Sweet Dreams

by J. Clarice

  His mother would be ashamed and his father would laugh in his face. He’s kept his mouth shut when this whole time he should’ve told Scarlett and her parents of the information he knew. Many lives would’ve been saved. Cain shouted and released his power. He knew it’d call the attention of Nightmares. It’s what he wanted. He heard the screech as he left the pocket between the Realms. They rushed his way, and Cain let go as he slaughtered them one by one.

  He ran.

  He was a coward.

  He was afraid of what he would have to face if he joined the fight.

  He was afraid of what he would become.

  Scarlett and Trevor’s disappointment flashed through his mind.

  Cain yelled into the Realm and the nightmare’s attacking slimmed down and others began to flee. At the exploding of the last one, Cain dropped to his knees covered in their muck.

  He couldn’t keep running anymore.

  Thirty-Two

  Scarlett slowly blinked her eyes open to a gray ceiling.

  She groaned as she sat up when all at once, her memories rushed in. Fear and humiliation corroded her insides as she leaped from the bed she laid on and ran out into the hallway. Everyone’s waking place had been changed to the Ever Realm Center. Each had their room, that way they were all together and not spread out alone.

  Scarlett’s heart thundered as she needed to warn her mother of Cain’s betrayal. She hastily passed Dreamers and Dreammares who stared at her in confusion.

  “Arm yourselves and warn the others!! They are coming!” Scarlett shouted at them. Their faces morphed from confusion to alarm as they registered her words.

  Scarlett burst into the meeting room filled with Officials and her mother stood at the edge of the table. “The Dark Realm is making their move.”

  Everyone erected as dread twisted in their stomachs. “Scarlett, how do you know?”

  Scarlett opened her mouth to respond when a huge blast sounded from outside. For a second, they all looked at each other knowing what it meant.

  ‘They’re here.’

  Scarlett sprinted out of the room and through the floor with everyone else hot on her heels. They shoved past doors and jumped into the air facing the Dark Realms direction. They flew high enough to see the border and a line moved in and out from its edge. The first figure stepped forward and a sinister smirk graced a face they knew all too well.

  Cain stood at the edge of the Dark realm and a horde of Nightmares stepped into Ever Realm right behind him.

  “Bastard!”

  Curses were shouted at Cain and Scarlett glanced behind her to find Dreamers and Dreammares forming a wall.

  Cher faced her people and lifted her head. She ignited her sword with her power and raised it to the sky.

  “Dreamers and Dreammares as one! Ever Realm is our home and we will not let the Dark Realm smite us. We will not be defeated!” Her shouts blended in as the people below let out their battle cries.

  Scarlett moved close to her mother as she turned to face the oncoming battle. She gripped Cher’s hand and squeezed it. “For dad. For Ever Realm.”

  A fierceness overcame Scarlett and Cher as they faced the biggest wave of Nightmares they’d ever seen.

  The nightmares began charging and the Dreamers on the ground broke out into a sprint while others flew.

  Scarlett unleashed her power and let it flame around her.

  It was now or never.

  A wide row of archers rose above the crowd and shot their first line at the oncoming horde of Nightmares. Some fell, but thousands of them rushed in their place. Cain walked in the middle of it all as they ran around him. His armor was ragged and housed more ugly scars. Scarlett noticed that it wasn’t the pitch black it normally was, instead, a dark gray. She narrowed her eyes and lifted her hands as she drew forth a wave of black tendrils upon the nightmares. The running Dreamers finally clashed with the onslaught of nightmares creating the merge of the Realms.

  They would not go down without a fight.

  The nightmare’s dust quickly filled the air and muck splattered on everybody’s armor. Scarlett fought and caught a glimpse of the others. Jayden was high in the air with the archers while Jasper and Chad fought alongside Scarlett. Where the Dreamers could not finish, the Dreammares followed right behind with their burst of tendrils. Screams, snarls, and cries filled the air as everyone fought with their lives.

