Cursed ✔️

15. Nightmares

"No-no-no-no..." John kept murmuring in his sleep.

The trio were all shocked and scared after the woman had disappeared in a blink of an eye into the darkness. It was getting late, and now with no clue to look for, they thought they should head home before the night gets any creepier.

It was past midnight but John still kept tossing and turning in his bed. He was sweating even though it was not a hot night. He was kicking and turning his head from side to side and continued murmuring.

He was in a place where he had never been before. It was dark with only the moon shining above illuminating the land with a little light. He could not see any vegetations or any living creatures.

" Hello?" He yelled. His voice echoed. But no one responded. Suddenly, he saw someone's shadow behind him. He turned around hoping to see someone from whom he can ask for help. But no one was there. He was all alone.

Suddenly, a bunch of shadows began coming towards him. He panicked and began to run. He then saw two hands coming towards him. The hands got closer and closer. He couldn't see any face or body. Only the hands. He tried to get away with all his might but the hands grabbed his neck and began strangling him. He wanted to scream for help but he couldn't. He tried and tried to escape but its grip was way too strong. He began to choke. He felt the bones of his neck-breaking. He felt he was running out of the air. His life flashed in front of his eyes.

"NOOO!" John screamed and with a sudden jerk sat on his bed. He placed his hands on his neck. ' It was only a nightmare. Everything's fine.' He thought to himself but he looked terrified. He turned to face his side table on which a glass of water was kept. He took the glass and very hastily drank the water and took deep breaths, taking in as much air as he can.

"John?!" Hannah opened to the door quickly and turned on the lights. John covered his face as the lights flashed on his eyes.

"Are you alright?" Hannah asked and sat beside him. John's scream had woken her up. She had a scared look on her face. The past days were terrifying. She didn't want anything to happen to her brother.

Hearing the screams, Tom also came along with her. He jumped on the bed and sat close to John, keeping his head and a paw on John's lap to comfort him.

"John, we heard you scream. What happened?" Mr. and Mrs. Jackson also came. Thinking that it could be a thief or some intruder, Mr. Jackson had brought his baseball bat with him.

"It was just a nightmare. I'm sorry, I woke you guys up." John apologized.

"Don't be honey. It's alright." Mrs. Jackson said as both of them began to leave the room. " But if you need anything, let us know." Mr. Jackson said as they headed downstairs.

Hannah took a sympathetic breath and moved closer to John. She placed her hands on top of his, gave it a slight squeeze, and said, " Hey, I know you're saying everything's fine, but I know it's not. Is there something you want to tell me?"

John looked at Hannah. Her eyes were saying it all. He could feel that his sister was really worried about him.

John looked outside the window. The curtains were blowing due to the winds. They were white curtains. 'White was Harry's favorite' he thought. His gaze then fell upon Harry's house. The petrifying scene of the little girl, her eyes, her sinister smile, her creepy laugh, Harry's screams, and everything flashed in front of him. He turned away and closed his eyes. He then remembered the man in Skylar's house - his blood-covered hands, the blood dripping, making stains on John's jeans, his melted face held together with iron rods, his hands reaching to grab him, how everyone and everything was going away and away from him, his helpless shouts for help and then the woman they met, what she said, how she mysteriously disappeared and everything. Her last words ' You all will die ' kept echoing in his head.

Nothing was fine. But how could he tell her? He thought she will not believe him and he didn't want to give his sister any more worries.

"I know something's bothering you. Tell me. I'll believe you, John." Hannah said with a faint smile as if she read his thoughts.

John took a deep breath and looked at Hannah. ' I think I should tell her.' He thought.

He then told everything, each and every weird and unexplainable things which were happening to him.

After he had finished, a wide-eyed Hannah looked at him.

"Oh my God! John." Hannah covered her mouth and hugged him. " Everything will be alright. These weird, creepy, eerie things are happening since you got that stone. We lost our grandma and Harry because of it. The stone is the root cause of everything. We need to find a way to destroy it."

"But how? We don't even know where to look!"

"We'll think of something. You need a good night's sleep." Hannah said and began to turn off the lights when suddenly, she stopped.

"John?"

"Yeah, Hannah?"

"What are those marks on your neck?"