The Four Kings & Me

Chapter 2

“Was It Really A Dream Though?” 

New York City, May 10, 2022

Nvy's POV...

“Damn it, not again!” I exclaimed, my breath ragged as I abruptly sat up in bed. The sheets clung to my body, drenched in sweat, as if they were trying to suffocate me. My heart raced in my chest, threatening to burst through my rib cage.

Nightmares were no strangers to me; they had haunted my sleep since childhood. But this dream was different, more sinister than any I had experienced before. It felt alarmingly real, as if it had seeped into the very fabric of my being. I couldn't dismiss it as just another bad dream. There was something deeply unsettling about it, something that lingered in the air long after I woke up.

A bitter taste filled my mouth, matching the overwhelming sense of sorrow that washed over me. Tears welled up in my eyes, cascading down my cheeks as I clutched the damp sheets tightly to my chest. This dream had left an indelible mark on my soul, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that it held a more profound meaning, a message I needed to decipher.

“Get it together, Nvy,” I muttered to myself, my voice barely audible as I wiped away the perspiration clinging to my forehead and the tears streaming down my cheeks with the frayed edge of my gown. Shuffling towards the edge of the bed, I inhaled deeply, attempting to regain control over my tumultuous emotions. With a determined sigh, I opened the top drawer of my nightstand and retrieved my vibrant, pink journal.

For as long as I could recall, I had been visiting Mrs. Anna Hawkins, my therapist. Three weeks ago, she had suggested that I document every detail of the peculiar dreams that had recently plagued my nights. She firmly believed that these dreams held a connection to my forgotten past, a past that remained an enigma to me. Although I harbored doubts about the significance of these haunting nightmares, I complied with her request and diligently recorded them in my journal.

My Dream:

Every night, my dreams begin with simplicity. I find myself standing amidst a dense forest, adorned in an exquisite, crimson gown, my eyes fixated on the countless stars scattered across the velvety night sky. Clad in such elegance, it seems as though I am either awaiting the arrival of someone special or have just emerged from a place of great significance. 

However, the dreams take an abrupt turn, enveloping me in an unsettling aura that sends shivers down my spine. The same woods surround me, but now I am barefoot, my body draped in a tattered, weathered dress, its seams frayed with time. 

As I take note of my altered appearance, a chilling gust of wind whips through my curly locks, forcefully pushing them over my shoulder. The eerie symphony of unknown creatures howling in the vicinity sends waves of fear coursing through me, causing my arms to prickle with goosebumps in the cold. The unsettling sounds of predatory beasts and the crackling of dry leaves beneath my feet unnerve me to the core.

Out of nowhere, a piercing scream pierced the air, sending shivers down my spine. It was a scream filled with unimaginable agony, causing me to instinctively turn and head in the opposite direction. But just as I thought I had escaped, another ear-splitting shriek reverberated around me, intensifying my fear. My lungs burned as I sprinted away from the source of the terrifying sounds, my mind consumed by panic.