Night Terrors

Chapter 3 {DANIELLE}

Content warning: this chapter deals with explicit content regarding sexual assault and violence.

DANIELLE

I woke up to the sound of my own screams. I just had yet another one of my bad dreams. 

I quickly sat up and clutched my blanket as my chest pumped up and down from my breathing. It was pitch black and the moon gave off hardly any light. Aside from my loud breathing, I could have sworn it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. 

I turned my head to look out my window to see if Nate was still up with his lantern on, but he wasn't. I hated him, but I would have felt safer knowing at least someone was awake near me. That's when I decided I wasn't sleeping in my room. 

I grabbed my blanket and ran out of my room, still scared from my dream. It was even darker out in the hallway because there were no windows, so I quickly went into Sam's bedroom and closed the door behind me. He had his little battery operated Spider-Man night light sitting on the nightstand by his bed. 

I tiptoed over to his bed and squeezed myself between him and the wall. I know it was pathetic of me to feel safer sleeping in my nine-year-old brothers room, but I didn't really care, I was afraid. 

I laid there for about ten minutes before I was able to fall back asleep. 

When I woke up the next morning Sam was gone and I was alone in his spider man themed bedroom with the light shining down into my eyes. I pushed myself up off his bed and walked downstairs. 

"Well good morning, sleepy head," my mom greeted me from the kitchen table. "I heard you slept in your brother's room last night." She laughed. 

I groaned out of embarrassment and sat down on the couch. 

"Dani's scared of the dark, Dani's scared of the dark," Sam taunted from the couch beside me.

I rolled my eyes and threw a pillow at him, yelling at him to shut up.

"Well, I'm taking your brother to school," my mom stated as she grabbed her purse. "Don't do anything stupid while we're gone."

With that, they both walked out the door and I was left alone in my dimly lit house. The power was still out, but the sun gave off enough light that it didn't matter much during the day.

I now had a whole day all to myself to just relax. I decided to go swim, as usual. I changed into my swimsuit and ran outside. 

After about an hour or two the wind started to pick up, sending chills down my spine so I got out. I then realized I forgot a towel and the wind was too cold to airdry. I went to my back door and much to my luck, it was locked. I couldn't believe I seriously just locked myself out. 

I began to panic and shook the door knob, thinking it was going to magically unlock itself. We had a spare key, but Nate's mom had it somewhere in their house, and we had theirs. I wasn't about to go ask Nate for it though. 

Just when I thought my luck couldn't get any worse, the asshole walked outside with his asshole friend Johnny.

"Shit." I muttered to myself. Why does this happen literally every time I come outside?

At first, neither of them noticed me, but then Johnny looked up and smirked. 

"Woah, Nate, you didn't tell me the bitch gave you free nude shows from your backyard." Johnny remarked. 

I felt my face flush red and anger boil inside of me as I crossed my arms to cover myself. Johnny McCain is the last person I ever wanted to see me in a swimsuit. 

I glanced at Nate, asking for help with my eyes but of course that asshole wasn't going to help me. Instead, he laughed. 

"Fuck off Johnny." I ordered as I turned back to my house and turned the handle again, still hoping it would have magically unlocked itself. 

"You don't have to be such a bitch to me, ya know?" He scanned me up and down, making me feel insecure. "Just wanted to know when I was gonna get a show."

"I said fuck off, you asshole!" I spat. 

Johnny put his hands up in surrender and Nate laughed at the exchange we were having. 

"Well, I'm going home, see ya around, bitch." And with that, Johnny got in his car and left. 

I shot Nate a glare as he continued to laugh. "Fuck you." I spat as I looked down and continued to cover my chest. 

If only he knew. Then maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't be laughing. But then again, it's Nate Wood, the second biggest asshole I know, after Johnny of course. 

I felt a knot grow in my throat and my eyes get watery as memories of the night everything happened came flooding into my mind. 

"What crawled up your ass?" He asked as he leaned against his porch stairs. 

"Give me the damn spare key to my house." I ordered in a harsh tone. 

He rolled his eyes and shrugged before answering. "I don't even have them. My mom keeps them on her key ring to her car. You locked out?" 

"No shit I'm locked out." I rolled my eyes. Why else would I be standing here asking for my keys and listening to his bullshit?

Nate put his phone in his pocket which he was previously scrolling through and motioned towards his house. "You can come in if you want?" He offered more as a question. 

I hated him, and as much as I didn't want to go in his house, I didn't really have many other choices other than sitting outside in the cold in my swimsuit. I wanted to say no, but it suddenly started sprinkling, making me reconsider. 

"Why?" I asked as I scrunched up my eyebrows in annoyance. "So you can be an ass to me some more?"

Nate rolled his eyes, and the rain started coming down harder. I stared at him with a nasty look, as he was sheltered from the rain by the awning attached to his house.

"Are you gonna come or are you just gonna stand there in the rain in your swimsuit for hours until one of our moms shows up with the key?" He asked in a less harsh voice. 

I stood there for a moment longer then gave in, not wanting to be in this cold rain any longer. I was already starting to shiver. 

I slowly walked off my porch towards him with my arms still crossed and followed him inside his house.

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AUTHORS NOTE

Hey guys, thanks a million for reading, it means the world to me! If you liked it, feel free to leave a vote and/or comment(: