Author's note:
A bonus chapter for every 5 chapters, this will not directly affect the main storytelling, but rather a not-too-short scenario that's not that much important but still informative. It might be a flashback from the past, or short one-shots, or what happen in between during the two consecutive chapters.
Anyways, back to the story!
Chapter 5.5
"Tomorrow is another day"
Nightmares are just nightmares, they are not real.
Nightmares are the short movies which your brain made up from the bad experiences.
Nightmares sometimes cause stress and sleep paralysises, but remember, they are not real.
That's what Houser have always thought of. If only those dreams he dreamt were not real. If only he could remember what caused it to appear and started haunting for six years. On the other hand, Jack doesn't seem to care about how it happened, what he wanted to know is why they're here. He too, didn't know why.
The two cases were different from each other.
One is four, the other is just one.
One is constantly appearing, the other is just invisible.
One is throughout the night, the other is just randomly.
But one thing for sure, both of them lasted for six years and still continuing. Both of them are nightmares. Both of them fed up with fear.
Two year after The Accident...
"Knock knock."
Suddenly, a voice spoke in the middle of the night, its voice is not human. No, it sounded more like a robotic voice, with a deep and distorted tone. And that voice is just behind the door.
Jack, whose supposedly have already slept right now, is holding the doorknob, he clenched the knob hard, the door cannot be locked, unless there's a key. But he don't have it.
"Knock. Knock."
Two words, now even deeper and more distorted. The adrenaline is now at its max. Jack, who is still holding the doorknob, is too scared too speak. He feared that if he speaks, it will knows that he's in there. But something tells him that that thing already know he's in there.
What should he do? He answers.
"W...W... Who's there...?"
The words crumbled up by the trembling of the voice whose supposedly have already been sleeping.
No answers.
Did he do something wrong?
Jack did what that thing said, do the knock knock joke. After saying it, he stands completely still, waiting for the answer.
"Behind."
For God's sake, not other words like "boohoo" or "ache", but "behind"?
Don't turn around. Don't look what's behind you. Jack mumbled in his head. One hand holding the doorknob, while the other holding a flashlight. Couldn't let the adrenaline overcome, Jack knew what he had to do. But the shaking won't let him speak. Although not be able to see what's behind, but he sure that, something is breathing behind him. It's there, it's right there, just a feet or more away, he can feel it, he knows it.
Play the game or you die.
Answer the joke or you die.
You can't run, nor hide.
Now answer.
"B...B...Behind...Who?". Jack spoke like he was forced and desperated to say so. The breathing stopped, and so is the creaking. Now, it is silent that smother the room. As dark started overcoming, Jack is making a decision whether to answer it or not. He has to, right? There is no second choice for this thing.
Heart beating.
Cold silent.
Death approaching.
Nightmares in front.
Then a laugh. From small now echoed throughout the room. The laugh was a digitally, somewhat glitched and very deep humanoid tone. Jack almost screamed, but he held it back.
No, don't let it consume you. It's just another bad dream right?
A bad dream which has been going on for hours?
Is this even a bad dream?
Can a person know that they're dreaming?
Is this even real?
Why don't you pinch yourself?
I...have to wake up.
But... aren't you already awaken?
What time is it?
5:20 AM.
Forty more minutes.
Why is this keep happening to me?
Everything has its own origin.
It's been weeks.
Find a cure?
"Help..."
"But nobody came."
The boy curled up, hugging himself and the flashlight. Lights of hope beamed from the flashlight to the ceiling. But at the end, soon, it will be consumed by darkness.
Eyes tightly closed.
Then, a hand.
Touched the boy. It was hard. It was cold. It was sharp like paper cut. It was steel. It was iron. It felt like a robot.
And somehow, morning arises.
That was quick, did Jack fall asleep? He didn't sure, but it might be.
The boy wakes up, and looks around.
The room was lit with lights of hope. Colors were distinctly shown. Voices from downstairs can be heard, muffled.
The only thing he could hear after went unconscious is...
"Tomorrow is another day."