The room was dark except for a small candle on the floor near the center, giving off an unearthly glow. I could tell that the room was large by the small pool of light that was surrounding the light source; it was only a few feet around. I walked quickly toward it, now fearing what was in the dark. I had been in this room before, and I didn't like it. Always the same candle, but the candle was smaller this time from its use from the other nights I had been here. I sat down next to it, waiting for what I knew had to come.
"I see that you have returned," Chase's voice said from somewhere in the darkness; I had no idea where he was, or if he was even in the room with me, but I stopped trying to pin point his location nights ago.
I said nothing; anytime I did he would just use it against me later in the waking world. I wanted him to leave me alone, so I could sleep in peace.
"Nothing you do here can stop me from coming, Adrienne." He said, as if he could read my thoughts. I gasped.
"How did you know that was what I was thinking?" I asked, trying to see through the black abyss that surrounded the candle and I.
He just laughed, not caring to explain. "I'll just keep coming until you do what you're supposed to do."
"Which is?" I asked, slightly nervous.
The candles flame flickered. "Join me."
"Why do you want me so badly? Am I so important that you have to invade my dreams?" I stood up as I asked him the question that had been burning in the back of my head for the last seven days.
The candles flame was extinguished and I felt hands on my shoulders.
"Who wouldn't want to have you on their side?" He whispered in my right ear, "You have a very powerful talent, Adrienne. And I intend to harvest it."
I was frozen with fear. He was touching me. He had never done this before in the whole coarse that I had known him, except when he gave me The GuÄng Lantern, but that was my hand, not my shoulders. I gave an involuntary shudder. His hands moved down my arms, and I snapped out my state of shock.
"What are you doing?" I gasped, struggling to get away from his touch.
I felt him smirk. "Messing with your mind."
Hearing this, I redoubled my efforts to escape. I managed to break one arm free and pulled the other out of his grasp with its help. I stumbled forward, and tripped over the candle. I fell to the ground, but quickly rolled onto my back so he couldn't sneak up on me. I just barley made his figure as he loomed over me.
"There is nothing you can do." He said, "You're stuck with these dreams until you come to me."
"As in?" I asked him, not wanting to believe what he was saying.
"I won't leave you alone until you swear that you'll join me." I saw his eyes start to glow, making me shiver.
"What if I refuse?" I asked, far more boldly than I felt.
His eyes glowed more brightly. "Than you can say good bye to sleeping soundly ever again."
My mouth fell open in a silent gasp. I knew that he wasn't bluffing, either. I thought that he wouldn't come back after the first time, but then he did. I thought that that would be the last time, but he showed up the next night. And the next. And the next. He showed up every night of the week, making me toss and turn in my sleep. Making my stomach churn whenever he spoke. Driving me insane.
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I stared up at my captor, my tormenter. I could just see the smirk that never seemed to leave his lips in the glow of his eyes.
"What's wrong, Adrienne?" He asked, mockingly. "Don't know what to do?"
The tears continued to fell silently from my eyes as I looked away from him, unable to look at him any longer. His insane laughter kept the tears coming in abundance. I closed my eyes, wanting to die right then and there. I felt like I wasn't worth it, despite what he had told me before. It felt like I sat there cowering at his feet for an eternity. At long last, his laughter died away, and, thinking that the dream had ended, I opened my eyes, to find him still there, smirking down at me.
"The choice is yours, Adrienne," He said, his eyes glowing brighter. "I can keep this up until you die." As my eyes grew wide his grew brighter, lighting up the whole room. I shielded my eyes from the intense light, which grew so bright I closed my eyes and let out a small scream. Suddenly, the light was gone. I slowly opened my eyes and moved my arm from in front of my face.
I was back in my room, looking out into the hallway, sweating and breathing hard. I looked at the alarm clock next to my mat and saw that it was four in the morning. I flopped back down on the mat, exhausted.
"Why didn't you help me, brain?" I whispered to myself.
I have no control when you're asleep, Adrienne. Then your subconscious takes over.
I sighed. "I know," I said, sadly. "I just wish you didn't have to abandon me." I knew that I wouldn't go back to sleep, partially because I couldn't stand to see Chase again, and partially because I was wide-awake now. I stood up and padded past the other rooms, through the same hallway where I had my first nightmare. I walked out into the cool night air and situated myself against the wall. I put my head back so I looked up to the sky. I dragged my knees to my chest and encircled my arms around them.
Then I remembered the last thing he had said to me before the dream ended. "I can keep this up until you die." Tears came to my eyes again, and I thought about the choices he had given me. Either join him, or dream of him for the rest of my days. There was another option as well: death. But I didn't want to die.
"Mommy." I whispered to the dark sky. "Mommy. I'm scared." Then I put my head in my knees, and cried my little heart out until the sun came up.
End Chapter 7