Jemma Simmons woke up again with a cold sweat.
How do I look? she asked herself.
She looked at her reflection in the small mirror hanging on the dresser next to her bed. Her face was pallid, her hair stingy in some places, frizzy in others.
But worst of all were her eyes. Normally bright, inquisitive and a lovely brown, they were now rimmed with red, but instead of stereotypical black circles under her eyes, they were blue.
In her head, a voice responded to her previous question. Terrible, it said voice was smooth and
Leave me alone, she thought at the voice, knowing that saying that wouldn't do a damn thing, but she was tired of it anyway.
Ha, never my dear, never, the voice said, but it went away anyhow.
Jemma really wanted to fall back asleep, but she couldn't bring herself to. She knew that sleep would bring dreams.
Across the room, she heard a muffled sound. Jemma sat up, and saw a small girl. She had long curly auburn hair, and was rather short. The girl looked just like Simmons when she was about fourteen, but even in the dark, she could tell that the girl had piercing bright green eyes.
Jemma opened her mouth, about to say something, but the girl spoke first.
"Mum?" she asked, then, as if on a staticky television, the girl faded away.
Simmons sighed. She would really need to talk to her physician. Well first she'd need to get a physician. This was getting ridiculous.
Or there are other options, a silky voice said to her.
Jemma tried to fight, but she knew better. She fell asleep, and into the inevitable night terrors.