  Scarlett threw darts at a nightmare that was reaching up for Jayden and hadn’t seen the one crawling behind. She turned in time to see Jasper jump in front of her and slash at it with his sword, but not before a spike pierced his shoulder.

  “JASPER!” Scarlett pushed her power until it covered him in a protective dome. She snapped her eyes to Jayden whose sight was already on them. She dove and landed right beside Jasper.

  “Jasper, open your fucking eyes! Don’t you dare fall asleep!” Jayden shouted as she grabbed his head.

  Purple lightning flowed from her palms and wrapped around his shoulder. Jasper had quickly paled and his eyelids bounced as he tried to keep them open. Scarlett fought off the nightmare that neared when something wrapped around her body and pulled her into the air. She saw the circle of nightmares close in on Jayden and Jasper and her heart plummeted.

  “NO!”

  She opened her palms and released a web of her power at the limbs when they threw her. Scarlett got wrapped by another set of limbs that constricted her arms to her body. She twisted in time to see the nightmare that’d grabbed her explode into muck.

  Scarlett was about to give the nightmare holding her a similar fate when it hissed into her ear.

  “Our King requests your presence as he’s in a meeting with your lovely mother.”

  Scarlett inwardly cringed as her chest tightened at the nightmare’s slithered words and stopped fighting.

  “Take me to them.”

  Not hesitating for a second, the nightmare flew Scarlett towards the Ever Realm Center.

  ‘They have my mother.’ It was the only thought that went through Scarlett’s mind as they entered the building.

  The nightmare roughly landed and nearby Nightmare’s with hands instead of hooks or wings grabbed a hold of Scarlett. They dragged her to their meeting and she was pushed to her knees while they held her arms behind her back.

  Cain stood at the head of the round table with High Nightmares by his side. Cher was in front of him on her knees as red tendrils coiled tightly around her. Scarlett could feel the death emanating from them.

  “Ah, Scarlett welcome.” Cain spread his arm out to his sides. “Please do join us.”

  His theatrics turned Scarlett’s stomach and she glared at Cain while he sported a wide Cheshire cat grin.

  “Why are you doing this?”

  Cain raised a perfectly done eyebrow. “Isn’t it obvious? We want to finish what my father started. You see, my father was the most dangerous kind of Nightmare there was. Think… Freddy Krueger!” He snapped his fingers at his ‘ah-ha’ moment.

  “Unlike the other Nightmares, my father could kill and wasn’t limited to people’s minds. However, he was alone and wanted to share the joy with his disciples. So he sought out a way to do just that.” He beckoned to someone behind Scarlett and their struggle reached her ears. The arms holding her down didn’t allow her to turn around.

  Someone was pushed to their knees beside Scarlett as she glanced out the corner of her eye. A man had his head covered by a plain helmet and was stripped of their armor. Their bare body was covered in black and purple from enormous bruises. Web-like burn marks emerged from the bruises and Scarlett knew it was the work of a Dreammare’s power. Fear clawed through Scarlett as anxiety swirled around it.

  “You see, my father discovered that a powerful mind was needed to make a hole in between the realms. He experimented with Dreamers and not one worked. Instead, he decided to try something new. Dreamers grabbed their power from a universal source, the light.” Cain lightly shook his head. “Dreammares on the other
hand, each have their power within themselves. Making them, well, special. But sadly, they’re incredibly hard to find and I hadn’t been able to test this out.”

  Cain made his way around the table towards Scarlett and her body tensed. Her mother struggled against the bindings, but to no avail, they held her in place. He moved until he was in front of the person beside Scarlett and ripped the helmet off.

  The color drained from Scarlett’s face as she met the swollen eyes of Liam. His face was discolored and his jaw unhinged as it dropped to the side. Scarlett recoiled and tears fled from her eyes.

  “Liam,” Scarlett softly cried. “I’m so, so sorry. What have they done to you?”

  Liam’s eyes shone with suffering and emptiness that struck Scarlett’s bleeding heart. He’s not fighting back anymore. He was already broken in.

  Scarlett wanted to shout but instead swallowed the need to lash out.

  ‘I have to do something.’

