's. And Mrs. McNeil, not a serial killer-was bent close to her.

"You okay Sweetie?"

Okay? How could I possibly be okay? I just had a replay of the most horrible day of my life. A tear ran down her cheek. Nine years ago; hell ten! When her father was horribly snatched from her life.

"Yeah," Cathie winced and got up. "I guess I had a nightmare."

"Wanna tell me about it?"

"No, I mean don't worry about me."

"You know I'd always do dear." Rose McNeil sighed when she didn't reply. "Alright I'd see you downstairs when you're all ready for school."

"Okay."

Catherine dragged herself to the bathroom and begun her morning duties.

She was in a much better mood when she went to her bedroom to get dressed. She put on a little jeans skirt and a pink flannel top. She brushed out her gold wavy hair, put on a little mascara and bright red lip gloss. Bangles came next and a wristwatch; the last thing she'd gotten from her father. Well, she got a camera along with it.

Grabbing a black-chunk wedge, she hurried down the stairs and out the back door and begun a long walk to school.

Thoughts ran through her mind.

Losing both parents at such a tender age hurt her unimaginably. Thanks to the McNeil's; she had both a home and a family. They loved and treated her like their own and she did also. But a girl was bound to remember her parents once in a while just like what had commenced this morning.

"Hey Kitty Cat!" Jessica's voice; accompanied by her car horn called her back to the present, Catherine turned to face the red Volkswagen. "Dang girl I've been blowing the horn for say two minutes now, if I didn't know you, I'd have said you was deaf."

"Just thinking." Cathie said nonchalantly, opening the door to the passenger's side.

"I can f****n' see that." Jess started off. "Wanna tell me why you're not with your baby on this fine morning, it's got problems?"

"Nah, I slipped out of the house."

Jessica made a face at her friend, "Oh? And why the hell did you do that?"

"Don't look at me like that!" Cathie answered as she got into the car, "There wasn't a fight." Sighing at her friend's 'Never-said-there-was' look, she continued, "Just didn't feel like talking, i had a nightmare. One that involved me screaming-the-effing-house-down."

"Lemme get this straight. You had a bad dream, screamed the house awake, didn't feel like talking about it so you carried your little a*s out of the house, right?"

"Right!" Cathie confirmed and frowned when her friend started to laugh, "Now what the hell is so funny, huh?"

"Oh no, nothing at all." Jess teased, "So what was vacation like?"

"Was good, yours?"

"Hahaha, You say good like it was some boring lame s**t, i mean, didn't you have a lil 'fun?" She rolled her eyes, "Well I went visiting my cousins in Florida and I met this crazy guy, totally kissable, lil' taller than me, nice abs-"

Cathie interrupted, "Don't tell me you guys-"

"Sure, like hello, why effing not?"

"Why not? You knew him for like how long? Two weeks? Sometimes I wonder how the hell you manage to do all that crap."

"Easy, you just have to make him know you're intrested. Set the mood coupled with your really sexy look, tease him a little with anything-lollipops are the best; peel the wrapper slowly, get the stuff into-"

"Jessica!" Cathie cut her speech short. "You know that's not what I mean; jeez I'd probably get an excellent in that procedure."

Jessica laughed long and loud, "Just felt like teasing your dumb a*s a little, speaking of which, you'd never guess what his eight year old sister's like. She...."

That was all Cathie needed; eight years old!

Eight years.

The most horrible year of her life, the year she went through the trauma of being an orphan.

The year she was told her dad, the one who had hugged and kissed her that morning of her eight birthday, was dead.

Catherine could still recall the horror she felt when he fell lifelessly off the bed. It was like living out a scary-horror-movie, one that did not end. The images of him lying there was visible in her mind just like a horrible birthday present.

"Earth to Catherine!" Jessica's voice called her back to the present.

Catherine stared into her grey eyes, "I'm sorry what were you saying?"

"I said, if it was you Gabriel's lil' sis said that to, what would you do?" Jess re-asked.

Cathie frowned. "Who's Gabriel?"

"You know what, forget it."

"I'm sorry I haven't been myself all morning." She apologized.

"I noticed."

Want you to love me, like I'm a hot pie...

Keep thinking of me...doing what you like

So boy forget about...

