Wake Up!
"Wake up! Wake up!! He is here again!, Marie was startled on seeing the person she always saw coming to her every mid of the night.
_ _
Marie's heart raced as she lay in bed, her mind still reeling from the encounter with the mysterious figure. She couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had enveloped her when she saw him looming in the darkness.
Cambria woke up with attempts to reassure her provided little comfort, and Marie couldn't help but wonder if she was losing her grip on reality.
As Cambria turned on the light, Marie blinked against the sudden brightness, hoping it would banish the lingering shadows of her nightmare.
But even in the harsh illumination, she couldn't shake the memory of the figure's twisted visage, the way he seemed to materialize out of thin air before vanishing into the darkness once more.
"But… he was here just now," Marie stammered, her voice trembling with fear. She struggled to articulate what she had seen, the lines between dream and reality blurring in her mind.
Cambria sighed, her patience wearing thin from the interrupted sleep. "Marie, you need to calm down. It was just a bad dream. There's no one here but us," she insisted, though the unease in her voice betrayed her own lingering doubts.
Reluctantly, Marie allowed herself to be swayed by Cambria's logic, though the memory of the figure's presence still haunted her thoughts.
As Cambria extinguished the light and settled back into bed, Marie pulled the blanket up to her chin, seeking solace in its familiar warmth.
But sleep eluded her, her mind racing with unanswered questions and lingering fears. Was it really just a dream, or was there something more sinister at play? She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, that the darkness held secrets she was not meant to know.
The next morning dawned bright and noisy, with the hustle and bustle of the hostel echoing through the halls at 'THE BRIGHT COMMARADIE HIGH SCHOOL'.
"Y'all should all report at the assembly in 10 mins time." Mrs Hawthorne's voice cut through the commotion as she walked through the Halls leading to all the rooms.
Marie's heart sank. She had overslept, lost in a haze of fear and uncertainty.
With trembling hands, Marie attempted to rouse herself from bed, but the weight of her fears pressed down upon her like a leaden blanket.
She felt paralyzed, unable to shake the memory of the figure's presence in the night.
"Marie!" Mrs. Hawthorn's voice rang out, cutting through the fog of Marie's thoughts. Panic surged through her veins as she realized she had been caught, her tardiness laid bare for all to see.
Unable to face the hostel manager's stern gaze, Marie remained huddled beneath her blanket, hoping against hope that she could disappear into its comforting embrace. But Mrs. Hawthorn was not so easily deterred, her footsteps growing closer with each passing moment.
With a heavy sigh, Marie reluctantly peeled back the blanket, revealing herself to Mrs. Hawthorn's scrutinizing gaze. Shame burned hot in her cheeks as she met the hostel manager's disapproving stare, her mind racing with excuses and apologies.
But Mrs. Hawthorn's expression softened, a rare hint of concern flickering in her eyes. "What kept you all wrapped up in there?" she asked, her voice surprisingly gentle. It was a stark contrast to her usual brusque demeanor, and Marie couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope stir within her chest.
For a moment, Marie considered confiding in Mrs. Hawthorn, sharing the horrors of her sleepless night in the hopes of finding solace and understanding.
But the memory of the figure's twisted grin held her tongue, and she quickly dismissed the idea as foolish.
"I'm sorry, ma'am," Marie murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "It won't happen again."
With a nod of approval, Mrs. Hawthorn straightened her glasses and cleared her throat, returning to her usual no-nonsense demeanor. "You have just five minutes to get to the assembly ground," she declared, her voice ringing with authority. "Make the most of it."
With a sinking heart, Marie scrambled to gather her belongings and prepare herself for the day ahead.
She knew she couldn't afford to dwell on the events of the night before, not when there was a day full of classes and responsibilities stretching out before her.
But as she hurried through the halls, the memory of the figure's chilling presence lingered in the back of her mind, a constant reminder of the darkness that lurked just beyond the edges of her reality.