Sorry for the shortness of the last chapter, WordPad doesn't have a word counter... Anyways, thought I'd make it up to my faithful readers by adding a chapter 2.5! ...Yeah. Fail. Okay, enjoy!
(Still Kaitlin's POV):
I woke with a start, the blankets tangled around my legs. Sweat soaked my face and plastered the sheets to me. I'd slept in my clothes again. It was very hard to remember, even after all this time, that I was no longer in Ireland, where the chances of rain were higher than anywhere else in the world, I'm sure of it. But something didn't make sense; why was my heart pounding like a jack-hammer, and why in the world did I want to sing with joy?
Then it hit me. My dream.
I sat up slowly, resting my back against the leather headboard. Reaching over to open the window, I sighed with relief as cool air drifted through, though it couldn't wash away the sense of terror-and-joy. Then my mind went back to the dream I'd been having. And oh, was I glad I didn't take up Amy's offer. I lay there, listening to the sounds of the weak nightlife, and felt, for the first time, glad I was alone.
It was dark in the powerplant, only the too-blue pools lit up the gloom. On the ground near my feet, lay Sam, crying and begging for it all to end. His skin was in tatters, and the parts that were still intact were bright red. Tears streamed down his face and soaked his t-shirt, mixing with the blood which seeped out of everywhere. I couldn't look, but at the same time, I needed to look, to watch as the brave hero cried out in agony as the dark crimson whip slashed at his body again and again. At first, I had watched in horror as School Bus Sam was whipped to within an inch of his life. Then, slowly, that had melted away, leaving nothing but hollowness. I had felt nothing. Without warning, the hollowness filled with an even worse feeling than nothing. Pure joy. Pure joy at watching the great Sammy tremble with fear; pure joy as the whip connected to his cheek; pure joy at the absolute horror on his face when Drake stepped into the light.
I had sighed with longing as the dishwasher-blond, bedragelled head of Drake Merwin came finally into view. He glanced at me, smirked coldly, then brought the whip down harder than ever on Sam's exposed back. I had felt my mouth copy Drake's cruel grin, as though it were completely natural. Suddenly, Sam had turned his tearstained face on me, pleading in his eyes. "Please, make it stop."
I had frozen for a second, wondering what to do, but then Drake whipped him again, and it snapped me back to my dream-senses. Kneeling down beside Sam as he sobbed loudly, my grin had widened, and I chuckled coldly. "Again, Drake. I don't think he's a death's door just yet."
Horror flashed across Sam's face, quickly replaced by another grimace of pain as Drake complied. I had stood up again and faced Drake, who stopped whipping just long enough to smile properly at me, an actual, handsome smile. "I didn't know you had it in you, little Katie." He had said approvingly, then leaned over Sam's crumpled body to kiss me on the cheek.
It had felt so real. I could've sworn I smelled the copper-tang of blood in the air, and could've sworn I'd actually seen that real smile from Drake. Sighing, I rolled over and closed my eyes, hoping I'd finally get a peaceful night sleep.
I should have been much more frightened of that... monster which had sucked away my fear and replaced it with sadistic joy. Much more afraid.