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Chapter 6 - The Singing Lady

"Talking"

'Thoughts' or anything that is written in cursive form.

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It was an abyss.

That's was the first thing that came into my mind when I opened my eyes. Everything around me was enshrouded with darkness as if I was blind but oddly enough, I felt calm. I know this thing happens all the time.

I let out a sigh and righted myself up before slowly starting to walk aimlessly.

I must be dreaming again.

That's what I thought as I continue to walk. I know it may sound creepy and weird but every time I went to sleep, this is how I always dream. All I see is black then some weird up, random shit will come out of nowhere.

Talk about creepy, right?

Although to some people, it may seem better to stay still than waltzing in an unfamiliar place yet I beg to differ. Better get myself moving than staying still till I lose my shit, right?

I didn't know how long I was walking but as I continued my exhilarating and life-changing journey (please note the sarcasm). I noticed something different just as my body started to protest in agony because of the long walk (how the hell am I able to feel pain even in my dream, I don't even know). At first, I discarded it as nothing but my mind playing tricks on me but suddenly, everything changed when I felt a piercing gaze on my back, making me unconsciously shiver inside. I can't pinpoint where but I'm positive that it's near, and that scares the shit out of me more. Things got even weirder when the path I'm taking changed. From plain concrete to a muddy earthly feeling. This rings warning bells inside my head as I increased my pace, almost at a running pace.

And that's when I heard her haunting singing voice.

"Hush little baby don't say a word..."

When I heard the first line, my breathing hitched. As if time stop itself, my movements immediately halted.

Damn it, not again.

"Mama's gonna buy you a mocking bird..."

My blood immediately ran cold as I nervously gulped down my saliva and involuntarily took a shaky step back. Why does she always haunt me here in my dreams? What does she want from me?

"If that mocking bird doesn't sing..."

Oh, fuck it.

Something inside of me snapped as I hurriedly turn from the opposite direction and ran like a madman on drugs. My breathing came ragged and short. Where was the light when you needed one?!

And like an answered prayer—

"About the fucking time." I cursed.

—it was granted. Lights flooded the place. I was running in the middle of the forest. Again.

Why the hell am I always stuck in the middle of a forest?!

And oh, the haunting voice was still chasing me.

What a joy.

"Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring..."

Shit. She's fast. Fucking weird stalker and her creepy nursery song.

I pushed myself even harder to run faster, using the bright moonlight as a guide. Left. Right. Jump. Right. Right. Left.

There! A clearing, finally.

A sigh of relief escaped from my mouth as I saw in the distance a small cabin. I ran straight at the open door and slam it shut then bolted the locks. I slumped back in relief and sighed.

Finally.

I slowly tried to even out my breathing as I observed my surroundings. It was your typical out of horror movie type of cabin. With its dusty and dried-up questionable substance sticking on the floor and walls, and that creepy worn-out furniture and blurry picture frames.

To some people, it may seem stupid for me to enter this suspicious cabin but for the countless times of having this same kind of shitty dream, I kinda know what would happen next—

KNOCK! KNOCK!

And right on time, the bitch is here. Haha, kill me now.

—but that doesn't mean it didn't scare me shitless though. For someone who's into suspense and horror movies, nothing is scarier than a psychopathic lady singing that creepy song.

I hurriedly scrambled away from the door as I took a defensive stance. Not to brag but I was a former champion in a kickboxing competition and pretty much well adept in mixed martial arts.

Just you wait, you bitch. I'm gonna beat your ass into a pulp.

CREAK!

Just kidding! I still love my life, thank you.

Too bad, I'm such a wimp when it comes to scary-looking females that could kill me in my sleep.

Curse my father and his overbearing gentleman teachings!

—that and I'm terrified of the ghost lady. Her creepiness is just on a whole different level.

I took a shaky step back while spreading my arms, blindly searching and hoping for a weapon to use. Luckily I found a bat that was coincidentally lying on the floor.

(No really, I almost tripped at it—oh wait, I did. Fanculo.)

I braced myself to do some ninja shit, just like you see in those movies when I heard the front door creaking as it opens slowly. I raised my weapon, ready to beat the shit out of the damn psychopath. But what happens next was something even more horrifying.

"M-mama?"

What I saw in front of me is no other than my lovely mother.

My already dead mother.

Her once glossy red hair was dry and disheveled. Her once beautiful green eyes were now bottomless pitch-black. Her once full face was now hollowed and slowly decaying as maggots and flies swarmed all over her decaying body. I choked back a sob as I stared at my mother's decaying face. I felt my stomach drop as something vile wants to come out of my mouth.

I felt sick.

What kind of sick joke is this?

Why does it have to be her?

I'd rather have that creepy psychotic lady kill me a hundred times than having to deal with this nightmare.

Why does it have to be her?

"Mi dispiace amore mio. Forgive me," was all she said before disappearing like a mist.

No, wait! MAMA!

Nononononono—

I let out a gasped as I shot up from my bed, my heart beating erratically. I feel so hot and sweaty, what the hell?

I lightly touched my temple, already feeling an upcoming headache.

'What kind of fucked up dream was that?'—I can't help but groaned like a dying dog and tiredly covered my eyes. Fuck. Out of all things that I can dream of, it has to be my mother. What a fucking nightmare.

I sighed wearily and let my hands fall at my side, staring at the ceiling with a blank look. How long has it been since I have nightmares like this? Two years? Four? I've lost count already. Shit, and to think it has been 13 years since the day of that incident. It's also been 13 years since I've lost my childhood innocence just because of one stupid kid and a measly match stick. Thinking about that incident only made my headache more and my blood boil.

