Chapter - 1

3:00 A.M

The phone screen nearly blinds me as I glare at the device. I let out a groan while thrashing around on the bed. I gave up and just laid there looking at the ceiling. The scenes from the nightmare played on the ceiling like a broken projector, each flickering image of them dripping blood on my face.

The void gazed at my soul, bruising the insides to mock my misery. They made garlands from the withered flowers of forget-me-not. As excruciating as it could be, they trampled all over me as they pleased. Inflicting wounds as art on their nails, they adorned their lips with the blood of victims they have reaped.

The tempest of the past, they never left my side. They watched me in sadistic pleasure as I suffered, writhed in pain. It felt mortifying that I haven’t recovered from it. I closed my eyes, praying for the murky torment to wash away from my vision. It felt like ages before I regained my composure from the ordeal. It was not often that I experienced nightmares, but when I did, it always left me numb for an hour or so. I wondered when was the last time I had thought of ‘them’ .

Amidst the lingering unease, I heard shuffling noises near the bed. A white fluffy tail came into view, and I smiled as Vincent, my fluffy husky dog, climbed up beside me. He showered me with happy, concerned licks. Basking in his warmth, I could feel my tensed body starting to relax. I petted him and nuzzled against his fur while Vincent was doing his small delightful dance.

“You’re my good boy” I cooed at him and was rewarded with cute licks all over my face. I kept caressing his fur and giving light scratches, while he just lay on the bed beside me.

Vincent and Charlie have been such good children that it baffles me to think how these creatures treat us. Their little pitter-patter across the house brought joy and comfort to our hearts. There was hope for broken people like us to love and to be loved but to be understood, that would be a different story.

I checked the time again and realized that she should be back from the hospital. I mentally apologized for the poor dinner she would need to eat after the late night shift. I wished to talk about it to her but my mind refused to comply with the thought. So I saved this conversation for later and thought about the day ahead.

I recounted all the tasks that needed to be done at the office and concluded that it would be a tiring day. The release of the new product was scheduled for the afternoon, and the last meeting was set for the evening. In between, I was required to oversee the critical agreement with one of our most significant future clients. Ever since I have become part of the corporate world, being in the spotlight has never been an exciting experience for me at the very least.

I sighed, realizing I needed more rest to tackle the important tasks ahead. As I watched Vincent on the verge of dozing off, I decided to drift back to sleep myself. I gently pulled him close, ensuring he was comfortable, and showered him with the affectionate kisses he deserved. Feeling a sense of peace, I finally allowed myself to fall asleep.