Zach Herron Imagines

Nightmare

Running.

I was running.

Running away from the monsters chasing me. They weren't slowing down. They got faster and faster as each second passed. I just had to run faster than they could and get to the soft, glowing light ahead of me.

But I can't, I couldn't.

Just as I was out of arms reach from that peaceful light, I was yanked back.

I tried to grab a hold of something, anything. Anything to keep me from slipping into the dark.

I struggled and screamed and tried to get the monster off me, but it wasn't any use.

The monster scratched at me, it's long nails scraping into my flesh, creating long drags drawing blood.

My entire back was torn up, and it burned. Burned so bad that it felt like my blood was sizzling when it came out.

I screamed so loud, trying to see if anyone, anything was out there, but nothing ever came.

I was flipped over to my stomach, and I finally got a look at what this thing looked like.

A cloaked figure with bonelike arms and legs, was pinning me down. Its skin was so pale, it was almost translucent. Pieces of flesh were rotting away, the dark black veins crawling up from its hands to under the cloak that just ended at its wrists.

None of that phased me though. What phased me was the piercing, blood red eyes against...nothingness. Inside the hood were only its eyes and its sinister smile.

I tried to scream out again, but as the creature waved its hand over my face, my voice seemed to be nonexistent. My mouth was opened, but no sound came out.

I glanced to the creature's face once more, only to see its smile turn upward more, the ends of its lips curling into themselves, creating a creepy grin.

"Times up.", it whispered to me.

Only then was I consumed by the darkness.

•••••

I shot up, my breath ragged.

I took deep breaths to try and calm myself down, but it didn't help.

Tears started trickling down my cheeks, and my breathing picked up even faster.

As I was about to bring my legs up to my chest, I noticed a hand laying on my thigh.

My eyes followed up from the hand to the shoulder, then I found who the hand belonged to.

Zach, my boyfriend, who was sleeping peacefully. His face calm and relaxed.

Not wanting to wake him up, I slowly and carefully took his hand and gently laid it on the bed.

Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I slowly got out of the warm sheets and walked to the bathroom in the side of our room.

Flicking the light on and opening the door, I walked in. I shut the door behind me softly, not wanting to wake the sleeping boy with the bright light.

I walked over to the sink, and turned the water so it was cool. I cupped my hands and started to fill my palms with the water.

Splashing the cool water onto my face, I took a deep breathe. I peered into the mirror and saw my reflection. Sweat and water glistened my forehead and cheeks.

A loud thump brought me out of my reprieve.

I heard the floor in mine and Zach's bedroom creak. My breathing got heavy and fast. My feet took me backwards until my back was against the wall near the toilet. I slid down the wall and brought my legs to my chest.

"Leave me alone..." I whispered to myself as I heard the creaks start to get louder.

Just as the creaks became loud, right in front of the door, a soft knock rapped against the wood.

"Baby...?"

I knew that voice. That voice was the one that always calmed me down. The voice that made me melt into a puddle whenever it spoke to me.

"Zach..." I whispered to myself and the tear dam in my eyes broke, my face burying itself in my hands.

The door opened and footsteps walked over to me.

Zach bent down in front of me and softly grabbed my wrists, pulling my hands away and revealing my tear stained face.

"Baby, what happened?", He whispered to me, as he took his hands off my wrists and brought them to my cheeks, cupping them to wipe away the tears.

All I could do was shake my head. I knew that if I opened my mouth, sobs would come loose.

Zach wiped my cheeks one more time, then he took his hands away from my face and straightened his body slightly.

He took two steps to the left and wrapped his left arm around my back, his hand resting on my shoulder, while his right arm went under my knees. He picked me up softly and my head went to his shoulder, my face right in his neck.

He held me for just a moment as he stood up completely, before starting to walk back to our bedroom.

Flicking the bathroom light off while still holding me close, he walked us to our bed and he gently laid me down. He then climbed in next to me and pulled the covers back over us.

He pulled me into him after, so close that nothing, not even a piece of paper, could be in between us. My arms were wrapped around his waist, my legs intertwined with his and my head on his chest, right over his heart.

The rhythm of his heartbeat was so soothing.

His arms were wrapped around my shoulders, holding me close. His chin propped on my head.

His right hand started to gently rub up and down my arm.

"I love you. Nothing will hurt you, ok?" He whispered into the dark to me.

I softly nodded my head while my eyelids fluttered, the rhythmic thumps of his heart and the soft pace of his hand rubbing my arm started to lull me back to sleep.

"Go back to sleep baby, I'll protect you. I'll keep you safe." He whispered into my hair after he kissed my head.

I slowly slipped back into the darkness, but there were no monsters this time.

Only a soft light protecting me from all the demons in my dreams.