Prologue

Reliving the Nightmare

It was a dark chilly night. It was one of those nights that just seemed. . . .enchantingly evil. The dark clouds rolled towards the moon covering the light it gave off, leaving the world in darkness. The little boy shivered and quickly picked his toys off the ground, scared. His mommy was going to be mad. He was supposed to be back before the sun went down and it was well past that time. He trudged through the thickening fog and walked past his mommy's employer's dimly lit home. They were nice people and had a little baby boy he liked to play with.

Lightning struck and thunder boomed loudly. The dark clouds looked like they were going to explode any second. The little boy getting increasingly scared let out a frightened whimper and started to run. He ran past some of those yucky thorn bushes that gave him boo boos. His short legs got tangled up with each other and he tripped, falling right onto those bushes. The sharp thorns pierced his skin and he let out a cry. Big fat tears began to stream down his pudgy cheeks and he started wailing. He was scared and hurt and he wanted his mommy's protection and loving warmth. He tried to stand up but the thorns were tightly embedded in his shirt. He was stuck. "Mommy!" the little boy screamed. "Mommy, I sorry I no come home on time! Mommy pease! Help me!"

Just then he heard his employer's house door slam open. He hushed his cries and gulped for air. Even though he was only a little boy, he sensed something was wrong and stayed quiet. He heard the man's voice screaming loud and big booming noises. He heard the nice lady scream and shout. The tiny child lay frightened on the moist ground. Lightning, then thunder. The sky was growing darker. It was pitch black. He heard the nice lady scream again and he pulled as hard as he could to get out of the bushes. His blue and red striped shirt ripped, freeing him. The little boy ran as fast as his little legs could take him to his next-door house, leaving behind his forgotten toys.

He had to go to mommy and tell her what he heard! His mommy can fix everything! He ran to the back door. Where was his doggy? His doggy wasn't barking! He ran into the house and saw his mommy on the floor. Her eyes were wide open and she wasn't moving. The front door was open and swaying with the increasing wind. "Mama! Mama!" the little boy screamed over and over again. "Mommy, I sorry! I sorry Mommy! I bad! I bad!" He grabbed his mom with his tiny hands and shook her. "Mommy! Pease! I scared!" The clouds were nearly black now and the little boy was shaking with fear. An evil laughter pierced the air and he heard the nice lady's baby scream and cry. He heard a big loud noise and then a scream. A scream that seemed to shake the house. A scream that seemed like no human could make. The little boy covered his ears trying to block out the noise. The tears poured and the little boy clutched his mommy tightly. The inhuman scream stopped and the baby's cry filled the air.

Looking into the window of the tiny gardener's cottage, you could see a young woman lying on the tiled floor dead; a candle flickering, almost going out. A little boy crying uncontrollably curled up next to the woman, hugging her with his tiny little boy arms. You could hear a distant crying of an infant baby nearby. And then finally, finally, the rain began to fall.