As everyone is sleeping peacefully in their beds in the Ever Realm,

Sofia lay in bed eyes closed as her nightmares chased her thoughts away a frown in place of a smile. Vor, the amulet, darkness, solitude. It kept replaying in her mind

NIGHTMARE

Sofia ran through a deep and dark forest full of fog. "Amber? James? Mom? Dad? Can anyone hear me? Please someone answer me... ANYONE?" "

"Sofia," said a voice from afar.

"Wh-who's there?" said Sofia, terrified by the somehow unfamiliar voice calling her name.

"We met again?" The menacing voice chuckled. "What a terrible choice you've made, child."

The fog grew thicker by the minute.

"Vor! I-I'm not afraid of you!" Sofia shouted, trying to hide the fear in her voice but failing to do so. I couldn't be scared I was a Protector in training I knew what to do, I could handle you.

Vor laughed. "You say you're not afraid of me, yet your trembling body says the opposite…"

The Vor declared. "Do not be afraid, child. I am your friend." Her voice was surrounding Sofia coming from every direction.

"If you are my friend, then show yourself." Sofia gasped as Vor appeared in front of here.

"Please help me... please I beg you" Sofia let her guard down trying to find a way back

"My, my, what happened, dear?", I bet your family left you here to die."

Sofia stood firm, "That's not true, that's not true!" Sofia yelled. "My family would never do that!"

Sofia could hear the smirk in her voice as she disappeared into the fog again.

"Then tell me, child, why did your family leave the forest just when you fell asleep?"

Vor laughed mockingly. "I bet they doesn't need you, nor does they love you."

Sofia's breath quickened "You take that back!" Sofia yelled hoarsely.

"Such a feisty little girl you are, and yet very vulnerable." Vor laughed. "I can see why the other students bully you at your school, in the Villager child." As the fog grew thicker, Vor's voice grew louder and seemed to be getting closer.

"N-n-no that's not true," Sofia whispered, clutching her small frame from the cold that filled the air as she tried to keep herself together, repeating to herself all over again that Vor was wrong and she was right… believing it less and less the more she repeated it.

"Then where are they, child? Where are all of your so-called friends? Or even your so-called family?"

Vor asked, getting even closer. "Tell me, where's the loving family that left you here in the woods? Where are your friends where are they?"

Sofia tried to cover her ears and began running in a different direction, but Vor's voice still surrounded her echoing against her skull.

"No, stay away from me, STAY AWAY!" Sofia yelled frantically, running away from Vor."You can't run away from my child, I will find you, hahahhhahhaha!" said Vor as she disappeared into the shadows.

Sofia's eyes shot open as the nightmare came to a close.

End Nightmare

Sofia jerked from side to side pulling the blankets further entangling herself in a trap of her own making. "No" she muttered. "Please don't do this" She jerked again, "No, please I need them, no, no, no" She woke up gasping for air, desperately looking around the room and couldn't see anyone. She was all alone all over again her breath quickened.

Was this still a nightmare or was everyone gone?

She saw it was dark out but couldn't wait until morning. She tumbled out of bed falling caught in the entrapment of the blankets that surrounded her. She braced herself as she hit the ground and quickly stumbled up and ran down the hall knocking on the first door. No answer, her heart started to race.

She continued to knock on all the guest room doors not thinking about their purpose until she came to Amber's room. She banged on the door and waited. She heard footsteps but was unsure if that was a good sign.

Amber opened the door and Sofia rushed into her arms.

"Sofia, are you okay?" Amber asked gently not wanting to scare her away.

Sofia opened her mouth to speak but paused, closed her mouth, and gently shook her head. Her big, tear filled, blue eyes were as bright as sapphires and Amber's heart ached for the girl.

Frowning, Amber allowed Sofia to enter her room. After closing the door behind them and guiding Sofia to the bed, she watched as her baby sister crumbled before her.

More tears began running down her soft pink cheeks. Without even thinking about what she was supposed to do, Amber quickly wrapped her arms around Sofia's body that had began shaking violently in her arms.

Amber softly spoke "It has only been three days since you was dragged into the amulet by Vor. It's ok to still be scared, but you also need to remember that this is the third night that when you woke up my arms were waiting for you."

Three days of watching the terrified look on her little sister's face as she desperately tried to reach out for someone, anyone, before it was too late. Amber couldn't begin to imagine the thoughts running through Sofia's mind as she consoled her sister.

"I-It was so horrible. I thought I- I was n- never going to see you again, I was s-so s-sca-scare-SCARED!"Sofia sobbed into her sister's shoulder choking out the last word.

Amber clutched her sister tighter, silently telling her she was safe.

"It's okay, Sofia. I'm right here, she can't get you now" Amber soothed, gently running her fingers through her sister's long, curly red locks.

"It's just that...every time I close my eyes...she's right there in front of me." Sofia explained slowly as if she were afraid to utter her inner thoughts. She was trying, ineffectively, failing to shallow her breathing.

"Sofia, it's over now. You don't have anything to worry about," Amber said pulling, the two of them apart and giving her sister a gentle smile. "Hey, why don't you sleep with me for a bit? Just until you start to feel better, alright?" Amber offered kindly as she pulled the comforter back on her bed

Sofia nodded and gave her own broken smile as she curled beneath the warm, comforting covers beside her older sister.

Amber held Sofia as she slowly grew tired. Speaking sweet nothings and soothingly shushing her, "Shh, you are ok. Everyone is safe." Sofia uneasily fell back asleep under the watchful eyes of her older sister. Being the Protector wasn't going to help her right now because... it was the Protector who needed protecting.

The end