Page 19 of The Nightmare King

My sister was suddenly at my side, placing a protective arm around my shoulders as the officer approached. “Miss, we’re going to have to take you down to the station for questioning.”

“I told you, she’s not well. Questioning her would be detrimental to her mental health. Anything you need to ask, you can ask here.”

“She looks familiar,” the officer replied sternly.

What was I going to say? That I was having a love affair with a nightmare, and he took us both to a zombie land and killed the asshole who tried to force me into his bed? Well, that would certainly back my sister’s patronizing statement that I wasn’t well. Not knowing what to say, I sat stunned and silent.

Sam argued with the man for a moment when a smooth-as-silk voice rippled through my mind. Tell them he drugged you.

I don’t know that for sure, I answered with my thoughts. Wow, I hadn’t done that before. Hearing Mare’s voice was like a wave of relief. He was okay, he was here, he was listening.

I do, Mare responded instantly. Tell them now.

I interrupted the heated dialogue surrounding me, “I was drugged.”

My sister squeezed my arm. “What? That motherfucker. I’m glad he’s?—“

I elbowed her side, and she shut up. “I don’t need you here,” I hissed.

“Yes, you do, Lucy. I knew I shouldn’t have listened to you, and I should have moved in. You need someone with you?—“

“I don’t need you, Sam.”

“It should have been me that night and not you, Lu. Everything could have been different. The accident with Dad and?—”

Pain shot like lightning in my heart. “Why? Because you’re so much better? So much more responsible that it wouldn’t have happened if it were you? Don’t you dare mention Dad.”

My sister’s face dropped. “Lu, I don’t mean it like that?—“

A loud walkie-talkie beeped, interrupting us, and with a wave of the police officer’s hand, the emergency techs came over, insisting I go to the hospital to be checked out. Sam demanded she drive me, everyone agreed, but I refused, not wanting to be near her. My only option was to ride in the ambulance. I was alone in my protests and shock, craving the voice of my nightmare to echo through my thoughts once more.

Chapter

Nine

WHITE WALLS

The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?

Edgar Allan Poe

White walls

Unanswered calls

Army crawls

Pirate brawls

Midnight kiss

Slow to miss

In dreams we see

What’s meant to be

Ghost face knife

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