I was about to get off my bed when suddenly, I heard some shuffling. I sighed in irritation when I finally noticed the annoying presence inside my room.

Seriously, every single time...

I let out an annoyed huffed as I grabbed my digital clock and chucked it to the side. It made a 'THUNK!' sound as it hits the target accurately, making the person yelped in pain.

"What do you think you doing, Dad?" I asked darkly, glaring at my father. The jerk only flinched.

"H-hey! B-buongiorno, piccolo! You're up! I w-was just about to wake you!" He smiled crookedly. But I only stared at him sullenly, unimpressed. This made him fidget uncomfortably.

"Well, are you gonna answer my question or not?" I saw him hastily hides something shiny on his back. He saw me looking at him suspiciously, making him smile nervously, his eyes looking anywhere but me. I sighed in defeat as I reached out my hand, palm open. He only blinks his eyes at me owlishly, feigning innocence. Too bad, it doesn't work on me.

"Hand it over, dad," I said, patiently waiting.

"Hand over what?" He stared at me in confusion, like I was speaking a foreign language. Seriously, this guy...

I pinched my nose in annoyance, trying hard to calm myself before I go apeshit and do something I might regret, like accidentally killing my father.

Damn it. I always get cranky when I don't get my daily dose of espresso.

"Snow...?"

"Dad, just hand over the camera. Please," I tried once again but when I saw him opening his mouth, I hurriedly cut him off, "Don't you even dare lie to me, mister. I know your holding one so give it to me or I swear to god I...I will disown you."

I saw him flinched.

—wait, can you even disown your father? Wasn't it the other way round?

Meh. Who cares. I don't give a shit anyway.

I was about to use force to get the camera from my father but was abruptly stopped when he suddenly leaped and hugged me tightly while crying nonsense. Like, he literally flew and throw himself towards me like a freaking bird and cried like a fucking baby.

And I am not amused.

Not at all.

"Noooo! Snow, please don't leave me. I'll do anything you say! Anything!" He cried pathetically.

Disgusting.

I scrunched up my face in disdain. Well, this is just our typical daily routine to start a day. Just imagine a 17-year-old teenage boy that is being hugged (harassed) by a 36-year-old grown-up man, who was crying pathetically. Like how amazing is that?

Well, welcome to my shitty life.

"Give me the camera, Dad."

Emilio sniffled before handing the camera, looking dejected. Like a kid being caught red-handed by his mother. I grimaced at that thought.

'Damn, that image will be stuck on my brain forever.' I thought as I put down the camera on my desk. An annoyed sigh escaped my mouth as I stared at my father in irritation, who is still hugging me like a freaking koala.

"Dad, how long are you gonna keep hugging me?—" I was suddenly cut off when a hand came out of nowhere and latched itself on the side of my body.

What the f...?

A groan came out of the bed as an unknown body emerged from my cocoon of blankets. Disheveled blonde hair, tanned skin, and dark brown eyes. My eyes slowly moved towards his naked torso.

Naked...torso...

"Why are you guys so noisy so early in the morning. Can't you see someone is sleeping here?" I stared at the blonde in front of me in shock. Luke only yawns tiredly while scratching his messy blonde hair. I felt my eyebrow twitched abnormally.

"Luke?! What are you doing in my room?! And why are you in my bed?!" I hissed like a cat as I tried to push away his bigger build from me, who latched onto me like a freaking octopus.

Great, now I'm stuck in the middle again.

What is this, some kind of a zoo? Am I some kind of a tree? With all these animals hanging on to me?

"Good morning to you too, sunshine," Luke whispered huskily on my ears as he kissed me on the cheeks. This made me shudder in disgust, cheeks blushing a little. Cazzo.

"What the fu—"

"How dare you kiss my son, you pervert!" My dad yelled on my side, making my ear hurt, as he punched Luke right in the face. Luke was sent sprawling to the floor with a thud, bawling his eyes out in pain.

'Serves him right.' I thought, a little bit vindictive.

"Fuck...that hurts. You son of a bitch!" He groaned, glaring darkly at my dad, who only smirk at him smugly.

"Serves you right for touching my son!" Laughed my dad while hugging me to his chest protectively. "I'm the only one who can kiss—"

He let out a cough before groaning in pain, my fist stretch out with Luke laughing on the floor.

"Ha! Look at you, you just got yourself kicked in the ass by Danny! How pathetic!"

"W-why...?" Dad groaned out while staring tearily at me.

"Shut up, you fucking pervs," I said coldly, making them both shut up in an instant.

"On your knees," I ordered and they hastily followed it with their heads down. "Eyes up."

I glared coldly at the two stupid perverts. Said perverts only cowered in fright as they look up to meet my eyes, trying hard to make their selves look smaller.

"Now, tell me. What did I tell you last time? Hm?" I smiled wickedly sweet at them as I inched closer towards their sweating faces. Even from earlier, I can already smell their fears.

'Crap!' He's mad! I don't wanna die early. I still have many things I haven't done, crap!' Luke thought while cowering in fear.

'Mio dio, my son is gonna kill me!' thought my dad as he silently prays for his safety. I inwardly rolled my eyes to their stupidity.

"T-to not e-enter y-your room without y-your p-permission," The two stammered out, surprisingly in unison. Huh. These two idiots will only work with each other at a time like this. How convenient.

I scowled as I clicked my tongue in annoyance. This was fortunately or unfortunately heard by the two which made them flinched. I can't help but smirk internally at their frightened behavior. They slowly swept their eyes on me.

"Out. Now."