A Nightmare

Sarah was having a nightmare. It was the same scary dream, that she had been experiencing since her childhood. Like every time, this time also, she could not see anything clearly, but today, she was able to recognize many things to a great extent. It looked like an old film. Buildings, vehicles, people... everything seemed old.

As usual, she was watching the barbaric events happening on the main road by hiding in the back of the lamp post in the corner on the path leading to the narrow lane from the main road to the left. People were running around in fear. The scene was chaotic.

This time she could hear their heart-wrenching screams with clarity. The flames of fire were seen rising from the shops on the other side of the road. Then suddenly, a deafening loud noise came from somewhere,

Boom!

Then again,

Boom! Ra-ta-ta-ta!

Bomb blasts and Shootout!

Sarah's ears started to ache. She closed her eyes and covered her ears with her little hands. After a while, when she opened her eyes again, the scene in front of her made her tremble in fear. This time, she saw heaps of corpses lying around her. There was a strange smell in the air… maybe of blood mixed with gunpowder(?).

Everyone's face was blurry. Sarah did not know anyone there. She looked around here and there as if she was waiting for someone. But that person was nowhere to be found.

'I shouldn't have run away from him leaving his hand!' thought Sarah. She then started to sob with hiccups.

'Now I am lost in the crowd and facing these things! What's going on here? I am unable to find my way back! I want to go... Home...'

Now there was nobody in front of her except for the corpses. She was left, all alone, hidden, she thought. And then, that person came forward, whom she didn't want to see at all at that time.

'Oh no! There he is... He came... Again!' Sarah's subconscious mind spoke up.

That horrible man stood on the other side of the road and was laughing satisfactorily at the panic and terror he had spread within the area. His laughter was ruthless and raucous. She didn't know his name, but seeing him in her dreams now and then, she started recognizing him.

His face had a disgusting slant mark going from the right eyebrow down to the cheek, due to which he looked even more scary and violent.

Suddenly, he looked in Sarah's direction and she quickly stopped sobbing. Seeing his merciless and chilling gaze, she forgot to cry as well as to breathe.

Strangely this time, she could see the weird clothes he was wearing in detail. Black shirt with a silver flowery pattern and dark green pants with so many pockets. He wore dark-colored leather boots up to his knees. He had stubble grown across his chin. His head was covered with a black scarf tied with a small knot on the back of his head. He held a large machine gun in his hands. That too seemed a bit old-fashioned.

His eyes lit up upon seeing Sarah and he started to walk in her direction with large strides. Sarah sensed his glare and backed off in fear. Her back hit the wall of the nearby shop.

By the time she could manage herself to stand properly, he was already standing in front of her with a devilish grin on his big and slightly brownish-gray lips.

He pointed his gun at her. Sarah started shivering, not because she was scared but because of helplessness...

'I can't defeat him!' He was like a gigantic mountain and she was like small cowering mice.

Before he could press the trigger, a big stone came flying from nowhere and hit his hands which were holding the machine gun, causing it to fly away from his grasp and fell some distance away from them.

Then she heard hurried footsteps coming from behind her. In a swift move, someone picked her up with a slight tug, and embracing her protectively, he started running in the direction of the narrow lane.

Sarah raised her head slightly above his shoulder and looked at the gunman behind them. He had now picked up his fallen gun and looked in their direction. He seemed very angry as his eyes were glinting with cold killing intent.

"You son of a b*tch!" cursing loudly in fury, he targeted them and pressed the trigger.

The person carrying Sarah in his arms bowed her head with one hand. She felt a soft jolt in her body in a short time. She wanted to raise her head but he held her tight to his chest. His speed lessened for a moment but after a short while, he picked up his pace and started running fast again.

Sarah looked up at him and saw his beautiful but ashen face. An innocent smile appeared on her face as she felt a sense of familiarity.

'I know him! He looks familiar... Who is he?' Her subconscious mind tried to recall the forgotten face of the teenage boy.

"Don't worry princess! I'll take you to a safe place! Just close your eyes..." His voice was soft and soothing, unlike other teenage boys. It felt like a lullaby. A gentle smile appeared on his face as he commanded softly to her. Then he turned to the right, changing the way.

"Mmm.." She replied and started to feel drowsy. Now that she was in safe hands, she felt tired and sleepy.

Before she drifted off to sleep, she heard that demon yelling at them from behind again,

"I will find you and kill you! No one will be left alive. No one!"

...

The girl watching the nightmare woke up, tossed, and turned on her other side while mumbling incoherently. Sarah felt someone gently patting her shoulder and her fear subsided gradually. Holding the hand of that person tightly, she curled up under the duvet and gradually drifted off to sleep.

★★★★