I Can't Fix Us

Nightmares Never End

Despite my eyes being wide open, I was in complete darkness. Anxiety crept over me as I felt another's presence near me.

"Who's there?" I demanded. My voice feeling flat as it fell into the void surrounding me.

The sound of beating wings, edging closer and closer, accompanied strange gusts of wind. Laughter echoed around. With a slithering chill running down my spine, I recognized the voice. I screamed, but no sound come forth, only a hoarse, breathless, cry. I couldn't save myself.

I awoke with a start, gasping for air. I grasped desperately at the sheets, trying to ground myself in reality as I remembered where I was and how I got there - on the floor in Skylor's living room in a make-shift bed because I had run away from the monastery. Just like I ran away from all my other problems. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I groaned, resting my head in my hands until the world stopped swimming before my eyes and my heart rate returned to normal.

Moving stiffly, I made my way to the kitchen, rummaging in the cupboards for some earl gray tea. Mystake always said it helps calm the mind.

Wrapping my hands around my steaming mug, I inhaled the sweet aroma. This was the fifth night in a row I had suffered from night terrors, which was strange as I had thought I had moved past these haunting memories months ago. I guess some things never leave you.

After draining my mug, I trudged back to bed. I stacked a few extra pillows around me, like a barrier to protect me from my own mind. I curled into a fetal position, squeezed between the pillows, and shut my eyes tight. But no matter what I did, the haunting images of the Skull Sorcerer remained burned into my brain.

I tossed and turned for a few hours before grabbing my phone and clicking on some music, hoping to drown out my thoughts. It worked for a little, and I finally managed to fall into a restless sleep.

But even in sleep and I was not safe from myself or my past. Strange images danced before my mind's eye. The Skull Sorcerer with his cruel, sadistic grin; Princess Vania, a knife in her grasp dripping blood; The ninja, bloody and ragged, laying in a heap on the ground, groveling and groaning as death found them; And finally Cole. At last, I thought I had found a safe place in my mind. But a red stain began to seep out of his gi around his heart. Despairingly, I ran to him, but it seemed no matter how far and fast I ran, he was still far away. Looking down, I stumbled backwards as I realized my hands were wet and sticky, covered in blood. His blood.

After that night I gave up on sleep.

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Life fell into a dull, monotonous cycle. Wake up, train, sleep, repeat. Somewhere along the way, Kai left after an argument with Jay. He hid it well, but he took Nya's sacrifice really hard. Jay made a comment about Kai not understanding what he was feeling, and Kai, ever being the hot-head he is, blew up in Jay's face. The next day Kai was gone, and Jay was talking about leaving.

It's so quiet around here. And lonely. Zane turned off his emotions, which Pixal and I tried to talk him out of, but he's convinced he's not as productive with them on. Master Wu practically lives in the library now. He rarely comes out, not even to eat, and I think he's been sleeping in there - if he's sleeping at all. Misako's off to the library of Domu again, both of them are searching for some way to bring Nya back. There's not even any crime or anything to fight. But there was more to that story.

Reports were floating in of these small-time burglars and thugs being found in back alleys, tied and gagged up. There's rumors about who's taking care of them. Witnesses say that a figure seemed to appear out of nowhere without a sound. A phantom in the night, a wraith. Like a shadow, the figure would appear, neutralized whatever threat there was, and disappear again without a trace. Nothing more than a shadow in the night.