I can see her laying right beside me, with palm against the top my head as she pats my head and mine are resting around her waist. Her luscious hair framing her face and mixing with mine as our faces are just inches apart. Her brown eyes turning dark with a glint of light as she is looks at me, while her apple cheeks set right underneath them. A smile is spread across her face and I can feel myself drifting into the abyss.
____
Shooting my eyes wide open I meet with a stinging sensation and darkness around me. As soon as the second hand reaches twelve, I start counting the minutes. My whole body is trembling while my flesh is turning icy and my eyes burning with tears. I strive but am unable to even move an inch, as if something is anchoring me down. I am conscious but my body is paralyzed and doesn't recognize any movement.
And I know this is the beginning of my deadly nightmare of sleep paralysis.
"No!", I try to scream but nothing comes out, not even a whisper. Multiple voices begin to ring in my head, ranging from sudden loud whispers to hideous laughs and bizarre screaming. Hundreds and thousands of noises causing a ruckus in my head as if someone changing radio stations in there. The satin sheets under me are crumpled between my hands.
The whole room engulfs with a menacing aura and my nose picks upon the stench of gasoline and grease. Just in time, the noises in my head halts and all I hear is a calm low voice with a venomous tone, "Kill her", he spits and suddenly my head is being forced under water. The suffocation builds up as water rushes through my nostrils and my mouth and stings my eyes. My breaths are ragged and I can feel the tension building in my head.
I struggle to squirm out of the grip but am short of breath and soon everything around me begins to fade gradually while my struggles being proven worthless. I hear a muffled voice grunting, "You're meant to die and so is your whole family, Andrew Williamson", my body slowly turn limp and all my struggles are met with a dead end as I fall lifeless into the icy water tank.
The light dies out slowly as the water seeps deeper and deeper into me, rushing through my veins slowing everything down. All I could see as my vision clouded was a blurred rugged face of a tall man with a dark piercing gaze, sharp features watching me drown with a hideous grimace on his face and the tank turned charcoal. I shot up as if someone breathed life into me, finally gaining access to my body.
Everything around me is dark and still, as if nothing had happened here. The satin sheets under me are creased and my pillow is drenched evident to what happened, just like every other night. The whole room seems to be eating me up alive and I glance at the clock saying this lasted for a whole five and a half minutes.
A few more seconds than it was yesterday.
Wiping the sweat off of my face and neck, I feel my eyes. The puffiness is enough to prove that I've been crying for some time while striving to fight back my sleep paralysis. I hold the chain around my neck in my hand, but it doesn't help to get rid of this queasiness.
Photo Frame! I need the frame.
Sparing a quick glance at the door, I sigh as no one has come. I switch on the lamp on the nightstand, "Where is my frame?", sudden panic builds up and I can feel the lump in my throat as I cannot spot it, "It should be on the fucking nightstand", my heart is racing and the pit in my stomach growing bigger every second.
Where the hell is it? I need to find it, god damn it!
To the sound of my clicking fingers, the lights flicker on and I search for the frame vigorously. The frame is not in its initial position even after being fucking warned. I press the alarm button multiple times, realizing that the frame is gone. The alarm is loud enough to scare the living daylights of the whole mansion in the middle of the night. The door swings open and two bodyguards who have been keeping an eye on me every night stumble inside, "Are you all right, Ma'am?", Before I could ask them anything, they step aside and another figure hovers over them
"ANA!"
Mr. Liam Stokes, a person with an annoying personality. I have been keeping up with for 8 years straight. Well, it goes both ways. He is my supposed Secretary but never fails to act like a middle-aged dad. Standing 6 feet tall in a black comfy robe tightly hugging his body. He has few wrinkles on his face, especially near his brown eyes. Grey strands are visible in his brown hair, ruffled up due to sleep, "Are you alright?", he gives me a once over with his droopy eyes while fixing his specs.
"Where are the maids?", I grunt trying my best not to lose it, "Ana! They are on the lowest level, so they cannot hear you. But what happened to you?", he looks at me confused, "I got speakers fitted in every single corner of the lowest floor", I say while sitting myself on the sofa and he takes a long deep breath, "And I got them removed even this time. Ana, they have ton of work to wake up to, you shouldn't be like that", my jaw ticks at his statement.
This man!
"OH! They have work, you say!", I seethe, "So, where is the frame?", I demand, hardly holding myself together. He looks puzzled, "Frame? You mean the frame?", he finally figures my question, "It was right by your bedside, Ana!", walking past me, he moves towards the nightstand as if I don't know where it was. "And, where is it?", I mumble through my clenched teeth and he turns around swiftly.
His face losing all its color with his eyes widening, "Shit!", one of the two bodyguards mutter under his breath. "It should be here -", cutting him off coldly, "And you can see its not there", I shut him up, telling him the obvious and he just stands there horrified by what's coming.