  “I’m the one you want.” She caught Cain’s attention and her heart skipped a beat at the tiny glimmer of hope that flourished. “You need me as I’m the one with the mark. With my mind, you’d be able to come and go as you wish. His mind isn’t powerful enough. I will willingly give you what you want in exchange for the safety of my people. ”

  Cher was screaming through her muffled mouth and it took everything in Scarlett to not glance her way. Cain kept his eyes trained on her and went over her proposition.

  “Tempting offer, but I simply cannot risk losing your powerful mind if this doesn’t work.” Cain glanced down at Liam. “He is merely a demonstration to see if my father’s words were true. Then I will use your mind as I please.”

  A smile overcame Cain’s face as he placed a finger under Liam’s chin and lifted his head.

  “Thank you for coming out of hiding to join this pathetic fight. You’ve made my part easier.”

  “Cain! No, please!” Scarlett’s shouts went unheard.

  She saw Cain keep Liam’s head held high as something flashed from the corner of her eye. A wickedly curved hook connecting from the nightmare holding Liam swept the air. A spray befell the side of Scarlett’s face and she flinched but quickly opened her eyes to the sight of Liam’s head before her. It’d landed with a thump and rolled as it took Scarlett a second to realize what happened.

  A cry pierced the air and met her ears. They were her own. Cain stood still and his eyes rolled to the back of his head as red tendrils leached from his hands.

  ‘Red power?’

  Before she could dwell on Cain’s new powers, something shifted in the air, and Scarlett could feel a rip begin between the two Realms. It resonated within her head as it pounded at the intrusion. Her body began to seizure and the nightmares holding her let go as she fell onto her back.

  Scarlett was able to see what Cain did next even though she had no control of her body. He grabbed ahold of the nightmare that beheaded Liam and at once Scarlett was yanked backward.

  All the noise ceased and Scarlett opened her eyes to find herself surrounded by trees.

  ‘What happened?’

  Her head throbbed and she touched her head to feel it was dry and crunchy. She examined her hand and found it spotted with dark red flakes. Her head was caked with dry blood.

  Scarlett moved her neck and groaned at the ring that zapped through her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to move her body.

  Every limb felt as if it were tied down by bricks and Scarlett moaned in pain. She peered up the hill before her when she remembered.

  Cain. The push. The War. Cain. The rip between Realms.

  Scarlett managed to get up with the help of a nearby tree. Nothing was broken and she limped her way along the edge of the hill. Once she got to the other side of the hill, she’d be able to find her way home.

  She was lightheaded when she caught sight of her house. Nobody was around and silence engulfed the yard. Scarlett reached the backyard and noticed the sliding glass doors were wide open. She cautiously climbed up the bricked garden steps and the memory of her eighteenth birthday party came to mind. It felt so long ago.

  Scarlett reached the end of the hall beside the stairs when a rustling caught her attention. Her heart thundered in her chest as the noise grew and came from the direction of the living room. Scarlett slowly made her way towards it. She wanted to call out but didn’t know who she’d be calling out too.

  Reaching the edge of the living room, Scarlett placed her back against the wall and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and peeked around the corner to a sight she wished weren’t real.

  Red splattered and stained the walls and couches. It dripped from the ceiling and led to the gruesome sight. A black mass with thick spikes lining its spine hunched over something Scarlett could not see. Its jaw was like the first Nightmare Scarlett had seen as it reached the back of its head. It laid between two giant black orbs that were stretched out to the side. Its head resembled that of a hammerhead shark with its eyes at the end. Giant holes randomly patched its skin and dripped steaming muck onto the carpet floors. Scarlett recognized the hooked tail that trailed behind it. It twisted slightly and beneath it was an unrecognizable body that was bent in half. Its long claws pierced the torso while the torn legs disappeared in the nightmare’s mouth. It was one of their helpers.

  Bile rose in Scarlett’s throat and a shaky breath left her as she tried to hold in a scream. The nightmare stilled and the spikes on its back erected as if sensing the air. Scarlett quickly moved her head back and rolled her lips.

  The rustling stopped.

