Chapter 2

The food from the bowl disappeared as if it had never been there and Mason pushed himself off the floor, to grab a glass of water.

He carefully approached me, handing me the glass of water, which I snatched in the same manner as the bowl of food out of his hand, spilling some on the floor. I was feral, frightened, exhausted and desperate to cling to even the slightest shred of reality.

" What happened to you, Miss Abernathy?" He asked the most obvious question. And I had no clue how to even answer it. What could I even say? I see things that may or may not be real?! I didn't even know where to even begin explaining.

I shook my head, tightly gripping the glass with both hands, looking at him with pleading eyes, to stop asking questions. I couldn't tell the truth. Ending up in a mental institution didn't quite fit my long-term plans.

" We should get you in bed and get some rest. What do you say?" He gently encouraged me stretching his hand for me to take, but I found myself staring at his hand, terrified to touch him or anything for that matter. What if he faded the moment I touched him? No, I liked where I was. It was so much better than the other places I had seen and been in.

Mason's eyebrows furrowed, and lowered his hand to the side seeing that I hadn't moved an inch since I crawled in the corner.

" You can sleep there if you like but the bed is much more comfortable."Mason quipped, a shadow of a smile formed on his lips.

Enid stepped forward and lowered herself to my level " Come, darling. It will be alright. You don't have to worry. I'll keep you safe." Her voice was gentle and warm, as she slowly stretched her hand for me to take. I closed my eyes and hoped that either of them wouldn't fade away.

Still holding onto the glass with one hand, with a trembling hand I reached and took Enid's hand, letting the bedspread fall on the floor. Mason let out a silent sigh of relief and picked up the bedspread on the floor and followed us to the bed.

Enid took the glass out of my hand and placed it on the table next to the bed as I slipped onto the bed. She tucked me in tightly making sure that I felt safe and turned around to leave the room.

" No, stay." I rasped, bearly audible in the quietness of the room. I didn't know how long I had spent stuck inside the small house in Lamport, but many things have happened since I saw Mason.

Mason looked at Enid, pleading, and Enid nodded, pulled a chair and sat next to the bed.

" I'll watch over you. Sleep now." She said in the same gentle and caring voice, lightly patting my hand trying to soothe my worries.

I looked at the two people around me, and couldn't help but wonder if this was real. It was better than anything I had seen thus far and even if I was dreaming or hallucinating, I would've gladly stayed there. It looked like a nice place to be.

" Thank you, Enid," Mason said as he patted the woman on the shoulder and stepped out of the room.

Under her gentle touch, as she caressed the back of my hand. I felt the warmth of motherly love that I had missed so much, comfort me, I finally drifted off to sleep.

And once again the moment my body succumbed, my mind slipped into a different place more horrifying than the previous one. Black hot lands with fiery skies, the heat was intense that I could feel my skin blister under the scorch. The air burned my lungs, and the earth beneath my feet trembled. I could hear the sound of thousands of feet hitting it, they were coming. I raised my eyes, to look at the hill in front of me and there they were, the army of thousands of red-eyed monsters, with thorny scales, and razor-sharp claws ready to devour me. When they moved off the cliff, charging towards me I screamed, terrified, hoping that like those other times, it would take me to another place or jolt me awake. Loving arms wrapped around me and pulled me into a tight embrace. When Mason walked in I was in Enid's arms, crying, trembling in fear. I didn't know how much more I could take. I didn't know how long it had been since that day but it felt like an eternity had passed.

" It was just a bad dream," Enid whispered while she held me in her arms, rubbing my back and hushing me, the same way you would do with a baby.

Mason nodded " You should get some rest as well Enid" Mason said as he placed his hand on Enid's shoulder.

Enid nodded, gently releasing me from the embrace only to get pulled back on the bed "No!" I rasped, pleading and I clutched tightly on Enid's dress, not wanting to let go.

" It's alright. You don't have to worry about me." Her lively voice reached me as she lightly patted the hand on her shoulder.

" I'm sorry, Enid. I will try and find someone to give you a hand." He said as he walked out of the room. The dim light of breaking dawn broke through the pulled curtains, time for sleep had already passed.

The more I stayed within the arms of Enid, the more I came to realise that this wasn't a dream or something that my mind fabricated. It was real. Despite that, I knew that there was an off chance that I might be wrong. Angst and fear that all would disappear, and crumble before my eyes, quickly crept up on me. I had an observant eye when it came to most things. The only person I found difficult to read was Mr Kinnaird, which I dubbed the devil himself. I quickly realised that he only showed what he wanted to be seen, nothing more, nothing less. I focused on him to keep my mind distracted from the awful things that swam in my head.