CHALCEDONY

Chapter 15-Nightmares

Nightmares

Pleasantly numb from the salve Luister gave her for the bug bites she finally fell asleep. For a few merciful hours she had a dreamless medically induced sleep. Slowly, and reluctantly she became aware of an itch on the nape of her neck. She wanted to scratch, but her arms were too heavy, like they were rooted to the bed. She moaned, but no sound came out. She tried to open her eyes and lift her head, but still nothing happened. It was as though she was trapped inside of her body. Just as she began to panic, her body obeyed and she sat up with a jerk, breathing rapidly.

But she wasn't in bed or her bedroom. Instead she stood in someone's house. At first, she thought it was Elizabeth's house. The setting of every nightmare for the last six months but this room was too large, too open, too expensive. She closed her eyes and took a deep, apprehensive breath as she realized it was the Murphy's home. And lying on the floor in the living room was a small lump covered in roaches. As she approached, the lump began to move and she was able to make out the shape of tiny arms and legs.

Then it began to cry.

Chalcedony dropped to her knees. She grabbed handfuls of bugs, pulling them off of the screaming child. She tried not to scratch the child as she pulled worked, but he began crying louder and his arms fought her as he tried to crawl away. She grabbed him by the waste to pulled him to her. Water, Water she realized. She needed water. She picked him up, resting his head on her shoulder. His screams booming in her ears.

As she took a step with the child, Deedee the child's mother appeared, blocking her path. For the past six months, she haunted Chalcedony's dreams. She never said anything, never even made a threatening gesture. But the sight of her always sent chills down Chalcedony's spine, made her blood turn cold, and her stomach churn into a tight ball.

The baby, screamed and coughed as the bugs began covering mouth. "Momma," he cried in that loud, although strained voice.

"Help me," Chalcedony said, holding the weeping, struggling child. "Help me."

Deedee did what she always did: Peered at Chalcedony with emotionless, dead black eyes and a strained, forced thin smile.

Chalcedony turned away, deciding to go the other way to look for water a bathroom or the kitchen and, if she was being honest, to escape her guilt and Deedee.

This time, the bug man blocked her path, the grey hooded sweatshirt hiding his face.

"Help me, Help me," the voice mocked, and the sound of its voice made Chalcedony gasp. The deep tenor, of the bug man was laced with the youthful voice of child.

Elizabeth.

"Help me Help me help me," the voice repeated. This time it was all Elizabeth and when the thing lift its head. Chalcedony saw Elizabeth pale skin and brown eyes.

"Help me, help me," Elizabeth mocked. Her luminous brown eyes filled with hatred and condemnation. He voice had a sharp edge of hatred, cutting through Chalcedony's last string of confidence.

Chalcedony chanced a glance at the baby. Realizing how quiet and still he had become. She shook him, begging pleading for him start screaming and struggling gain. Praying. Nothing.

Motionless.

Dead.

And her mind tore. Reason left her. She panicked. She screamed.

"Help me," Chalcedony shouted, tears falling uncontrollable down her face. This was her brother. She had to help. Her arms shook as she held the baby. Ignoring Chalcedony, the bugs only covered his body.

She imagined she could feel his body growing colder by the second.

Deedee appeared next to Elizabeth, still wearing her forced smile.

Hysterical, Chalcedony stepped back.

"Help me." she whispered, tears streaming. Paralyzed with terror and guilt. They wouldn't help her, she understood that. She had destroyed their family. Killed Elizabeth and her brother's mother. She had no right to ask for help. She had ruined both the baby and Elizabeth's life. She had no right for peace.

Resigned and committed to her pain, Chalcedony dropped to the floor, the dead child still in her hands.

Elizabeth smiled, and the thing that was both Elizabeth and the Bug Man opened its mouth and instead of the mocking response Chalcedony had expected, a torrent of roaches, centipedes, and beetles escaped out of its mouth and rushed towards Chalcedony.

She woke. Heart racing, she turned her head back and forth in a panic, making sure she was in her room instead of another nightmare.

The moonlight shining on her dressing screen across the room told her she was in her room this time. Released the breath she had been holding, she sighed with relief.

She had woken every morning since learning of Elizabeth's mother's death screaming. Always some dream of Elizabeth or her mother dead, or both getting their revenge. Paying her back for what she had done to their family.

The baby, Elizabeth's little brother had been new. So had the roaches and the bug man was new though.

She can't say she was surprise. Why not use the most horrific thing she'd ever seen against her?

She walked to her office and sat in front of the book she'd gotten at her coronation. It was still dark out. It wouldn't be day for some hours. That was okay though. More time to study her power. The more she know about herself her power her family the ammunition she would have against Isis.

Maybe eventually she'll learn something that would help her in her nightmares. Maybe.

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