Nightmares of Mine

      Tessa abruptly woke up. She sat up and yawned. She looked around at the backyard and then picked up the book she had brought out with her. She walked slowly back into the house. 'Thaniel?' she called.  She looked into the kitchen, no one was there.  She smiled.  'Thaniel? Where are you?' she called again.  No answer.  She stopped for a second, listening, letting her instincts take over for just one moment before realizing that there was something wrong.  She rushed through the house, yelling his name and searching every room.
      Tessa stopped at the last room, the master bedroom.  She opened the door and whispered, 'Thaniel?'. She stopped dead.
      The room was a mess and the dresser had fallen beside the bed.  Thaniel was on the floor, his own blood on and around him.  Tessa gasped and ran to him.  'Thaniel?! Who did this?'  she looked for the source of all the blood.  His shoulder had a gash. Tears started in her eyes, spilling over. Thaniel's eyes opened and he flinched away from Tessa, and then , seeming to realize who it was, relaxed a little. 'Tess?'  he murmured. He slowly sat up. 'Who did this?' she asked again, tears still streaming down her face. Thaniel blinked a her, surprised. 'You don't remember?' his voice shook. Tessa shook her head, eyes wide. "Tess.... it was you.'  Tessa sat there, seemingly frozen. She started to shake. 'I... I did this...' she whispered, barely audible. Dream ends.

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I walked outside, it was dark, I could hear cars rushing past on the street. I started running, I felt fear and I don't know why. Something was chasing me. I fell in the street, once, twice. There is blood on my hands, I kept running. I look back once and see some dark shadow after me, a scream builds in my throat. I turn the corner of a building and fall. In that moment I know that all is lost, I wasn't fast enough to escape. I wouldn't make it. Make it where? Nowhere now. Someone catches me, warm hands under my shoulders, pulling me up. I look up, tears of hopelessness in my eyes. He hugs me, a warm comforting hug. I want to stay here forever. He says something and I start running again, leaving him behind, as he told me to. I realize that I can't do it any longer, I can't leave him, can't live without him. I turn and face the darkness chasing me. My own darkness. My own face.