The next week passed cripplingly slow. The night I was positive someone broke into my house and watched me sleep, my mother confiscated my car keys, informing me that she would be providing my transportation to and from the high school campus for the foreseeable future since I couldn't "find the good sense to be honest for once", as my mother put it. For the following weeks my mother and I rode to and from school together in absolute silence, both stubbornly refusing to be the first to speak.
My sleep schedule had also become more erratic as time passed. As my nightmares continued, I found more reasons to avoid sleep all together, opting instead to consume as many caffeinated beverages as I could stomach. This wasn't seen as particularly unusual to my friends, as I already consumed Mountain Dew and Coffee as if I needed it to live. I had even resorted to taking caffeine pills that I could purchase at the local gas station when coffee wasn't enough to wage war against my drooping eyelids.
When I did eventually fall victim to my exhaustion, I was always overwhelmed by an unending assault of nightmares, both old and new. Some were your run of the mill 'high school terrors' like showing up to school naked; while others held the meaning of true terror. Blood, the stench of death, and immeasurable pain. One dream in particular dominated my unconscious mind more nights then it didn't. The imagine of a dilapidated old graveyard blanketed in mist, and the horror-stricken face of the green-eyed boy. I could feel the aching sting of the cold air in my lungs as I ran through the fog clutching onto his hand until, like △⃒⃘lways , his grip would break and I would be slung through the air until meeting with cold hard marble stone. The sharp pain that followed the impact often jolted me back to consciousness.
Despite all this, I put on a brave face for the sake of my friends, June and Kate. It was clear they were still worried about me, however my feigned normalcy appeased them enough that they no longer insisted that I talked about how I was feeling. While on the outside I made jokes and forced laughter, my insides churned with anxiety. I found myself jumping at the faintest of sounds, constantly looking over my shoulder; certain that the black hooded figures of my nightmares would be looming close behind. I curse myself regularly, attributing my fear and paranoia to be the side affect of my sleep deprivation.
After a few weeks of this, I began to think myself foolish. To an extent, I had convinced myself that my mother had been correct about my delusion. Perhaps my dreams were nothing more then a manifestation of unresolved grief. And certainly, the lack of sleep would increase my anxiety, and affect my mind. By the end of the second week, I was sure I must have just left the door open by mistake and forgot, only to be spooked by the dream of a black ghost cloaked in mist and darkness as it watched me sleep. It was the only reasonable explanation. There had been no signs of forced entry, no wet foot prints leading in from the door. The only indication I had that anyone had been there was my nightmare and an open door that could only be opened from the inside.
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It was Friday afternoon; June, Kate, and I huddled together as we discussed plans for the upcoming weekend.
"So..." June began, popping a fresh piece of bubble gum into her mouth dramatically. She twirled a spiked blonde tendril around her index finger as she spoke. "what's on the agenda? Quiet night in, or would you prefer a night of alcohol fueled mistakes and debauchery?" She wiggled her eyebrows, accentuating the suggestion with a loud pop of a bubble she blew that obscured all but her mischievous eyes from view.
"Oooo, you know I love a little debauchery" Kate shimmied her shoulders as she spoke the word 'debauchery' a laughed wildly.
"I don't know guys...my mom is still pretty miffed, I doubt she is going to let me do anything or go anywhere for a while."
"Oh COM'ON!" They shouted in unison, Kates arms flying up above her head while June's eyes rolled around in her head
"You have been on lockdown for almost a month now Ainsley. You don't even get out on good behavior? Or like...parole?" I couldn't help but laugh at Kate's insinuation that my grounding was a prison sentence. She wasn't entirely wrong. My mother had refused to return my keys to me and kept me on a strict curfew. She was the sole provider of my transportation until further notice, which meant where I went, she went as well. I was used to being kept on a short leash, but this was an all new kind of helicopter parenting that had yet to be discovered. Mom had even taken it upon herself to begin corresponding with all of my teacher to ensure that I not only attended, but remained attentive in class. They were all too happy to oblige since most if not all of them had referred to me as a "bright girl, squandering her potential" on more then one occasion. She still allowed for Kate and June to come over on occasion though. She kept a watchful eye on the three of us since I was still serving me 'sentence'.
"I'm lucky she even let you guys in the house the last few weeks!" I stated plainly, "I mean, unless YOU want to try talking to the warden and charm her into releasing me?" I laughed.
Kate shoulders slumped, "That's not fair, you know she sees right through me. I swear, sometimes it's like she knows exactly what I'm going to say before I've even figured it out myself! She's like a walking bullshit detector."
"Okaaaaaaaay," the mischievous tone was clear in June's voice as a sly smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, "what if we snuck you out? I've stayed over at your house enough to know that your mom will be down for the count before 10 PM,. You could leave the patio door unlocked, we will whisk you off for a night of fun, and bring you back safe and sound before mommy dearest even knows your gone!" She clapped her hands in delight at her own 'brilliant' plan.
"And possibly lose what remaining freedom I have? Yeah, no thanks love. I think I'll pass. Don't worry June, she will let me out eventually. She always does. I just have to mind my P's and Q's for a while longer. Then presto-changeo...your girl will be home free!" Neither Kate or June liked my answer, but they accepted it for what it was. "Who knows, maybe If I play my cards right I can get my car back sooner rather then later." We picked at the food on our lunch treys and cycled through a few different topics for the remainder of lunch. June was a nervous mess about the upcoming occult studies test , while Kate and I discussed the 'Romeo & Juliet' essay that was due the following Monday for our English literature class (mine had been completed for several weeks, while Kate had yet to even read the play; let alone start writing her essay).
The day continued on with more of the same, I struggled to stay awake through my remaining classes, the end of the school day was the hardest to fight my exhaustion. In the morning I was so well caffeinated that it was easy to remained focused and well, conscious while being seated at the uncomfortable metal desks that were packed into each tiny classroom. Towards the end of the day though, I had to keep moving, keep my mind occupied to distract from the heaviness of my eyelids. I had taken to drawing in the margins of my notebook during lessons to keep my tired mind occupied. This activity (along side the unhealthy amount of Red-bull I consumed from the vending machine) kept me awake until 7th period, Gym.
While I wasn't particularly athletic, no one in my life would describe me as clumsy either. Athletically, I was average, but I hate plenty of pent up aggression that gym class provided a productive outlet for. It also kept me moving, which made it much easier for me to stay alert. The sound of rubber soles against the waxed wooden floor bounced off the walls of the gymnasium, ringing in my ears. On any other day the sound acted as a sort of tether, give my mind something to focus on. But today, it was different.
As the class rounded the gym floor to start the 3rd of our daily-4-laps, the sounded a scuffling shoes began to blur together into constant hum, before beginning to rise in pitch. I slowed to a stop, the ringing in my ears had grown to such a high pitch, that it felt as if someone were shoving a knife into my brain. An image of the graveyard flashed inside my mind, and with it came and intense pain that wracked my entire body. Another image, green eyes filled with a mix of determination and fear, accompanied by another flash of pain that knocked me to my hands and knees. My vision blurred, but I could feel fresh tears spilling from my eyes, my nose running. Imagines raced through my mind, and with each new flash came a fresh wave of agony. Despite the immense pain, I could recognize many of the images from my recurring nightmares. But the final image was new, a silhouette floating above the graveyard. The last thing I saw was that of a woman in flowing green robes; she was shrouded in a bright golden light, her hair flying wildly about her like flames. Then everything went black, and I felt myself sink into unconsciousness.