Things had calmed down for a while. The dreams, the headaches, and the visions had all halted out of a sudden. The asylum had fallen back into the dull and unfair routine that had become expected of it, but even if it wasn't very convenient, at least it didn't threaten to defile their souls beyond the point of recognition for all time. Charles, Edna, Aaron, Lavinia, Henry, and Nessie were all very merry to hang out with each other daily, cherishing every moment that wasn't being regulated by the higher-ups, able to value the beauty of life even within an asylum, especially on those rare occasions when the landscape looked enchanting. They had all dropped their guard completely, and they were gravely wrong in having done so.
One random night, Edna shook aggressively in her sleep, clearly experiencing strange dreams again. Aside from her, Charles was all alone in his cell, and as her body moved violently, he couldn't do anything but remain curled up in a fetal position on the floor for a while, his whole being trembling with powerlessness. When he noticed that Edna was starting to wake up, he regained himself, not wanting to disturb her furthermore. As she leaped forward to embrace him and cry on his shoulder, he began to smoothly run his fingers through her hair, whispering words of comfort into her ear, which she much appreciated.
"Thank you, Charles," she said through quiet sobs. "It's wonderful to have you around. Your kindness is truly an immeasurable gift."
He smiled brightly at her. "It's the least I can do to repay all that you've done for me over the years."
She began sobbing again, being in complete vulnerability against her tears.
"So," he said awkwardly, wiping her tears when she was done crying. "Is it the same or not? It doesn't matter, anyway. We'll be able to overcome it, whatever it is."
Edna was silent for a while. At first, she couldn't remember the dream even if she wanted to, which she surely didn't. However, she soon remembered the dream despite herself. Her head was pierced by a force so violent and cruel that she could hardly withstand it. Seeing nothing but a particularly dark shade of red before her eyes, she was made to watch the images from the dream again, this time at an incredible speed. Just as before, she couldn't quite understand what it all meant, but at least were some things that she understood. Coughing to break the silence, she spoke:
"It's not the same. It seemed that way at the beginning, but there's something new that I've hardly been able to notice. For a split second, the dream showed an art gallery infested by these heinous creatures that are haunting us. I don't know what's up with them and art. It's sickening! They threaten to corrupt all that is sacred on this Earth! But that doesn't matter now. We have to warn the others. It's more important than you think."
Charles raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"I don't know!" she cried, shaking him. "Let's just go, please! I don't want to think about any of this anymore!"
And so they did, waking everyone else from their group up before the Sun had even begun to rise. Lavinia was clearly the most startled of them all, what with her face somehow being even paler than before; her eyes being wider than eyes should normally be, and her fingers swiftly trembling with nerves. The meaning of it all was glaringly evident without her even having said a word, which is why Edna ran over to her as if her feet were on fire, trapping her in a strong embrace that she still much appreciated, crying with tender tears.
"Oh, my dear! Have you seen the gallery as well?" Edna asked breathily.
Lavinia's whole body was overcome with shivers. "Yes, I have! It is most dreadful to think about. It is... Abominable..."
After that, she couldn't handle talking anymore, so she cried until there were no tears left, leaving the others to suffer in awkward silence. Once that was done, she composed herself - as much as one could compose themselves in such a situation, anyway - and after having had enough time to organise the flow of her thoughts, after wiping her tears and taking her breath, she began explaining all that she could:
YOU ARE READING
Remember - ONC 2023
HorrorIf only one person knows that you exist, do you exist at all? Charles Abbott is a college dropout after leaving the place in the middle of his third year. Devastated, but still knowing that there was no other choice, he returns from London to his sm...
