SHIVER

Chapter 1 - The Beginning

I jerk my body upright. I am covered in a cold sweat and the blankets are tousled around me. I feel like I'm cocooned in my sheets and i fight to get free. My breaths come out sharp and I am shaking. Another nightmare. I stop turning and twisting to raise a palm to my forehead, trying to bring calm to my mind. It is useless sleeping now, so I clamber out of bed for a glass of milk.

I slowly pad toward the kitchen, almost as if I am afraid that the person who haunts my nightmares will be lurking in my house which is impossible. I creep round my bedroom door, peering from left to right. I then begin to tiptoe across to the kitchen. That is when I realise how ridiculous I am being. I sigh and shake my head as I open the fridge door to retrive the milk. I pour the milk into the glass.

With my glass, I sit down and flick on the TV, just for background noise. I flick through the channels, not really paying attention, and choose one at random. A silly pop video appears on the screen and I zone out, thinking about my nightmare. The beating bass from the music begins to give me a headache so I switch the channel not caring what appears on the screen. I realise that it has now  been three times in a rowthat I have dreamed of this nightmare in particular, and I want to know why, and why it scares me silly.

Why was it that I had to experience so many terrible scenes that I know will haunt me forever? Why is it that every time I go to sleep those scenes will be on repeat in my head, never ending, making me realise how worthless I really am?

To stop myself from having a panic attack, I check the time. 5:40 a.m. I begin to wonder what situation Sarah will put me through later on tonight, if at all. I need the money, but I really don't want to have to do it. The danger now scares me silly. If it is dangerous, then I most certainly will not participate because of the last time. But as Sarah would say, I must not live in the past, even though if scares me silly. However I cannot help it, even she must know this. I definitley know for a fact that she knows my mind has a tendancy to stick to a particular event, even if none of us know why.

I also begin to wonder who my new partner will be. I hope it is another female like Joleen. The men are always so desperate to prove them selves that they end up getting themselves hurt. Except Joe, he makes an exception. Anyway, Joleen resigned as she couldn't take the stress anymore. I don't blame her, not after... No, I need to stop over thinking now.

Ha, I laugh to myself. I did say I had a tendancy to stick on a certain event.

I feel my eyes get heavy, and I wish for a couple of peaceful hours of sleep. I need it, as last night I woke up on the hour every hour. My body is exhausted, but my mind just wont shut off. It is incredibly frustrating, but I refuse to take pills to help me sleep.

I must have dosed off eventually after a while, as when I wake it is 2 o'clock. I make myself a sandwich and get myself dressed in casual clothes. I only have to wear the uniform if I am out on a mission. I have to be at work for 3 o'clock, and it is a half hour drive to the place, so I lock up the house and begin the journey.

I hate travelling far. The journey always makes me feel ill, but what has to be done has to be done, as Sarah would say. I disagree in most cases, but for this one I will bite the bullet.

I arrive bang on time, as always, and saunter into the place nodding a hello at my fellow colleagues. I wander up to Sarah, asking what my task is today, if I have any at all. No-one knows how badly I am wishing that I don't have to go anywhere dangerous, and it even makes me tremble to think about what situation she may place me in.

Sarah has a habit of forgetting to put other people's needs and emotions in front of her own.

"Well Emily, I want you to take a look at the files on your desk, but first I want to introduce you to your new partner," says Sarah. She winks at me. "I think you two will get along well."

Curiosity bites at me. How can she make that judgement if I haven't even gotten a glimpse of the person yet? She always assumes things far too quickly for my liking, and it makes me sigh.

We walk down the narrow corridor to a room I haved been in a few times to welcome new workers. They were always shy and timid, a trait that seemed to be welcomed here. I wonder if that is what I looked like on my first day here in this hell-hole.

However, standing in the centre of the room is a tall, handsome man with light brown hair and piercing light brown eyes. You can tell he likes going to the gym to work out, as when he turns to face me the muscles in his arms tense. He looks cocky and not at all shy. The sight of his perfect features takes my breath away. How can such a perfect human being even exist?

"Hello, you must be Emily. I'm your new partner, Charlie McGreggor," he tells me as he holds out his strong hand with a slight smirk on his beautiful face.

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