-x-
The screams are what wake me up, those screams I know can only be my own, my sleep once again disturbed by my nightmares. I'm very quickly starting to believe that I will never be able to get more then a few hours sleep, my new meta-human and protector of Central City life not exactly helping either.
I unleash a shaky sigh, my still trembling hands moving to my black and white hair, my fingers brushing the damp locks out of my hot, clammy face, turning to look at the clock on my bedside table letting out a groan seeing the red, glowing numbers flash 2:35 at me, meaning I'd once again achieved two, maybe three hours sleep.
As exhausted as I am, that overwhelming need to sink back down into the pillow, close my eyes and pray to whoever maybe listeningup above that I can sleep the rest of the night without that nightmare deciding to pay a visit, the truth is I'm scared to. If anything, it feels like my nightmares are only getting worse ever since I awoke from that nine month coma to a whole new world, a world full of speedsters, multiple men and gas monsters.
Ever since seeing that man in yellow in my dreams over a week ago, I feel like he's a constant companion of my sleep subconscious. The last three nights, his visits to my nightmares had gotten more threatening as well as terrifying. Instead of seeing my father's body lying in that living room, blood all around him like a river, I saw the man in yellow knelt over him, his hand through his chest. And all three times, I would awake just as he turned to look at me, his red eyes burning into me.
Now...now I would feel those inhuman eyes on me everywhere I go, even though I know there's no way he could be real unless somehow he was really Freddy Kreuger and I was living on Elm street. I feel like he's haunting me, my own personal phantom and I don't know what to do. Worse of all, I'm too scared to tell any of my friends at S.T.A.R Labs, worried none of them would believe me especially with what's been going on with my newfound abilities.
I don't realise I'm crying at first until I feel the tears begin to stream down my face, my palms moving up to wipe them away. For the first time in my life, I wish I was still living in my old home, living my old life, all my troubles and worries a million miles away from me.
My first thought is to go see Felicity, her always having been there for me even more so after my dad died. But the last thing I want to do is go bother her at two in the morning what with that still unresolved issue with Oliver hanging over my head like an anvil ready to drop at any second. And I still can't find the strength to go see him, still feeling both embarrassed and guilty that what had happened between us had happened.
But I can't stay in this apartment right now, in these lonely rooms, needing the company of the moon and stars and fresh night air, try to at least attempt to clear my mind. I want anything but to be alone right now, that desire leading me to get out of bed, getting dressed in a flash, changing into the first thing I happen to have lying on the chair in the corner of my room, my favourite comfy flowing dress not bothering with any shoes, preferring to walk outside barefoot for some reason.
I find I'm still shaking when I close the door to my apartment, that nightmare still refusing to leave my mind, my eyes slowly closing. They open a few seconds later, my hand moving to the back of my neck, my entire body going cold, that feeling that I'm being watched hitting me again.
I let my hand drop to my side slowly turning around, my eyes dropping to the ground, almost too terrified to let myself look up. And those dark blue orbs land on a pair of boots, yellow boots, my trembling getting harder. I force my eyes to slowly move up, my back pressing up against the door to my apartment, my hand moving over my mouth, muffling the scream I can feel is threatening to break free.
This...this can't be happening, can't be possible. Clearly I'm still asleep, this being nothing but one of my nightmares, my free hand moving to my waist, pinching myself, begging myself to wake up. How can this man, this...whatever the hell he is be real?. I'm looking right at the man in yellow from my nightmares and i'm wide awake.
"Who...who are you?. What do you want from me?," I whisper, not finding the strength to speak any louder, my hand dropping from my mouth, watching him tilt his head slightly, those burning red eyes running over me slowly, like he was examining me.
"You'll find out soon...engel," he says, his voice deep and distorted, staring intensely at me.
Then he disappears, leaving me alone, still shaking, my vision starting to blur, feeling my legs give way underneath me, collapsing to the ground, my hands moving over my face, breaking down, feeling all over again like I was going insane, my sobs growing in intensity.
There's only one person I desperately want to see right now, my hands dropping from my face which I know no doubt looks red and puffy right now, pushing myself up off the ground slowly starting to make my way to the apartment six doors down, knocking on the door quietly, knowing I'll probably get no answer as it's so early in the morning. But the door swings open a couple of minutes later. And I can't help but snort as shaken up as I'm feeling seeing the baseball bat in his hand.
"Seriously, Ramon?. Clearly you don't watch enough horror movies cause you know nobody would knock on your door if they were intending on harming you."
"R...Raven?. Do you know what time it is?," Cisco mutters, his hand dropping the bat, his voice sounding a little croaky which I know is cause I've woken him up.
"I'm...i'm sorry. I shouldn't have bothered you. I'll...i'll go," I sigh, feeling both guilty for waking him and for poking fun at him, turning to go.
I stop feeling his hand grab mine turning back to look at him, unable to stop the sob from breaking free, moving to him fast, feeling him gather me up in his arms, pulling me inside his apartment, shutting the door after me. The next thing I feel is him picking me up bridal style carrying me through to what I'm guessing is the living room, unable to see through my sobs.
I feel him lower me onto the couch, my arms dropping from around him, my eyes dropping to my shaking hands, feeling his arm wrap back around me, his fingers brushing my hair back away from my face.
"I'm...i'm sorry."
"Don't do that. Don't apologise for being upset. But whatever it is, I know it's scaring the hell out of you. Whatever it is, you can tell me."
"I...i think somebody is after me, Cisco."
-x-
This won't be the only time Raven comes face to face with the Reverse Flash.