"Call all the maids to my room right now", I look straight into his eyes, standing in front of him, "Ana it's pretty la -", shutting my eyes I curse, "I said, call the fucking maids, Liam!", he takes his bottom lip in embarrassment meeting ultimate defeat. I turn towards the bodyguards.
"Tell me something Joshua", I look at the one who is shorter than me but muscular. His buzz cut suits him and his all black outfit. His sharp features and bulging muscles are enough for someone to maintain a peaceful distance from him.
He mumbles a small yes but his grey eyes never meet mine, "If someone disobeys you, would you punish them?", I ask with a lot of patience. Well, his face says it all, it seems like he can sweat a whole bucket in a minute. I glance at him closing the distance as I stoop a little to meet his face while he is visibly weighing his options.
He ogles here and there, unable to voice his answer, "I don't have you on a gunpoint hun!", I roll my eyes at his instinct. He inhales aggressively and begins coughing, choking on his own saliva.
Excellent!
"Would you like to answer that, Tucker?", demanding I turn to the other guard with a bouncer like figure and sharp eyes. He is an Asian with blue eyes and slight sharp features, "Yes! Yes!", he wobbles his answer , which thankfully doesn't disappoint me.
"Great! Now would you please help your friend here", he looks at me wide eyed and the very next second he drags the other one out of the room, "Ana, Why are you calling the maids this late? You're not trying to kill them, are you?", gulping in fear, he glances at me. The uncertainty in his voice excites me and I instantly meet his eyes.
He always asks me such questions. I might end up killing someone one day.
"Do you want me to?", I ask propping my head on my hands, "Christ!", he backs off in horror, walking back into the room, "All the maids head up to Ana's room, right now", he speaks into the machine next to my bed.
A few minutes down and the whole room echoes with murmurs and whispers, "All the maids are present here, Ma'am''. One of them says as she rushes in through the door, her voice uncertain and meek.
"Whosoever knows where the frame is, please come forward at once", Liam pleads them and which actually makes me more unhappy.
"Chill, Mr. Liam! I am not gonna kill em unless they don't tell me", folding my arms over my chest, I walk up to the crowd in my room, "Where is the frame?", I ask fighting my best not to lose my calm while my anxiety is eating me up inside bit by bit.
"The frame that is always by my bedside. Where is it?", I say in a low voice, pressing hard for any information. The fear creeping up on my back, pulling me back in. "Where is the frame guys?", Liam asks with concern as he glances at my state.
Fuck! I lost the only frame.
Fuck!
"WHERE THE FUCK IS THE FRAME THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN BY THE NIGHTSTAND?" I lose my calm. It feels devastating to have lost the only thing that could put me to rest. I really don't know how to deal with this.
"I don't care about the frame but the photo. Anyone who knows it please come forward now?", He growls, losing himself as he looks at me, at the edge of breaking apart. The anxiety in me is growing every second, as if something is creeping up on my back and forcing me back down.
Closing my eyes shut, I strive to push this side down as I breathe but it doesn't help, "So you guys are not gonna vomit it out? I get it. Then I'll just fire you all and make sure that you can never get a single job in this life ever again. How does that sound?", grunting, I pass a deadpan look at all the maids leaving them all tensed and whispering about the escalating situation.
"Mr. Liam, I want each and every single one of em fired and jobless for the rest of their lives. Just get them out of my sight", I glare at him and he just furrows his brows both in concern and confusion. The maids murmur about their family feuds and ask for forgiveness, "NOW!", I scream and all of em shiver at the pitch of my voice. He moves hastily, gesturing them all to leave.
I lost the only thing that could calm me down and help me get my shit together. Fuck!
I grab the ring as a pendant, around my neck, shut my eyes, "Its better for you all to leave in the morning. We will deal with your pay tomorrow. Thank you for your work so far", he gestures them to leave the room as he closes the door. He walk over to me, "Are you okay?", his voice laced with concern as he glances at me.
"Does it look like I am alright?", grunting, I keep on breathing, "I'm so sorry you lost that! Is there any other way to help you out of this?", he sits beside me. "I never asked you to sit", I groan and he just stands upright immediately, "Other way!"' I scoff, "Don't you know there's none? Had there been one, I wouldn't have been this miserable", screaming I face him and he just looks at me.
"I don't need your fucking pity, Liam. Why don't you just see yourself out!", pushing him slightly, I turn away as tears start welling up. "I don't pity you, Ana! I am proud of you because you are so strong", he brushes the back of my head with his palm and I go stiff at the contact. Clearing my throat, "Get rid of em all the very first thing in the morning and replace them with the ones that are best at their jobs", I mumble and he moves his hand.
"Ana, this is the seventh time we are changing the maids since we have arrived and hopefully the last", his smile is evident in his tone as he speaks. "Which certainly means you're not doing your job either", I mutter as I turn around and he smiles even more, "Oh, are you gonna fire me, Ma'am?", he mimics the maids and I just roll my eyes at him, "Ah, I wish I could", I say and he just titters.
