Night Terror
I was starting to lose my mind on the second day of my forced time off. There's only so much you can realistically roll around in bed before getting bored. No way I could work some shifts at Lombardi's at the moment either, as my neck was littered with love bites. Though this was supposed to be relaxing, I knew I was in for a rough day when I woke up to people whispering in low voices.
"...thing is wrong?"
"Sir, as the doctor mentioned, it's merely a high fever and elevated stress levels. You must persuade him to rest and take a break. When he was younger, these seasonal flus affected him severely," Mr. Tang's voice was calm yet authoritative.
"I can't convince him of anything," Jasper sighed. "I marked his neck up just so he wouldn't be tempted to go outside and just relax." I knew it!
"You must find a way to ensure he rests so he won't collapse. Most of the staff here worked at the Todd family mansion for years when Alexander was still a child. Mr. Todd would terminate our employment if we tended to him, claiming it instilled discipline and willpower. This continued even after he suffered a severe head injury," Mr. Tang confessed.
"What head injury?" Jasper asked, his tone alarmed.
"Miss Emily pushed him down the stairs, causing a significant head injury. We were all compelled to ignore it," Mr. Tang said. "I am particularly guilty of neglecting him for many years. Rest assured, everything around the home will be managed, and we are all committed to aiding his recovery this time."
Oh, so it was because of my dad? What a lame way to find out.
"Morning," I said, not wanting to hear any more of whatever that was. The last thing I wanted to hear about was my crappy dad.
"It's afternoon," Jasper corrected, rushing over to my side, his eyes a bit puffy.
"What's wrong with you?" I asked. "Why was the doctor here?"
"Oh, I fell off a step really hard. I feel so lame since I've always had such great reflexes. I took a hard misstep and did my ankle in! I could hear it crack! I was just in so much shock that I passed out and woke up to Dr. Schmidt treating me. I've truly become an old man, even though you called me handsome yesterday," Jasper said dramatically.
"Get out of my face," I rolled my eyes.
"Do you think I can stop old age by exercising?"
"Stop being stupid! Does it hurt? Is it swollen?" I asked, more worried than I wanted to let on.
"No, but you have to stay in bed with me," Jasper insisted.
"You were standing just fine a second ago," I reminded him.
"Well, it doesn't hurt, and I just had to ice it, but Dr. Schmidt still said you had a high fever. It's just as bad as the last time I saw you like this," Jasper started to wipe my forehead as Mr. Tang hung up some medicinal incense. "Mr. Tang said the incense should help you feel better."
Mr. Tang moved with precise and deliberate motions as he finished setting up the incense. The fragrant smoke began to fill the room, creating a calming atmosphere. Jasper's hand on my forehead was cool and soothing, and despite myself, I felt a little better already and let myself drift off to sleep.
When I woke up, I blinked several times, trying to adjust my eyes to the darkness of the unfamiliar room.
The room was shrouded in darkness, a thick, oppressive void that swallowed all light and sound. My body lay motionless on the bed, pinned down by an unseen force that pressed on my chest with an unyielding weight. I tried to move, to scream, but no sound emerged from my lips. My throat strained, muscles tensed, but it was as if the air itself refused to carry my voice.
Panic surged through me, a cold, suffocating wave that seemed to freeze my blood. The room around me felt like a living entity, closing in, tightening its grip. It was like I could feel my soul being stretched, pulled apart by an invisible, malevolent force that seemed to drain the very essence of my being.
In the midst of this paralyzing terror, something began to invade the space. At first, it was a tiny dot, almost imperceptible against the backdrop of darkness. But as I watched, helpless and horrified, the dot began to grow. It expanded, morphing into grotesque, enormous shapes that defied all logic and reason. It felt infinite, a swirling mass of contradictions that moved with an incredible force and will, unstoppable and beyond comprehension.
Its texture was a horrifying blend of smooth and spiky, its surface a glossy black like oil, shimmering in the dim light. It was gelatinous and blob-like, sprouting lines that were both thin and thick, writhing through the air with a sinister purpose. As it moved, it filled me with an overwhelming dread, a suffocating fear that seemed to paralyze my very soul.
