A Nightmare

Theta came to find me.
I had been locked in Salome and I's room.
I have been having nightmares.

Remember when I said I do not dream?
Not unless I kill myself.
Well... I have been.

They have been the kind where you wake up,
disoriented,
and you still believe it is real.

Walking in a park, hand in hand
with a familiar man who's name I cannot place.
Children are playing, singing London Bridge.
He looks at his watch.

He smiles at me, he says we're late for a meeting.
We begin to run.

I hear a crack.

His smile fades and he falls into me.
Blood.

I cradle him until he dies.

I see Salome, walking toward us.
I am scared...
West tries to stop her.
His face is torn off.

The children have stopped singing.
They are staring at us.

Then she turns on me.
She has that razor blade I used on her.
She carves into my face, smiling.

I scream but the dream does not stop.

Yesterday, I awoke in the early morning.
Theta was at my bedside.
He tutted, like when Salome was injured.
"You thrash, you know."

Confusion,
replaced fear,
replaced with anger.

West was just behind him.
It seems they anticipated me.
That I would try and hurt him.
I would not give him the pleasure.

"Come on Ember. We need to get you ready."
A pause on my part.
"Ready for what?"

He smiled at me grimly.
"You have people who want to chat."
Suddenly the nightmares did not seem so bad.

Not so bad at all.