Remembering Nightmares

Auriel opened her eyes and groaned when the light from the sunrise met her gaze. She pulled her duvet over her face and rolled over, wrapping herself in the blankets. She closed her eyes until her alarmed blared in her ear. Tearing the blankets from her she sat up on her bed and opened her drawer.

“Only seven more hours of school...what a nightmare,” she sighed, dragging herself out of her bed. She got dressed sluggishly and stuffed her hair in a messy bun as she walked to the stairs. She was half way down when her mother yelled at her to come down for breakfast. In a temper Auriel screamed right back that she was on her way, only to lose her balance and tumble down the stairs before she could mumble some hateful words at the world.                

The fall seemed longer than it should have and Auriel heard her back popping harshly as she kept falling. Expecting to soon be at the bottom of the stairs she closed her eyes and braced for the hardwood floor she would soon land on. But she kept falling; it felt like she had been falling forever when her back smashed viciously on the floor. It felt harder than the hardwood in her house. 

Auriel looked up warily expecting her mother to be standing over her frowning and asking if she was alright but when she opened her eyes she didn’t see her mother. She scrambled onto her hands and shuffled away from the face above her. Screaming frantically she tried not to look but the face was burned onto the inside of her eyelids. Scabbed cheekbones and stitches where eyes should have been were branded in Auriel’s mind. She squinted so she could see through the narrow slits, planning to close her eyes if she saw the girl again. She opened her eyes all the way after she didn’t see the girl. But there was a light in the corner of the room. Hoping it was a way to get out of what she believed to be a shocked stupor she started to get up and walk toward it. Auriel looked around her warily looking for the girl she had seen so many times before. How in the world did I think that up after falling down the stairs? A childhood nightmare, Auriel, really?  she thought to herself. She continued walking towards the light. As she finally arrived at the light it was so bright she had to close her eyes to adjust.         

When she opened them again the light was gone and she was in a room all alone. It appeared to be a hospital room. She figured her mother was worried and she had been unconscious. She looked around and found the door, planning to leave the room to find her mother. Auriel opened the door to an empty and dark hallway. Broken stretchers lined the walls and the floor was filthy. She tiptoed down the hall quickly still searching for her mother. As she came to the end of the hall she entered a large room. It looked like a waiting room and someone was at the secretary’s desk. Auriel walked quickly over and demanded attention from the secretary. He didn’t flinch. She grabbed his arm and tried to yank him around, but the arm tore off with a gory rip. The secretary fell over to reveal that he was, in fact, very dead. Auriel looked at his eyes, sunken into his skull and realized she was still holding the corpse's arm, dropping it quickly. She screamed and ran back up the hallway, back to the room she was in originally. 

When Auriel entered the room she and sat on the hospital bed and put her hand to her heart. She felt she had to calm it or someone would hear it pumping violently in her chest. Suddenly the door slammed loudly and the lock clicked. Auriel fell to the ground in a heap, trying to convince herself it was just a dream. She was reliving all her nightmares, but she didn’t remember them well enough to know what was going to happen. 

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts and she sat up straight, facing the door. Another knock and another. She spotted the sink across the room and scurried toward it, planning to hide in the cabinet under it. She opened the cabinet to find her little sister dead and decaying. She opened her mouth to scream but was so disturbed that no sound came out. Silent tears ran over her face and violent shaking wracked her body. The door opened but she did not bother to look who had arrived in this world of nightmares. But when a familiar voice reached her ears she looked up. 

It was her mother. Auriel got up, tears still streaming down her face. Her mother walked to her and hugged her tightly. Auriel put her arms around her mother’s waist and embraced her tightly. Her mother pulled her away and held her at arm’s length, looking directly into her eyes. Auriel stared back. She expected her mother to give her a loving look but for some reason there seemed to be a hint of hatred in her eyes. Auriel disregarded it as she was pulled back into an embrace. Her mother whispered that Auriel could never be forgiven and Auriel tried desperately to run as she took a scalpel from the sink counter, but her mother held her fast in her arms. Auriel struggled but the scalpel dug into her back sharply and her mother laughed as she twisted the blade and stabbed it in Auriel’s back four more times. Auriel writhed in pain and coughed up blood as the scalpel passed through her rib cage and punctured her lung. Her mother let go of her and she collapsed to the ground. The cabinet under the sink was open and the last things Auriel saw were her dead sister and her mother laughing hysterically as she placed the bloody scalpel in her pocket.

 

 

 

Auriel had been in a coma for three days now and her mother was worried sick… 

Author's Note

Based off a writing prompt. Trying my hand at horror and I'm not sure it's my thing!

Reviews

[Iridescent Black]

Eerie and terrifying. Throughout the entire thing I'd have to say the secretary was my favorite part. It can be a scary thing to feel invisible or ignored; like you don't even exist - but to add to her ripping off his arm by accident was a plus. I have to wonder though if he continued what he was doing or did he moan and scream as she ran back to her room? Sometimes a little detail is perfect but a little more can make one actually believe they are there with her. Overall, great job!

[Riley Justine]

Thanks so much! I will be sure to add some detail there and I'm glad you enjoyed it! It means a lot

[Ilerah]

Well, great story. Well written.

[Not here]

This is really creepy. Great story though, silent raven, and you should keep writing things in this genre. i dont know if it is relevant, but the only advice i have is to break up your story into more paragraphs and make it seem easier to read and more attractive to the eyes. thats the only advice i have. other than that, great job and keep it up!

[Riley Justine]

Thank you so much for reviewing! I will do that right now!

~Raven