I know he is trying to help me calm down.
"So.... I'll just go get some sleep and you should too", he mumbles as he flashes me a smile, "Sure!", I say and he gives me a last look of concern before shutting the door. I look at the clock saying quarter past three. I groan at the idea of taking a cold shower at this time of the night, but something is better than nothing. I drag myself to the balcony, push the curtains away as it is suffocating.
***
I step out in a bath robe, drying my hair with a towel. Just in time my stomach starts to grumble, "You've got to be kidding me", rolling my eyes I march towards the door. My stomach rumbles for some mid night snacks and my eyes are craving some sleep. It seems like sleep is not a part of my dictionary altogether. For people, sleeping at least six hours a day is needed, but I am grateful to even get an hour or two.
Just when the door opens, two bodies that I forgot must be leaning against the door fall down, "Fuck!", I swear while another voice follows, "Fuck -" Tucker mutters, rubbing the back of his head in pain, but when he meets my presence, he shuts his mouth.
He pats the other one on the shoulder who fell on his face to shut up. Joshua gets up cursing ridiculously under his breath, "Who the hell opened the door? The fuc -", He shuts up instantly as he finds me standing in front of him, "I'm sorry, Ma'am! I'm - I -", he began stuttering in fear and I cut him off with my hand.
"You are supposed to be keeping an eye on me and not play dead", both of them bow to apologize. I begin walking towards the staircase, "Where are you headed to? Ma'am?", just to be stopped by Joshua's nosy ass. His voice filled with uncertainty and fear.
You've got to be kidding me.
Turning around swiftly, I glare at him, "Come again?", taking a step towards him, "N - nothing!", he mumbles, looking down at the floor and I bore holes into his head with my eyes. I bet he knows he has crossed the line. He fiddles with his hands, avoiding my piercing gaze instantly. Closing the distance, I move near his ears, "Mid night snacks! Why? You got any issue there, sir?", whispering, I move away and he finally breathes.
I already had enough of this just a while ago. I don't have any energy for it.
He looks away, thinking about something and I turn to leave, "Do you want me to make you something?" just to be stopped by him again. I turn around sharply, "There! There! There you go again. If you have something to say, tell me while I'm standing in front of you and not when I am about to leave. Do you get that?", he fiddles again with his fingers.
I wait for another second, "Yes!" He says monotonously. "How come you became a bodyguard, huh? How did this miracle even happen?", folding my arms over my chest, I ask him and Tucker bursts into laughter but controls it the minute I fire daggers at him.
"Never mind. You offered to cook me so I want you to make some spicy noodles and get yourself some coffee", telling him I just move an inch, "Ma'am -" Before he could finish, I turn around stomping my foot and he completes his sentence, "Your - your phone''. He points at my phone that is on the table, ringing.
Gesturing I tell him to get the phone while Tucker looks up at me with some light in his eyes which I cannot decipher, "Thankyou so mu -" cutting him off, I say, "No need to be. Just get me food and yourself some coffee", nodding as he leaves.
"It's an unknown number, Ma'am. Do you wish to tap i-", I cut him off as I do not wish to tap it. He hands me the phone and walks away hurriedly, "Who the hell is it?", I put the phone against my ear, "How have you been, Ma'am? Or should I say Ana? They still call you that? I can give you nice names or even better I can make you scream some" He slurs on the name in a phished voice, making me feel the ick.
"Is that why you called? I am wondering you don't have anything better to do than name me?", I groan in my phone and he just snickers on the other end, "you've still got that temper?", he mumbles ever so slightly.
It's so hard to figure the voice as it is intentionally being phished and sounds like a robot.
"What do you want?", I mumble with clenched teeth and he just laughs, "How do you know I want something, Ley?", and HE SINGS MY NAME. AGAIN. This guy is certainly driving me nuts in these few seconds of our call -
WAIT A MINUTE!
WHAT DID HE CALL ME?
DID I HEAR HIM WRONG?
I don't know what to say because he is not giving away anything, but his tone seems different.
I just don't know because the voice is phished.
"Get to the point, asshole!", I say plainly, hearing a buzzing noise behind him but it goes away as soon as he breathes into the phone, "You still got that temper, huh?", he mumbles. I swear whatever this is, this unusual voice and this whole conversation is certainly getting in my head.
This is just nerve-wracking.
GOD!
"What the heck do you want?", I grunt and he just breathes into the phone every next second, "What do you think, Ley? I WANT YOU! Yeah, YOU! RILEY ARTHUR WILLIAMSON!", he mumbles slowly with such certainty in his voice for me to hear every single word of the sentence. Every single word rose goosebumps on my whole body.
And suddenly my whole world has stopped, nothing is visible or audible and nothing is moving. Everything around me seems to have come to a halt and the only thing that's audible is my heartbeat and the name.
And it all made sense.
THEY KNOW ME AND THEY WANT ME.
RILEY ARTHUR WILLIAMSON
___