Deranged [REWRITTEN]

Chapter Two

I quickly turn on the shower in the dark bathroom, not daring to touch my neck until I'm standing under the water. "You're fine, Grace," I whisper to myself as I step into what is left of a hot shower. "It's not real. It's just a dream. You're probably dreaming." The flashlight lying on the counter gives a little flicker and I nearly jump out of my skin. I start to pinch my skin until it turns red. "You're dreaming, okay? You're just dreaming," I say, feeding myself more lies.

I step out, drying myself off before wiping away the rest of whatever it was that was on my neck. After I redress myself I rush to my bed to hide under my covers with the flashlight. The house is creaking from the gusts of wind following the rainstorm. It makes being home alone a thousand times scarier. I can't distinguish between the creaking of the house and what sounds like footsteps walking down the hallway. I quickly stand up and run to my door to lock it before rushing back to bed.

"You're dreaming and you'll wake up soon," I tell myself. "It's just a bad dream." I glance at my clock and curse to myself when I realize the power is still out. My mind is awake and alert and I cannot go to sleep. What if there is someone in the house with me? What if they murder me in my sleep? My mind just won't shut up and the paranoia continues to haunt.

The wind stops along with the creaking and it's eerily silent. The hairs on my arms stand up as I feel like I am not alone. I move to the edge of the bed to grab the flashlight as my eyes move over to the corner of the room. Before I can turn on the flashlight, I scream as a hand slaps over my mouth. A figure in the corner of my room moved over to my bed and silenced me.

The moon shines through the window, barely lighting up any facial features. I struggle against the harsh grip, screaming into the hand as they pull out something from behind.

"Shhh," They whisper in my ear as they tie something around my mouth. I try to kick and struggle but the body is too strong against me. I close my eyes, a tear running down my cheek. All I can think is I'm going to die.

Fabric is tied around my wrists and I'm being forcefully dragged to my door. I beg behind the fabric wrapped around my mouth. I beg to be let go but I'm ignored as I am dragged outside of the house and down to the dirt road behind the shed in the backyard.

I struggle even harder to break free from the grip but I fail over and over again. My bare feet are hurting from the rocks below and the grip around me is bruising. All of the sudden we stop walking and I look up and see the tunnel.

"No," I mumble behind the cloth. I was pulled in the tunnel and as we walked deeper inside, the moonlight was gone and I could see nothing but pitch black darkness. We stopped short and I hear a shuffling of clothes. Suddenly, a match is lit and I can see everything.

I look up at the figure and it's a young man. He looks older than me, but still young. His face is smudged with dirt and I notice a long red scar across his cheek. He looks angry, eyebrows furrowed and lips set in a grim line. He reaches out and I flinch as he pulls of the cloth wrapped around my mouth.

"Who are you?" I immediately ask. "What do you want from me?"

"You know I am in here," He says, voice hoarse and deep.

"I won't tell anyone, I promise! I won't ever come back again," I swear to him. He smirks before giving a creepy chuckle. He glances down at the ground before looking back at me. I watch every movement he makes, jerking away at the slightest shuffle. "Please, just let me go."

"Oh, I can't let you go, Grace," He laughs. My mouth is left open and I'm speechless. How does he know my name? How does he even know where I live? "Close your mouth, unless you want to eat spiders," He entertains.

"How do you know my name?" I demand. "Who are you?" I try to come up with a plan, maybe make a run for it before he has time to catch me.

"I have ears, everywhere. I know everything. I wouldn't plan on running either." The corner of his lip pulls up. He is enjoying this. I glare at him as I look around us. Nothing is occupying this tunnel but us.

"I don't understand, why me and why here?"

He walks away and blocks my exit. He faces away and stretches, rolling his shoulders. I contemplate asking if he needs help from a hospital or something else. I slowly glance over at him, bracing myself for anything that might happen.

"Are you in trouble? I can help you." I can help bring you to where you belong.

He slowly turns around and the smirk on his lips is so sinister it sends a chill up my spine.

"Would you?" He murmurs. I reluctantly nod my head. "Help make the voices go away," He whispers to me, as if he is afraid someone will hear him.

"What voices?" I look over my shoulder, feeling terrified by this man and this tunnel.

"The ones inside my head. They won't stop until I do what they say." He answers.

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Author's Note:
I definitely recommend listening to the music I share on each chapter as each song inspired me to write.

Secondly, thank you so much for your comments, votes and love! It feels good to be writing again and the fact that a lot of you are still here supporting my books really means a lot to me.

I feel like this chapter wasn't up to the standards I would like it to be at, but the next chapter I do like. Trust me when I say that as the story develops it will get more interesting. Apologies if there were any mistakes also.