Nightmare

The city lights reflect off every surface, creating a mirage of colour. Brisbane is awake and alive, illuminating the sidewalks and exaggerating the shadows.  Loud voices echoed as people made their way to parties and night clubs, in the pursuit of alcohol. Others made their way to the warm comfort of their homes.

Tonight, the sky reflects the city, the stars giving light where there is none. Heavy panting can be heard from the window of a crippled house. Its beauty long faded into peeled and flaked paint. Weeds crept from the cracks in the pavement, climbing up the walls in a twisting knot. A worn, wooden door matched the rest of its body. The molded curtains swayed back and forth, a rotted pictured framed by the window.

The clock flicked to 3:00 am when he awoke to the overwhelming urge to scream. He held it down with a dry swallow, tongue heavy in his mouth. Remembering the nightmare made goosebumps bleed across his skin, the feeling of dread settled comfortably in his stomach. He shook his head, trying to rid the intimidating image, but recalled the night terror vividly.

How he looked down a humid and decomposed hallway, spider web cracks everywhere, plaster from the roof were sprinkled and stamped into the rotted carpet. The most notable thing was the scuffed blood and flesh, that trailed from floor to ceiling. Sickness crept up his throat. Someone had been dragged and throw around, he knew it. The crimson contrasted against the putrid yellow, reminding him of a sunrise.

'A bloody sunrise.'

Screams of terror and pain echoed behind each door he walked by. His breath quickened, hands quaked. He remember taking a step back when the door beside him became silent.

He grasped the doorknob and swung the door open with a groan. His face muted grey, lips pressed together tightly to prevent vomit from existing. A woman lied limp before his feet, her hair creating a halo of gold. Her skin was champagne pink, covering an athletic figure. She would have been beautiful, but her throat had been viciously ripped out, inner flesh and torn membrane hung out. The flesh was mottled with bruises and gouges. Her wide eyes reflected horror and her arms reached out towards the door.

It became too much; he turned to the side and released everything in his stomach.

Scratched rattling drew his attention from the horrific sight, to a terrifying figure. Black ink ran down it's body, like it had stepped out of a pool. it dripped from its body onto the blood-soaked ground. Crazed eyes glowered at me. Its nose resembled two gaping holes. Its fingers lead into sharp talons, the life of the girl dripped from them, tauntingly. Horns curled back from both temples, giving its face an angular shape. Its mouth opened, chunks of flesh were displayed between its teeth.

             He was hurled back into the present by a sharp breeze. Glancing at the window, all he could do was choke on my words.

'I didn't leave the window open.'

Memories from the nightmare scampered across his mind, coming to a stop on the shark smile it sent at me before he woke up. He scurried out of his bed and slammed the window close, with a resounding smack. Once he knew the window was locked he took a deep breath and ran his fingers through tangled and sweaty hair.

"What the hell, why am I so terrified?"

"It's just a nightmare. It's just a nightmare." His voice trembled.

Dread crept up his spine to the base of his neck, where it stayed. He tried to forget the haunting vision, with little success. It clung to his mind like glue.

"Argh!" 

"Boy!"

He physically jumped at the exclamation.