It

In the dead of the night I woke up, hungry and thirsty. I just remembered I haven't been eating much earlier. He's still there, Frank, sleeping on the couch. Now that I think about it, it's weird (and dangerous) that I'd let a guy I barely know to sleep over at my place. I was too distraught from the nightmare that I had, I didn't even think this decision through. But he seems like a nice guy. He stayed because he was worried about me.

I was just having some sandwich when I heard a window rattling. There was wind, but I don't remember any of the windows had rattling problems when I got here. The noise was clear, but it wasn't close. The neighbors, perhaps, I thought to myself.

The rattling gets louder and louder. Now several windows are rattling at the same time. I feel uncomfortable. Is this a dream again? Is this real? I walked slowly out of the kitchen and crept towards the couch Frank was sleeping on. He's there, fast asleep, oblivious to the noise.

The wind outside blew stronger as the rattling gets louder, howling through the cracks where it had found its way into my house, bringing the cold with it.

"Frank, wake up" I shook his shoulder lightly, and when he did not respond, I shook him harder. "Frank, wake up!"

Suddenly he was thrashing about.

He was thrashing on the couch like a slaughtered hen barely hanging on to it's last breath, violent and desperate. I fell backwards, frightened from the sight of him tossing and turning as if Death is taking his soul.

"FRANK!"

The trashing gets more violent and he was scratching the couch, it ripped from his clutches. He was trying to stop it. And in the end --

Crack.

His body was twisted around like a rag... his head was turned completely round and it was looking at me. It wasn't Frank. It was ---




"LUCILLE! I'M HERE!"

I gasped for air, as if released from a choke. Bewildered, I looked around, it was already morning and Frank  was holding my shoulder.

"You're dreaming again..." he breathed, pulling me close. "Lucille I got to tell ya something now."

I wanted to say something, anything but words failed me. Nothing came out of my mouth. My eyes wandered around the room wildly, trying to grasp the reality, that I'm no longer in a dream.

"Don't. tell. anyone. you've been having nightmares."

"...wh..."

"Not even your bestest friend in the entire fucking universe, you don't. Promise me."

"But I--"

"PROMISE.ME." he barked at me, holding me so tight he's beginning to hurt me.

"Y...yes I promise"

"Go wash your face," Frank finally loosened up. I still could barely move, shivering uncontrollably. I still don't understand what is going on. Why is he insisting that I don't tell anyone? And what was that thing?

It was the same damned thing --

"I have to go to Billy's for a bit, and my house too. I'll be back around 1. If ya wanna go and get stuff, this broad daylight's the time for ya to do just that."

I looked away. Frank leaned in and grabbed me by my shoulders.

"Whatever it was in your dreams it won't get to ya. It's just a dream. When ya feeling scared, and I'm not around, just keep telling yourself it can't hurt ya cuz it's just a dream. Got it?"

"Why--" I gulped. "Why do you care?"

Frank let my shoulders go and turned towards his jacket, putting it on, and grabbing his toolbox. He stood there facing the unfinished wall, and heaved a sigh.

"Because I didn't care before." he replied. "Lots of times in my life I wished I could just turn back time and fix it."

***
I decided I should call my uncle and make some excuse so I don't have to go to work for now.

"You okay Lucy?" Rice's worried voice answered me. "You said you just need a couple of days to sort out your new apartment,"

"I'm fine, I just... I don't think I could come to work for a while. I hope you're okay with that. I... feel sick."

"That's fine, Lucy. Maybe the moving fatigue's getting to you. I'd come and visit you when I'm done with things here at the bar."

"No, I... I'd rather just sleep it off if you don't mind, don't have to visit me or anything. I'll be fine. I'll call you when I'm feeling better."

"Alright then. If you need anything, just tell me okay?"

"I will. Thanks, uncle."

Dropping the call, I thought to myself : What's with me finding it hard to separate the reality and my dream state, driving alone at night to his bar to work doesn't sound like a good idea at all. Plus right now I'm having a fever. Probably from the shock. So I should just stay at home until the nightmares go away. If it goes away... and I hope it will.