The Terror #wattys2017 #TNTHorrorContest

NIGHTMARE!

I woke with a start on the sofa yelling at the top of my lungs, having forgotten where I was completely. My darling Michelle was coming through the door, the relief coming over me making me shake. She took one look at me and rushed to my side, sitting beside me on the couch.

"What's the matter baby, are you OK?"

I held her in my arms and told her, "I had another one of those terrible nightmares, you were attacked by Worm with a cleaver, and I ran away with Jimmy."

"It's ok buddy, I'm here and everything's all right." She kissed me on my face and forehead and held me tight.

"It felt so real, so much blood, so much blood, fucking Heather put a cleaver through the top of Gale's head and split her down the middle, I was terrified, I don't think I can take this anymore, it's just too much, too fucking much!" 

Tears were pouring down my cheeks and I was shaking like a vibrator. Michelle looked to the others who were just standing there with there mouths open, not knowing what to say. It was obvious they had gotten themselves into more than they had bargained for. I was still confused and just wanted to go home.

"Can we just go home, I really just wanna go home with you babe?"

"Sure we can, absolutely, I'm going to get him home you guys, I think he needs familiar surroundings, sorry for the trouble, thank you so much for helping him, he's gone through a lot lately."

She told me she was just going to talk with the girls for a few minutes and we could go. she waved the girls into the kitchen and I heard them talking in low whispers. I heard both of them respond, "oh my God" and, "Jesus fucking Christ!" as Michelle filled them in on the nightmare we had been going through. When they came out their faces had changed to that of sympathy and compassion. Michelle gave them both prolonged hugs and said she would call them later and talk about all this.

She then came over with that reassuring smile and took my hand, pulling me to my feet from the couch. "C'mon dude, let's blow this pop stand."

In the car, I exclaimed, "I'm soooo fucking high, I don't know what that shit was but it knocked my dick in the dirt."

Michelle laughed, "Dick in the dirt huh? Never heard that one before." 

"I'm so fucked up Michelle, I don't know if I'm coming or going. I can't tell where the dreams stop and reality begins. I smoked a little weed with your friend and I can't really tell you where the nightmare began. It all seemed like it, I don't know, it seemed so real. I think I'm going insane. Jimmy woke me up or I don't know what might have happened."

"Jimmy? How did Jimmy wake you up?"

"He actually drove his truck into the living room and made me get in. He said if I didn't get in he may not be able to save either one of us. I couldn't make you move." I started crying again, "I'm so sick of crying, dammit! I couldn't  make you move, Worm about took the cleaver to you and I couldn't pull you away, you were a statue so I ran away like a coward and got in the truck and we drove away." 

I bowed my head in the passenger seat and wept . "Jimmy screamed at me in the truck and woke me up just as you walked in the door."

Michelle's response was instantaneous, "You are NO COWARD Merrille Graves! You are the bravest man I have ever known. You can't let what happens in a nightmare make you think less of yourself. They're called nightmare for a reason, they are supposed to scare you."

"Problem is sweety, I'm not even sure this isn't part of the nightmare. I'm scared to death you're gonna tell me to wake up any minute."