198: THE NIGHTMARE
LUKE’S POV
In the heart of this ancient, dense forest, I stood, the moonlight struggling to break through the thick canopy above, casting eerie shadows that danced upon the forest floor. My breath misted in the chill night air as I called out my wife’s name, the sound lost in the rustling of leaves and the distant hoot of
an owl.
Hope and fear mingled within me as I pushed through the undergrowth, each step crunching on the carpet of fallen leaves. The darkness seemed to envelop me, the silence of the forest weighing heavy on my chest. I couldn’t halt my steps now, not when I felt so close to finding her.
Then, there she appeared. A figure at the edge of a small clearing was bathed in a pale, ethereal light that seemed to radiate from within her. It was her, unmistakably so, with her long, flowing hair and the soft curve of her smile. Relief flooded through me as I quickened my pace, arms outstretched to embrace her.
But as I drew nearer, a shadow passed over her face, her features morphing into something dark and malevolent. I hesitated, my steps faltering as unease crept over me. This was not right; this was not my wife.
Before I could react, darkness surged forth from the shadows, engulfing her in a writhing mass of black tendrils that coiled around her like serpents. My heart leaped into my throat as I watched in horror, unable to move as she was dragged into the depths of the forest, her voice echoing hauntingly in the night.
“No, no, no!” My voice cracked with desperation as I stumbled forward, reaching out a hand toward the fading silhouette of my wife. But it was futile; she was already lost in the darkness, swallowed up by forces beyond my understanding.
Tears welled in my eyes as I fell to my knees, the weight of grief crushing me like a vise. I had come so far and searched for so long, only to have her tear away from me once again. The forest seemed to close in around me, the trees bending and twisting like accusing fingers, and the night was alive with whispers that chilled me to the bone.
“Ariel!” I bawled, waking up from my sleep. I had to realize it was all a dream. Breathing heavily, I glanced at the clock. The time was just 2:00 a.m.
And I lay here in this bed, my mind still reeling from the vivid nightmare I had just experienced. I couldn’t shake off the feeling of fear and unease. She reached out to touch Ariel, but the darkness engulfed her. It was a terrifying sight that left me feeling helpless and disturbed. Even though I knew it was just a dream, the intensity of the emotions it evoked had me feeling completely fucked up. It was as if my subconscious was trying to warn me of something, but I couldn’t decipher what it meant. The image of Ariel being swallowed by the darkness was haunting me, and I couldn’t shake off the feeling of dread that lingered within me right here, right now.
I couldn’t shake Ariel’s thoughts from my mind. She seemed to dominate every waking moment of
194 THE NIGHTMARE
mine. And as it turns out, oven my subconscious couldn’t escape her grasp. I found myself dreaming about her, but it wasn’t the sweet dream I had hoped for. Instead, it was a nightmare, one that felt all too real. It was like my fears and anxieties were manifesting themselves in my dreams, and I couldn’t wake up from them. It was a crazy experience, making me realize just how much Ariel had affected me. Of course, I had already realized that in the previous days,
I stayed awake for minutes, which felt like hours. But I finally went to sleep, I just hoped that I wouldn’t have another nightmare. Ariel was just the person I wanted to see now,
And hours later, I finally woke up. I sat in bed, looking everywhere, I glanced at my alarm clock; it wasn’t even going mad. And yes, I woke up really early today. I went to wash my face, and looking at myself in the mirror, I saw Ariel in it as well. I immediately cleaned my eyes with water, shaking my head, and when I opened them, she wasn’t in the mirror, Hallucinations wow, this is quite fucked
- up.
A little while later, when the day had gotten a little brighter, my phone began to ring; Tiffany was the one calling. I answered it.
“Hello, Luke, you have to come to the hospital right now,” the caller said. But it wasn’t Tiffany speaking; it sounded like her mother.
“Why? What’s wrong?” I asked, curious.
“It’s Tiffany. She fell down the stairs, and now she’s bleeding seriously.”
“What? Are you serious?”
“Yes, I am. We’re going to need your support around here. Come to the hospital as soon as possible. I’ll text you the address.”
The call ended after that. About a minute later, I received a text message with the hospital address.
The thought of Tiffany’s bleeding was extremely concerning and alarming. It was clear that she was in need of immediate medical attention. I knew that I needed to make my way to the hospital as quickly as possible to ensure that she received the necessary care. Time was of the essence, and I couldn’t afford to waste any precious moments. I would really need to rush to get to the hospital because, right now, my mind is filled with worry and concern for Tiffany’s well–being. If it were in my hands, I would have to do everything in my power to get her the help she needed, and I wouldn’t stop until I knew she was in good hands.
I quickly got dressed and rushed out of my house, not even bothering to grab breakfast. My mind was racing with thoughts and scenarios of what could have happened to Tiffany. I couldn’t bear the thought of her being hurt or in pain, although I wasn’t in love with her. She was a friend.
I made my way to the hospital, driving as fast as I could without breaking any traffic rules. I couldn’t afford to get pulled over now. Finally, I arrived at the hospital and quickly made my way to the
emergency room.
When I entered, I saw Tiffany’s parents pacing back and forth, their faces etched with worry and fear. They looked up at me with relief in their eyes, grateful that I had arrived.
108: THE NIGHTMARE
3/3
“Luke, thank goodness you’re here.” Veronica walked to me.
“What happened?” I asked.
“She slipped and fell down the stairs. We found her lying unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. The doctors are doing everything they can, but she’s lost a lot of blood,” Tiffany’s father, Manuel, explained.
“Where is she now?” I queried.
“They took her to the emergency room. Come, we’ll take you to her,” Veronica said, leading me down the hallways.
When we got to the room, I saw her unconscious, so I moved further and took her hand in mine. Her hand was cold and limp, and I could see the bandages on her head and arm. Also, a pale face right
there.
“Tiffany,” I whispered, still cleaving to her hand, hoping for her to get better soon.
I left the room, and hours passed by as we waited for any news from the doctors. And finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the doctor came out to speak to us.
“Ms. Tiffany is stable now. We managed to stop the bleeding, and she regained consciousness. However, we have some terrible news.”
“Terrible news? What is that, doctor?” Veronica asked.