Jessica shoved her hand bag at Catherine. "Get that call will you? Bet its Maggie."

"Yeah it's her." She retrieved the mobile and got it to her ear. 'Hey babe!'

'Where the hell are you? Don't tell me you decided to miss school after all?' Maggie's unmistakable voice questioned.

'Nah. Matter of fact we'd get there real quick, chill out.'

'Hurry!'

"I'd bet there are new dudes at school, can't wait for my newest catch." Jessica grinned as Cathie dropped the mobile.

"You mean new victim?"

"Whatever you want to call' em...give me a week and the dude in question would be all over me!"

"Give yourself a sec and you'd drive past school."

"Oops, my bad." Jessica pulled in the parking lot. "Great we got here in time. Ain't that Fred's car? See those love-birds anywhere?"

Getting out of Jessica's car, Cathie scanned the faces outside Hamilton high, "Yeah, by the main doors," She said waving Margaret who'd spotted them. "Looks like she's waited a while."

"Not my fault, I never suggested she be an early freak and besides it's the first day of school; not much ever goes on." Jess concluded as they hurried to meet their waiting friend.

The trio in question did most things together starting from walking the halls of Hamilton high-somewhat like something out of a movie. Dressed alike, hair down, books in hand or bag, hips swaying, shoes clicking; like they owned the place. But that was just one of the many things they did as a team.

Catherine and Jessica both blondes went way back to when they where children. Living close to each other and attending the same school which was pretty much the only thing they had in common, aside from cheerleading that is.

Jessica had a heart shaped face which was framed with sun-streaked blond hair. She had an amazing set of grey eyes that you could get lost, staring into. She was the self-confident, outgoing and don't-need-your-approval type that loved flirting.

Unlike Cathie whose oval face was framed with gold locks that ran all the way down her back, eyes so blue-they sometimes appeared purple. She was beautiful and organized, some could add fascinating. She often carried herself with the aura of superiority but, in all, their friendship seemed undying.

Maggie came into the picture in their high school days and she fitted right in. Brown skinned brunette with large sparkling brown eyes. She was somewhat a twitch being a foot shorter than Jessica. Margret was the bubbliest brunette you could ever meet and her great sense of humor, made her just perfect. She did a great job of completing the group and was the only one with a steady boyfriend. Cathie didn't think much about commitments and her relationships never lasted over three weeks while, Jessica just got them in her bed-got bored and moved to the next.

"Great you guys finally decide to show up?" Maggie commented as they got close.

"Aww, come on princess what's the point of being early when nothing ever happens, Hey Freddy!" Cathie greeted.

"Hey guys," he returned. "Look I got to go," he turned to give Maggie a quick peck, being tall; he had to bend-brushing his blond hair against hers, "Catch you later babe."

"Whoa, i mean, is it just me or is that guy getting gorgeous?" Jess said smacking her lips at his departing profile.

Maggie treated her friend to a shove, "Lay off..." Her eyes went wild as she registered Jessica's killer outfit. A short denim shorts with ripped leggings and a tight tank top, "Nice outfit Jess who are you planning on murdering just yet?"

"Not sure, some new guy maybe, seen any around?"

"Yup there's one that caught my eye-tall, hot and handsome-"

"You think all guys are tall, hot and handsome Mag." Jessica interrupted.

"No kidding you should see him yourself, for a second there I felt bad I was already taken." Maggie chirped, "Kitty?" She called suddenly noticing Catherine appeared to be in a world of her own.

"Catherine, where are you?" Maggie called louder this time.

"Sorry I was...just thinking about something, what where you saying?"

"Wow, what's gotten into you, are you okay?" Maggie's voice showed concern.

"She's been that way all morning." Jessica added.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that? I'm fine plus we should be getting to class already!" Cathie snapped.

It was Maggie's turn to frown, "Looks like someone woke up at the wrong side of their bed."

"Oh she did alright, something 'bout a bad dream and stuff, i mean, she wouldn't even drive. I found her walking to school."

Maggie chuckled and Jess joined, "Now that's something."

"That's the same dumb s**t I thought too."

"Seriously guys quit laughing and let's go in." Cathie sighed.

"Alright, alright we're coming." Jess put up her hands and followed her friends inside. "Hamilton high here we come!"

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