Bad Dreams {DRAFT}

|| two ||

So this is where the story really begins.

I used to be a happy, caring girl. I loved everybody and everything and everyone. I was crazy about humans because I thought that the way they were made was simply incredible. And now, I'm a horrible person.

I took the role from my boyfriend, and he broke up with me. My mom was the one who gave me the role, and we had a fight.

For the first time in my lifetime, I got a B. A B! I was failing my classes, and I was tardy almost everyday. My teacher even called me to stay after school so she could talk to me.

"Ms. Hallaway, I've noticed that your grades are going down. I know you have a record of all A's. What's up?" Mrs. Jackson, my English teacher, had asked me.

My words got stuck in my throat. What do I say? I fiddled with my hair. "I-I'm not sure. I just am having troubles. Family...family trou-troubles." I stuttered. How stupid of me.

Mrs. Jackson had gotten so worried about me that she set me up with a therapist, Mr. Gonzalez. Now, I'm visiting him every Tuesdays and Thursdays until I get better.

Which I know I'm not.

My mom got worried, too. She apologized a thousand times and offered to take back the punishment she gave me. But it was too late. Showtime was in two weeks.

Mom almost didn't let me go to my cousins party, either, because she was afraid I was going to breakdown. But I talked her into letting me go. I told her that I'd take my phone with me and text her if anything went wrong. But what could go wrong at a little kids birthday party?

With my purple play dress that my cousin, Fiona, is so fond of, I walked up to her front door and knocked. Fiona's mother, Mrs. Gray, opened the door, smiling so hard that her cheekbones stuck out.

"Jacqui! I'm glad you could make it!" Mrs. Gray invited me in, waving my mom goodbye before closing the door. "Would you like something to eat or drink?" Mrs. Gray continued.

"Water, please." I replied as politely as possible. My throat was killing me.

"Right away!" Mrs. Gray said as she walked into the kitchen. At that moment, Fiona came running down the hallway.

"Jacqui! Jacqui, Jacqui, Jacqui, Jacqui!" She yelled, squeezing me until I almost barfed up my lungs.

"Fio!" I said, calling her by her nickname.

"You wore your play dress."

"I sure did! I knew you'd like it-"

"Come on, come on!" Fiona seemed to be ignoring me as she grabbed my hand and yanked me into her bedroom. Mrs. Gray came in behind us with a glass of ice water.

"This is my new room, we had it redone. Mommy and Daddy did it and they did so well didn't twey?" Fiona ran on, talking faster then a cheetah running full speed.

"It's beautiful!" I said. The walls were a bright blue, top to bottom, with painted clouds and the sun. A tree was painted above where her bed sat, and there was a bird atop her dresser. A real hamster cage sat on her windowsill.

"This party will be so fun that it'll wear you about by the end of the day." Fiona continued to talk on, "All my friends are coming like my best friends like Alyson and Kathleen and Ronda and Taylor. Taylor's a boy though."

"A boy?" I said, nudging Fiona with my elbow. She didn't get it.

"Yeah my boyfriend." I swear this kid talks faster then anyone.

"A boyfriend..." I dragged on, letting my mind wander of to Allan. Sometimes, he could be so sensitive. But I kind of get why he would be mad at me, I mean, I kind of took his role.

"Yeah well anyways we eat dinner."

"You do?"

"No, silly. We are going to. Duh."

She makes no sense.

~•~•~•

After a long party of playing tag with 9 year olds, eating snacks and watching barbie movies, I came home at 10 and almost dropped down dead.

"How was the party?" Mom asked, poking her head in my room.

"Besides the barbie movies and dolls, good." I replied.

Mom chuckled. "That's what you get when you go to a 9 year olds birthday party. Now go to bed."

Mom didn't have to tell me twice. She didn't even have to tell me once. I fell asleep instantly, slowly drifting into a dream...

"Oh, hey! Jacqui, right? I remember you!"

A low voice grumbled and boomed all around me. Of course I didn't know who it was for it was pitch dark, and besides, I didn't know where I was.

"Who-who are you?" My voice quivered.

"You don't remember me?" A finger traced the outline of my spine. I went tense.

"N-No."

"Well of course you do!"

The lights turned on, blinding me. Tile lay below my feet, reaching about five feet each way. Blood spots were splotched in between the crevasses and on the gray walls. There were no windows or no lights, but it was bright and I could see. Looking around, I saw nobody although I still heard the voice, "I'm your childhood best friend."

"Christie? Lucas? Margraet? I have a lot of childhood best friends!"

"Yes, but I was your favorite." As the voice said this, a black blob emerged from the west wall, growing into a tall, slender frame. A grayish face and pointy nose then appeared from the collar of the black blob.

"Slenderman." I whispered.

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Hey guys! How are y'all liking it so far?

I know this chapter is shorter then others, but I thought this was a good place to stop. Remember, this is only a draft.

Thanks for reading and let me know you think! xoxo, madison