I watched in horror as the entity transformed, turning into a huge wheel, then a tangled ball of yarn, each new form more terrifying than the last. The voices began then, echoing through the darkness with a deafening, whispering intensity. They were far and distant, yet unbearably loud, their monotone berating drilling into my mind with relentless precision.
"You are worthless," the voices hissed, flat and emotionless. "You are nothing special. You will never escape this. You are trapped with us, forever trapped."
The voices had no tone, no inflection, just a cold, unfeeling monotone that made their words all the more horrifying. They seamlessly transitioned between states of utter chaos and complete stillness, a cacophony of sound that felt like a panic attack multiplied a hundredfold.
The entity continued to grow, its movements slow and deliberate, filling the space with its oppressive presence. It seemed to consume the air around me, leaving me gasping for breath.
"You are weak," the voices continued, their tone unwavering. "You will never be free. This is your end."
The mass twisted and turned, its surface a nightmarish blend of smooth and jagged, glossy and matte. It sprouted new lines, thin and thick, that writhed through the air like serpents.
Then, as if my nightmare wasn't already horrifying enough, the entity began to shift into a form I recognized. It slowly morphed, limbs extending and solidifying into a grotesque version of Jasper. His broad shoulders and muscular frame twisted and deformed, his face a hideous distortion. His eyes were hollow pits, and his mouth twisted into a cruel, mocking grin.
The sight of Jasper, my protector, turned into this monstrosity filled me with a new level of dread. His presence, once a source of comfort, now felt malevolent and suffocating. The distorted Jasper hovered over me, his eyes boring into mine with an intensity that made my skin crawl, increasing the pressure on my chest.
"You are nothing," the voices hissed through the distorted Jasper's mouth. "You are ugly on the inside and outside. You are doomed, that's why you were abandoned."
The terror felt overwhelming, a suffocating weight that pressed down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. My mind was a whirlwind of fear and despair, my thoughts a jumbled mess of panic and hopelessness. The entity's presence was all-consuming, its movements slow and deliberate, each shift and transformation a new horror.
"You will never escape," the distorted Jasper whispered, his voice an eerie mimicry of the real Jasper's. "This is your end. This is your hell."
The darkness closed in, the entity's presence all-consuming. I was helpless, trapped in a nightmare with no escape. The fear was unrelenting, a suffocating terror that clawed at my mind and soul.
"You are nothing," the distorted Jasper whispered, his words echoing through the darkness. "You will always be worthless. You will never be worth it."
The entity loomed closer, its formless mass a swirling vortex of horror. I could feel its cold, oily tendrils wrapping around me, pulling me deeper into the abyss. The voices grew louder, their whispering intensity rising to a deafening crescendo.
"You are doomed," they hissed. "This is your end. This is your hell."
And then, just as suddenly as the entity was about to consume me whole, I jolted awake in a cold sweat, my heart pounding in my chest. The memories of the night terror were still fresh, the fear and dread clinging to me like a second skin. Before I could even process what was happening, a wave of nausea washed over me, and I felt bile rising in my throat.
Mr. Tang moved swiftly, placing a bucket beside me just in time for me to start retching. My stomach convulsed, and I vomited, the sound echoing in the quiet room. Wave after wave of nausea wracked my body, and I couldn't seem to stop.
Jasper rubbed my back, his face a mask of concern. "Sugar, what's wrong? Are you okay?"
I shook my head weakly, unable to form words between bouts of vomiting. The taste was acrid, burning my throat and making me gag even more. Mr. Tang held the bucket steady, his expression stoic but his eyes filled with empathy.
After what felt like an eternity, the vomiting finally subsided. I slumped back against the pillows, feeling weak and drained. Jasper handed me a glass of water, which I sipped gratefully, rinsing the taste of bile from my mouth.
"So you have night terrors too?" Jasper asked.
"Surprise."