160 V2Ch160 New Nightmare

I recalled from Earth, that a nightmare was usually a demon horse with flames in video games and such.

'In comparison.'

Rage started.

'This Nightmare is a creature capable of ending an entire village in a single night.'

I was still on my side and in my pant-less position as the sun was going down. I felt helpless. But, I wanted to hear more about this Nightmare. It was yet another distraction from reality.

I entered the darkness to converse with Rage. He was already out of his light and playing chess. This time, with Mother.

"Come and sit with me. Lay your head on my lap."

I welcomed the comfort of Mother. I sat down and laid back until my head was on her leg. She started to caress my hair with her free hand while she made chess moves with her other.

"You said, in comparison. How do you know about the nightmares from my world?"

"Have you forgotten already? I've searched your memories. I know just about everything you do. Anything that didn't make sense to me, could be answered by Wisdom."

"Yeah. I guess I did forget."

Mother leaned forward to look me in the eyes.

"Don't worry about it. You are in a fragile state. Let me know if I can do anything for you."

"You offer, but you both seemed fairly reluctant to freely talk before this. It's…"

"It's hard, I know. We can sense your feelings. Sometimes when someone wants to be alone, trying to cheer them up can backfire. That's why you are here, isn't it? You're done being alone. You are seeking companionship."

"I guess. I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to be mean."

"I know."

Her hand never stopped petting my hair as we talked.

After a few more chess moves and a foiled check, I spoke to Rage again.

"This Nightmare. Tell me about it."

"The legends say that it hungers for life essence once every 709 years. Each life it consumes adds ten years to its lifespan. It seeks out villages that have at minimum, 71 people. It first seeks out 70 individuals and the final life it takes is always a child. Due to that legend, there are many small villages throughout the Beast Lands. Sometimes a family will be exiled from a village if future offspring will bring the number of villagers above 70."

"They can't just fight it off?"

"Can you fight off a hungry animal while you are in here with us?"

"Well. No, but…"

"CHECKMATE!"

Rage called out.

"Damnit."

Mother responded. The pieces seemed to magically return to their starting positions. Mother took the first move of the newly started game.

"It's called a Nightmare because it puts the entire village to sleep. The people are consumed while they slumber. It takes its time choosing its victims. If someone encounters it before it uses whatever means it has to put people to sleep, it will eat them alive and screaming. There are legends of old tribes disappearing overnight. The Nightmare is blamed for almost every individual disappearance, too."

"Is it real? Could those bullies be right? That it's time for another appearance?"

"I don't know that much. There is just too much that could have happened here while I was waiting for you in that cave."

Now that the lesson was over, I felt like I was supposed to go back out to reality.

To my real body.

I didn't want to.

I rolled over to my right side and buried my face in Mother's stomach. She began to scratch my back like my grandmother used to do. She started from the lower back and pulled up gently. It felt like she was soothing an itch that was never there, to begin with. This comfort made me want to stay here even more.

Without realizing it, I awoke from a slumber that had caught me by surprise. I was still in my darkness with my head in Mother's lap. Rage and the chessboard were gone. Mother released me from her caress as I sat up. I had so much more energy than before.

"Two days."

"What?"

I asked.

"You've been asleep for so long that two days have gone by out there."

"So, I can even fall asleep inside my own darkness."

I turned around and stood up. I held out a hand for Mother to grab as she stood as well.

"Thank you."

She pulled me in and hugged me.

"Just stay true to who you are and I'll be here for you for as long as I am able."

I squeezed a little harder before I let go.

"I feel a bit better. I feel like I'm ready to get out there and keep looking for her."

"Go get her, Lake."

I nodded. The darkness faded out and I felt the heaviness of my eyelids, reluctant to open. With my newfound energy, I was able to force them open and sit up. I took a deep breath and watched the misty air form as my heated breath mixed with the cold around me.

It was late afternoon. Clouds diminished most of whatever light there was. Will it snow?

I looked down at my poor state. My blood-covered shirt and my lowered pants. There was blood in a few extra spots indicating that there were more stabbings of some kind during that last beating. While they had me at their mercy, I didn't even have the energy to stand. Today was different. I stood up and pulled up my pants without trouble. I could move on.

As soon as I took one step, an image of Babur soaked my mind. She was close and began to pull away. Every step I take is a step further from her. My energy felt like it was being drained all over again. But, I was standing. I need to move forward. I took it, step by step until I found a tempo. I kept even pacing and marched on through the heartache.

I left that village with the delinquent brats behind and put distance between us. That thought helped me move further and further away.