Chapter 19: Nightmares
''AXEL, LET ME GO!''
it was midnight. Axel and Sophia were supposed to be in bed... But Axel had other plans. He was dragging his sister to the bathroom with a candle. She was begging him to stop, but he didn't. When he reached the dark bathroom, he gave her the candle and locked her inside.
''Come on, Smileeeeeeey... DO IT!'' Axel said.
''NO! LET ME OUT OF HERE, OR I WILL TELL MOM AND DAD TOMORROW!'' Sophia said, inside the locked bathroom.
''Ha! Like they will do anything. If you want me to unlock the door, first you will do what I asked you to do!''
Sophia was so scared from the dark. Her brother locking her inside was pure evil. She knew, he won't let her go, until he doesn't do the challenege. While she was shaking from fear, she looked at the mirror...
''B-Bloody Mary... Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary... Ha! Axel, nothing happe-
Before she could finish... In the mirror, she saw the reflection of a woman with blood on her clothes...
Axel was waiting outside the bathroom. He knew his sister will be scared from that legend, so he decided to scare her... He just loved to do those pranks on his sister.
''How is it going in there? Did she ate your soul? Hahaha, maybe I will leave you in there for a while... Sophi?''
It was strange how all the noises inside just stopped. He wasn't hearing the heavy breathing of his sister or any noise at all. Maybe that prank was kinda too much for her. Axel unlocked the door... And his sister wasn't inside.
''Wh-What? Sophi? Where are you? SOPHI?!''
Axel started to panic, the moment he saw his sister was gone. He just wanted to scare her... He didn't wanted to make her disappear. That's when he saw a reflection in the mirror... A reflection of a girl with a green sweater and a long hair... And she was also crying...
''H-Hello?''
Axel was scared, the moment he saw her... The girl looked at him... And started to turn into a shadow...
''You are responsible... YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE!''
The girl was now a complete shadow. She came out of the mirror... And killed Axel.
...
Axel woke up, terrified from this dream. The girl in the green sweater... Was Libby. It has been a while, since he had nightmares about his sister. He regreted every single day, everything he did to her...
Now he couldn't even go back to sleep. Every single time when he has nightmares about someone becoming a shadow... Something bad happens to the person.
Does that mean something bad will happen with Libby? When he had a nightmare about his sister becoming a shadow, he was worried, but then he ignored it... And a month later, his sister killed herself.
That's around the time, when he started to realize he has strange supernatural powers. All the visions and dreams he had... Aways had a deep meaning. If he really saw Libby becoming a shadow... That means, she is in great danger.
...
It was around 3:00 AM and Libby was in her cell. It has been 3 days since Scratch visited her. She had no idea, what was happening in the outside world. She hasn't seen her mom, Molly, Charlotte... No one. She was alone...
Libby hated every single second in here. Did she regreted what she did to the poor girl? Yes... Does she deserve to rot in jail? Yes... Does she want to be in jail? No... Absolutely no...
Scratch's words really hit her. How will she survive a day in jail? If she acts quiet and shy, she will become easy target for every criminal... And God knows, what they could possibly do to her.
While she was laying down on her bed... She felt unusual cold chills. It was summer, it's not supposed to be so cold in here... She got up... And saw the security guard in the hallway was dead. Libby froze from fear, the moment she saw his cold and dead body. She then felt someone is behind her... She turned around... And saw a tall figure in dark robe, glowing red eyes... And he was holding a scythe...
''Libby Stein-Torres...''
Libby was just looking at the creature, terrified and speechless. She had no idea, who is that or what he wants from her... But she sure knows, that thing is dangerous...
''H-Hi?''
''I decided to wait a little longer... But I can't. I REALLY hate cheaters...''
''Ch-Cheaters? What does this has to do with me?''
The reaper got little closer to her...
''You know what you did... You cheated me. You are supposed to be gone... But you are still alive... No one can escape from me!''
The moment he said... Libby realized who this guy is. He isn't just another hallucination... That was Death, himself. Libby didn't know how to respond, or react... She was just praying in her head for him to spare her.
She then heared something behind her... She heared how the door of the cell opened. That was her chance... That was her chance to escape from him. The reaper noticed what she wanted to do...
