THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO MY PAL CHRISTINE WHO BEGGED ME TO REVEAL THE SECRETS OF THE RAIN TO YOU ALL. YOU'RE A REAL GOOF GIRL. HAHA -

Your Worst Nightmare

The rain was pouring down in thick sheets over William. He screamed out Claira's name before hearing his own title in a syrupy thick voice. "William" He turned recognizing that vocalization from previous encounters with the rain.

"No, not yet." He screamed. "William." It was louder this time. Now the voice was coming from everywhere. Behind the trees that seemed a hundred miles away. "William, William, William." The mantra of his name played repeatedly in his head. He turned toward the forest and fought his way through. "Run" The voice called out through the curtains of rainfall. William stopped and looked around. "Claira, Claira answer me." He screamed.

"Dead" The voice cackled.

"What?" He pleaded staring up at the darkened sky.

"She's dead."

"No, I don't believe. . ."

"Believe what you want Oh Prince of secrets."

"Stop it!"

"They're coming."

"Claira!"

Claira felt the harsh pound of the rain. Her head swam but she still managed to twist her feet from the rope. She was nearly finished with her hands when she heard her name being called.

"Claira" It was strange. It seemed as if the voice was in her head.

"Who are you?" She asked the being. There was a depraved laughter and then the rope was cut from her wrists. She turned but no one was there.

Suddenly there were tiny pricking sensations all over her arms. Blood sprang from the open wounds. Claira gasped at the sight of newly appearing cuts. "What. . ."

"You've always feared leeches dearest."

"What are you talking about."

"Remember this?"

Suddenly her arms were covered in leeches. She clawed at her own limbs, ridding them of the blood sucking parasites. Her eyes were blurry and her head was light. The voice gave a wicked laugh.

"And what of spiders?"

"No"

"Yes."

Starting from her feet Claira was covered in spiders. They scaled her long mangled dress and made nests in her hair. She screamed but it didn't stop. Then with a clap of lightening they disappeared. Claira collapsed on the ground. Her breath was choppy and uneven.

"Your such a cowardly little thing. It's quite fun actually."

"Who are you?"

"The dream keeper. Keeper of the most horror filled nights."

"Please have mercy on me. I can't. . ."

"Quiet! You have yet to grasp this."

"What?"

"Silence."

When Claira opened her eyes she was on a boat. There were countless others, two of which being her parents. They were both pale and sickly looking. A large bearded man grabbed her mother and forced a long unwanted kiss on her shriveled lips. "Mother." Claira screamed but she went unheard. The man then went to her father and punched him. Her poor father fell to the deck but soon went overboard along with her mother. They were both crushed between the waves and the stained wood of the ship.

Claira watched as the crew laughed at their petrified screams. She wanted to stop it but could do nothing. It was then she recognized this. It was a dream she had been tormented with since she was a young child. The leeches, the spiders covering her from head to toe, they were all her worst nightmares.

"I won't have this anymore." Claira screamed to the sky. She blinked and she was now back in the forest. The rain was not showing signs of letting up.

"You dare defy me?" The voice boomed.

"Yes, this is all smoke and mirrors. You are not frightening me. These are just dreams."

"No, these are nightmares. The most evil spirts of the night all pulled together."

"I don't care!"

"One more for you Claira dearest and you shall see just how dangerous these waters are."

"Do your worst!" Claira would soon find that she shouldn't be so brave in the face of danger.

----------------------------
"You're a coward!"

"Stop it" William screamed. He had not yet to shed a tear but was finding his anger overflowing.

"A fool"

"Shut up!"

"A sputtering love sick fool."

"Leave spirit"

"She doesn't love you."

"Why aren't you tormenting me. Show me my nightmares. Scare me to death."

"If you wish. . ."

William fell to his knees after a sharp pain shot through his abdomen. He grasped around his stomach. Blood covered his hands. "What is this?" He cried toward the forest. Then he saw Claira standing over him with a knife. She didn't smile or offer a helping hand. Instead she held the knife high and just as she was coming down for another stab he rolled out the way.

"Your not tricking me this time spirit"

"Stop moving." The vision of Claira screamed. "This is not real" He retorted. William fell to the ground as the dream Claira stabbed him through the heart.

"I hate you William. I hate you and all your false truths and I hate the way she laugh. There is nothing that I could possibly find attractive in you." Claira dropped the knife a mere inches from his head.

"Die Prince." She then disappeared. "Yes die prince." The voice called.

"No."

Meanwhile Claira was facing a rather trying battle of her own. She was standing in the middle of a church. Gentle music was playing in the background. Soft lights shone through the stained-glass window casting colorful shadows across the pews. There were plenty of people sitting in the seats, watching Claira who happened to be wearing the dazzling dress from the night of the ball. They all stood as she walked down the aisle toward William. He smiled as she neared him. It was all perfect, there was nothing scary about this.

As the minister started the ceremony William turned toward the congregation and pointed at Claira with an accusing finger.

"This woman thinks she has fooled me. She thinks she had made me fall in love with her. I know that I am much too good for her. Look at her! She's plain and pathetic. I don't even have the stomach to look at her, much less spend the rest of my life with her."

He then turned toward Claira himself and gave an sterile smile. "Wretched beast. Your not fit to wipe my boots." Claira was then taken by the guards and William was joined by Rebecca. That is when the evil snake and him shared the most passionate heartfelt kiss Claira had ever been witness to.

She closed her eyes. Her heart had never felt such pain. The guards had her arms grasped tightly behind her back and she fell limp in their grasp. They let her fall, her head skidded across the ground. "Is that quite enough?" The evil voice echoed through the trees. Claira opened her eyes. The rain was once again pouring down around her. She didn't even try to stand up.

"It's hard to see what William really thinks of you."

"It can't be."

"In your dreams lies the truth."

"No, I won't accept this."

Claira closed her eyes and the rain filled up around her. She floated limply. "These are all just dreams." She cried to herself. The water engulfed her and she passed out.

A/N: well well ahhhh so you know the big secret about the rain. Have questions, just ask me.. This chapter was fun to write. I tried to make it easy to understand. I have such a clear picture in my head it's sometimes hard to keep up with my brain.. Lol thanks for reading. .. .I'm working on the next chapter as we speak!!! please review it motivates me to post faster. -ps85