The Nightmare- Outtake 1

Ali's POV (:D)

The room was familiar. It was the Magic Room. The one that Mom painted in. The walls were covered in black sketches and bursts of color here and there. On the ceiling was a portrait of my dad, looking serious, but even when he was in his 'pose mode' you could see the glint of mischief in his eye. Mom had captured it perfectly.

I felt scared, suddenly. Something was wrong. The Magic Room had been teared to pieces and stuffed in forgotten trunks. The Magic had been buried in a cold coffin years ago.

"Mom?" I called. "Mom, where are you?"

I ran towards the door. It was locked. I pulled against the doorknob harder, but an electric shock ran up my arm. "Mom!" I screamed. "Mom, come back!"

The Magic Room disapeared. I was surrounded by darkness. I couldn't see my hand, I couldn't hear my own breath.

The silence did not last.

Bombs echoed around in my head, screams filled the air, a woman tried to calm everyone down.

Sobs throbbed, in harmony with my own.

Mom's shrieks and convulsions sounded as loud as if she was right next to me.

"She's having a seizure!" "Someone call a doctor!" "What do we do!"

"Mom!" I cried. "Someone help her! Help her!"

"Ali!" She screamed. "Ali!"

"Ali!"

I woke up with a jolt, tears pouring down my cheeks. "W-what?"

I was in Paul's hot arms. He looked down at me, worried. "I couldn't wake you up." he was trying to sound calm, but his eyes were wild.

I was still gasping. I tried to shake off the dream, but I heard my mother's voice over and over again.

"What can I do?" Paul practically begged. "What do you need?"

It was his panic that brought me down to Earth and out of the nightmares. I gave a breathy laugh. "Wow. I'm so sorry. I knew I shouldn't have eaten popcorn before bed. They give me the strangest dreams."

"What did you dream?" Paul murmured.

I opened my mouth to speak, it would be good to let it out, but a memory stopped me.

"What is it hunnybun?" Dad asked, worried. He had woken me up after he heard my screams.

"I want Mom!" I cried. "I had a nightmare. Nobody helped her, Daddy!"

Dad froze and turned away from me. "It was just a dream." He abruptly stood up and went back to his room. "I'll protect you kiddo," He said in a hushed voice before darting away.

I waited for him to come back. When he didn't, I crawled out of bed and peeked into his bedroom.

He was holding her picture and crying, tears slipping down his nose. "I have to protect her, Anne," he told my mother. "But who's gonna protect me while you're gone?"

"I will, Dad," I whispered, my heart beating loudly with shame. I was just complaining. I would be alright.

I grinned. "A banana was trying to get in your pants."

Paul frowned, taken aback. "But... you were crying... and calling-"

I shrugged. "Probably from laughter."

He sighed. "Don't worry me like that."

"I won't."

"I love you. Try to go back to sleep. Whatever you really dreamed about..." he gave me a mock stern look. "It was just a dream. I'm here."

I nodded and buried my head in my pillow. It was hard to breath, but it also muffled my cries. "I love you, too."

This was kind of my darker side of Ali that I thought never slipped through during the story. She couldn't be happy and bubbly all the time. Sometimes it was an act, and hopefully this shows you why.

On a lighter note, the next outtake will be... lighter!