Prologue - Draft 1

Nothing fancy happens in this one. Just a slow picture of the normal before we get on with it. This is still just the first draft I've put some effort in, so don't expect much from it.

Stirring awake, Alex's heart pounded like blast beats in his ears. The lingering scent of Shelly's vanilla-scented lotion filled the air, a stark contrast to the cold, damp morning outside. The rain had started its relentless patter against the windowpane, casting partially transparent dancing shadows across the room.

A shiver ran down his spine as the nightmare's last vestiges lingered among his thoughts.. The cold, clammy touch, the grotesque figure looming over him�"it was all too real. One scene recurring from the previous nightmares: Being held up by countless hands, of whose owners he'd never see any sign, held in a dark space, then, another, taloned appendage, far from human, would extend from the wall of obscure darkness, and like an autopsy knife, with its index finger's talon, slowly split the skin on his torso. He'd wake up in the final moment, when two such hands, one on either side, grip his now split skin and with a savagery worthy of any beast, rip away his outer shell, all the while he could only lie still and stare in dread. 

 He shook his head, trying to dispel the haunting images, only to discover his long, messy hair clinging to his sweat drenched skin. 

A vague recollection of Shelly being in one of the scenes fueled the heart-shredding panic still holding strong to his chest. There was nothing in life he feared losing, nothing save for her.. 

Relief came to him only as Shelly's soft footsteps padded across the floor, from the bathroom to his right, just audible under the pattering rain and distant grumbling of the storm. 

With a long weary yawn he sat up, the more pleasant drowsiness only now manifesting in place of the previous, heart-pounding, gut-wrenching adrenaline driven fear. He glanced out the window, his back toward the bathroom and his approaching wife. 

Before he felt himself ready to move or speak, Shelly's smooth, soft hands entwined around his chest just as she kissed his left cheek. Alex started at her sudden touch but her scent and thin, soft lips quickly eased him back into her embrace. 

“Hey..”

They said in near perfect unison. 

She sat beside him, while pulling on her shoes. "Nightmare again?" she asked, her voice soothing.

He nodded, his voice weary, crackling. "The same one.. I think."

She pulled him closer, her embrace warm and reassuring. "It's just a dream, Alex. It's not real."

To him, eyes still fuzzy and mind still chaotically brewing like the outside storm clouds.. These slow mornings seemed like a dream, wonderfully comforting and yet, he feared that one day he'd wake up, finding the dream is done with. 

“You're up and about early..” Alex whispered, only then noticing Shelly had already been fully dressed and ready to go. She had pulled on a plain green raincoat over her ER uniform. The blue and green garments infected with the sterile stench of hospitals, even so, her enticing, curvy form teased Alex's desires. Her face hosted tiny freckles on her cheeks, not taking away from, rather adding to her enchanting beauty, but he loved her deep emerald eyes the most, vivid with color, glimmering with life and vitality. 

*

“Yeah, it's annoying,”she said looking around for her handbag, 

“but I have to go in early, with this dumb storm coming we're expecting a higher number of accidents and such.”

“I don't know why people don't just stay home when it's judgment day outside..” Alex started in a teasing voice, to that Shelly put her hands on her hips, smiling back at Alex.. 

“Gee, I don't know.. Maybe cuz they have to be somewhere regardless of the weather..”

She replied, alluding to his late afternoon appointment at the recording studio. By then, the storm would be raging at its worst no doubt and like many others, Alex would be out on the road all the same, going to work… 

“Come awn, don't gimme that.. I'd love for once if my queen stayed home with me during the week… nowhere to be, no responsibilities..”

Alex continued his musing, as Shelly located her small, black handbag, hanging from the door. 

“Yea, you just want the sex..”

Shelly teased, rummaging through her bag for her keys with a passing smirk. 

“Hey, like you don't…”

Alex responded, sitting up and pulling on his well worn black jeans. 

“I dunno, I feel a headache coming on…” Shelly noted, turning back from the door, without missing a beat, closing the few steps to Alex and pinning him against the bed, getting on top of him. 

Their lips barely met when Shelly's phone rang, jolting her up before the anticipated long kiss. 

“I gotta go. I'll call you later.”

She said quickly, declining the call and once more storming off for the door. 

“‘s that all I get?” Alex called after her with a puzzled and disappointed expression. 

Shelly flashed him another quick, suggestive smile before stepping out.. Her raven tresses framed her features like an intricately designed picture frame holding a priceless painting. 

“Later.”

***

Checking his phone, Alex sighed at the reminder flashing on the screen. 

Unseen Enemy; at 15:20

Instrumental records; at 17:20

I.M.T band; at 19:00

He'd nearly forgotten how tight his schedule would be.. And this all just for recording, production would drag on further. 

Maybe I'll call Dave and see if they can come in early.. On second thought… 

Lying back across the bed, Shelly's lingering sweet scent strong in his nose, another wave of unsettling emotion materialized at his core. 

As the raindrops knocked gently on his window, Alex glanced outside, the street alive with cars leaving. Under the rhythmic beats of rain, tires sloshing through puddles and hissing across the wet asphalt. 

 His neighbors huddled under umbrellas that an ever strengthening wind sought to tear from their grasp. Simple, yellow and red raincoats on kids who were complaining they'd have to go to school again…

And still, the obscure yet cold emotion clung to his back and stomach like glue to paper.. 

At first it made sense, he'd woken up from a vivid nightmare with phantom sensations of pain and the intrusive groping touches of not entirely human hands.. His arm hairs writhed, recalling the final scenes of his spectral vision. 

Strange, how dreams often fade from memory as we try recalling their details.. 

***** ******

Author's Note

Yes, the disclaimer above is correct.
I will rewrite this again and again as I have the motivation for it.
In the meantime, I'll be writing the next few bits.