  Fear spiked through Scarlett and coiled around her heart.

  ‘Cain did it.'

  The first Nightmare successfully made it to the Earth Realm in physical form. Scarlett dug her nails into her palm and it did nothing to subside the hole that was left in her heart.

  She needed to find a way to destroy the nightmare without it getting out of their property. If it left and Scarlett didn’t get back to stop Cain and his brother...

  It’d be over for them all.

  Scarlett dared another peek around the corner to find two black holes staring right back. The Nnightmare let go of its last victim and threw it to the wall where it hit with a forceful thump. It let out a bone-chilling shriek and Scarlett went to bolt when she’s yanked from behind. She stumbled over her feet and fell to the ground while getting yanked by her collar.

  “GET UP AND RUN!” Cher shouted as she continued yanking Scarlett.

  Scarlett scrambled to her feet and ran around the corner as the nightmare burst out of the living room. Now standing tall at its full height, the nightmare towered over them and barely fit through the tall doorway. Scarlett followed her mother as she turned through hallways.

  “Where are we going?” Scarlett’s heart pounded as the nightmare could be heard on their tail. At every turn, it crashed into the wall in front of it before fixing its direction. It was new to Earth and its jerky movements made it known.

  “We need to lose it.” Cher frantically looked at the upcoming turn and grabbed a hold of Scarlett’s arm. She grabbed the bookcase they ran by and tipped it while throwing a book in an opposite hallway. They stopped running and quietly entered a hallway closet. Multiple bangs reached their ears as the nightmare crashed into everything in its path before continuing in the direction the book was thrown.

  Cher held a finger to her lips and closed her eyes. With widened eyes, Scarlett held her breath in fear the nightmare would hear her. She glanced at her mother and noticed the blood dripping from the corner of her head and the bruises forming on her cheeks. Her black curls were loose and had a reddened wet patch at the top. The silk nightgown she wore was torn and blackened with grime and muck.

  ‘How long have I been out?’

  Lowering her finger, Cher put her hand on the doorknob and turned it as slowly as possible. She peeked with one eye through the crack and listened for any noise. She lightly stepped on her toes and motioned for Scarlett to follow. />
  “We need to get to the armory.” Her mother’s soft murmur barely reached her ears and she didn’t bother to respond.

  The armory contained all their weapons such as guns, knives, and even swords. Her father loved to collect weapons and he cherished them. He was always proud of his collection. The thought of her father tore at Scarlett’s heart but she couldn’t dwell on it. They needed to move. The armory was located on the other side of the house, near her parent’s bedroom which was upstairs.

  “Mom, what happened?” Scarlett lightly asked. Her question was shushed and met with silence. Her mother tiptoed down the hallway and Scarlett stayed right on her heels.

  “Cain succeeded and managed to create a hole between the realms and transported the first Nightmare into the Earth’s physical plane. There is only one here, but we need to get back before he gets his hands on another Dreammare and creates another.”

  Scarlett ground her jaw at the reminder of Cain’s betrayal. ‘Did he even have a brother?’

  For all she knew, it was only Cain the entire time and he was leading them all on. His brother was nowhere in sight. Scarlett’s blood boiled at the thought that she’d been fooled since the beginning.

  “If the nightmare is now bound to the physical plane like us, it should be affected by our weapons.”

  They came to the edge of the staircase and the house was dead with silence. Cher silently made her way up the stairs and stepped with the point of her foot. Scarlett followed behind when she misstepped. The creak was amplified with the quietness of the house and they froze. Their hearts stopped as a shriek sounded from one of the halls. Bangs and scratches ensued as Scarlett and Cher bounded up the stairs with no care to the noise. They were already heard.

  Running down a hall that overlooked the floor below, they caught sight of the nightmare racing up the stairs. It climbed on all fours and destroyed anything in its path.

  Scarlett and Cher sprinted for the room beside the master’s bedroom. Cher shoved the door open and quickly closed it behind Scarlett. They locked it and ran for the dresser beside it. With a shove, it planted itself directly in front of the door.