''Don't you dare to-
Before he could finish, Libby ran away with all the speed she had. She was running in the dark hallway, desperate to finally get out of here. While she was running, she started to tear up, questioning why was this happening to her. She was running, having no idea where to go... She was just running, desperate to survive... And sliped and fall... The reaper was in front of her... And she noticed the rage in his eyes.
''GO ON! RUN AWAY! YOU ONLY MAKE IT MORE FUN FOR ME!''
The reaper lifted his scythe and tried to slice her... But with the reflex of a cheetah, Libby got up and started to run in the other direction. She continued to run and cry, realizing she can't escape him. But she still didn't stopped running... She somehow got even faster. That's when she finally saw the exit of the building... With unbelieveble speed, she got to the door and finally escaped from prison.
There were no guards and all the lights were off. But Libby didn't care and continued to run away, as far as possible. However... When Libby got outside, she was in a dark forest. She had no idea what was happening, but she just continued to run... She knew, the grim reaper is right behind her.
''COME HERE, LIBBYYYYYYYYYYYYY!''
Libby was feeling the pain in her legs, but she couldn't stop running. If she stops for even one second, the reaper will catch her. After nonstop running in the woods, Libby couldn't take it anymore and hid behind a tree. She continued to cry and was begging for forgiveness... And then behind the trees, she saw the shadow demon.
''Running away, huh? Coward! JUST SAVE YOURSELF!''
That's when Libby felt that agonizing hunger and her stomach started to growl. At this point, Libby had no idea what's worse. The hunger, the demon, or the fact she is chased by Death. She was feeling those cold chills again... And she realized, the grim reaper was close. Libby got back up... And saw the reaper right in front her...
''No... More... RUNNING!''
The reaper lifted his scythe again... And sliced her. Libby was now on the ground, crying from pain. She was feeling, how she was slowly dying.
''PLEASEEEEE! I DON'T WANNA DIE! I DON'T WANNA DIE!''
No matter how hard Libby was crying... The reaper was just watching her. Libby's hunger was getting bigger and bigger... Her eyes turned demonic red... And she realized, the only chance for survival now is to kill that guy.
''I told you, NO ONE CAN ESCAPE FROM ME! YOU SHOULD BE DEAD! AND I WILL MAKE SURE, THIS TIME YOU WILL FINALLY DIE!''
''No... I... WON'T DIE!''
Libby jumped at the grim reaper, ready to demolish him... Only for him, to grab her by the sweater and push her back to the ground...
''Oh, now you REALLY made me angry!''
It was over... Libby started to cry again, realizing she will die. she couldn't save herself... She will just die, without even saying goodbye to her mom...
''Please... Please, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to! Please, NO PLEASE-
Before Libby could finish... The grim reaper finally finished her, with his scythe...
...
''Kid, come on! Wake up!''
Libby woke up with tears in her eyes, trying to realize what the hell was that dream. She saw the security guard, in front of her...
''Come on, your mom is waiting for you outside''
Libby was very confused when he said this.
''Wh-What? But, I thought, I can't see her...'' Libby said, trying to hide her tears.
''Surprise! You are free! Come on, I have other things to do. Get out of here, fast!''
Libby was in total shock, when she heared she is free. What saved her? She was sure, she will be in jail... That was some kind of miracle. Libby was ready to leave her cage and finally see her mom...
...
Leah was waiting for her daughter outside. Those 3 days, she had to fight in court with the help of officer John, just to prove her daughter was innocent. And of course, Andrea found the best lawyer for her. Leah couldn't even think of a way to thank that girl, for all the times she saved her. Really, Libby's mental tests were enough proof to show, she isn't mentally stable, so she probably had no idea what she was doing.
While she was waiting, Libby finally showed up with tears in her eyes and finally hugged her mom.
''Libby! Finally, I was so worri-
''MOM, I'M SORRY! I'm sorry for what I did, I didn't want to. I'm so sorry for causing so much troble!'' Libby said, as she started to cry.
Leah hugged her back, grateful that her daughter was finally free...
''Shh-Shhhh. It's ok, turtledove. Everything is gonna be alright... The idiot who arrested you, was fired yesterday. No one can take you away from me, my little miracle... No one!'' Leah said, as she started to tear up.
While they were hugging... Libby noticed something. On the prison wall, there were two words, written with graffiti...
Memento Mori