In The Hands of a Stranger

Nightmares & Realities Part 1

Rogue stayed frozen on the bed. Oh, mah god, she gonna kill me, she thought. No, ah won't let it happen. She rose out of the bed slowly. She never once did she take her eyes off of Bell.

"If it isn't Remy's little whore," Bell said. "I'm amazed you be walkin'."

"Stay away from me," Rogue said. "Or ah'll kick your ass like ah did last time."

"No' dis time, little Rogue. Remy get a big surprise when he get back."

Rogue was scared out of her mind, but tried not the let it show. She didn't want to give Bell the satisfaction. "Please, Bell, whatever ya thinkin', Stop."

"I won't stop, not 'til he pays."

"Why can't ya jus' leave us alone?"

"He didn't leave me alone. I do ya a favor, 'cause he jus' do de same t'you."

"Don't do this," Rogue pleaded. "Just because he left ya..."

"Ain't nobody leave me!" she shouted and lunged at Rogue, but she retaliated by pushing her away.

"Please, Bell, stop. Ya only hurt yourself."

"De only one be hurtin me is Remy, low-life cheatin' piece of gutter trash. He ain't tossin' me aside for de likes a'you" Bell grabbed hold of Rogue's throat. Rogue tried to scream, but she couldn't make a sound.

"Bell, what are you doing?" Carol said. "You're going to kill her."

Carol grabbed hold of Bell, but still she wouldn't let go.

Rogue felt herself slipping away. No, she thought, it can't end this way. Something inside Rogue told her to fight back. Barely able to breathe, Rogue found the hidden strength inside her. She grabbed hold of Bell getting the upper hand. She threw her across the room.

Rogue fell to the floor grasping for air. She felt so strange. Something was happening to her. Before she knew it Carol came towards her.

"Are you alright?" she said. "I'm sorry. I didn't know she was going to go off like that." Rogue still couldn't talk, although she was no longer gasping for air. "Just breathe deep." Rogue nodded.

With each moment Rogue felt stronger. "Who...are...you?" she said.

"My name is Carol and..."

Rogue noticed the young woman was touching her skin. Something was happening. The nightmares she been having. They were becoming real. Terror struck her at that very moment. "Stop," she choked out. "Don't touch me, please."

"I...can't..."

"Let go of me!" Rogue cried. "No!"

Carol fell to the floor taking Rogue with her. Rogue was still screaming. Bell looked on in fear. "What are doin', ya freak?" Bell shouted. Carol lay on the floor unconscious, while Rogue huddled in the corner screaming. "What da hell? What ya do to her?"

Rogue could say nothing. She stayed quiet and after a while just mumbling to herself. Bell was horrified but still she came towards Rogue, part of her thought that the girl was faking, but if she wasn't then Bell would know that she was in real trouble.

"What's wrong with ya?' Bell shouted, shaking her.

"Stay away from me!" Rogue screamed, throwing Bell into the opposite wall. It was enough to knock her out cold. Rogue remained huddled in the fetal position. All the while a voice rang through her head. It was that woman, the one who tried to help her. It was Carol. "Oh, mah god," she whispered. "Ah absorbed her." But how, mah powers, they were supposed to be gone.

See what you did to me! Are you happy now?

"No, no, no!" She screamed out loud. It was the only way to drown out that woman's voice.

Rogue staggered to her feet. She saw the woman a few feet away, the one now residing in her head. Her whole body started to shake. Then she looked over to the other side of the room. There was Bell, unconscious. Rogue blamed herself. She had done this, for whatever reason this was her fault. She sobbed uncontrollably.

"Why couldn't you leave us alone?" she yelled at the unconscious Bell.

Then the voice inside her came. Don't blame her. You know it was your fault. Everything is your fault. She put her hands on either side of her head and screamed. "Leave me alone! Stop it! Get out! No!"

She sank to the floor wallowing in the emotional pain. Carol's voice seemed to be getting louder and louder. Just look what you've done! She staggered to her feet. "No," she said. "This is not happening! No, no, no!" She was screaming now, but Carol's voice just wouldn't shut up.

She had to run. She wanted to run. She thought if she did the voice would stop. She didn't remember running out the hotel room or onto the street. She didn't remember the onlookers staring at her like she was some kind of freak. All she remembered was Carol's voice in her head screaming at her.

You can't get away from me no matter how hard to try.

She wanted desperately to get away from it, but it was inside her. How could she run from it when it was with her all along? She couldn't think logically. Running was all she could do, but soon she wouldn't be able to do that anymore. It wasn't long before she was out of breath and her energy spent. She stumbled into the woods and fell to her knees, wishing for the quiet only death could bring. Soon exhaustion hit and she fell unconscious.