Thalia's visions were getting wilder and wilder, as if she was spiralling into lunacy. By now, she had seriously considered the possibility of contracting a nightmare disorder. Attending therapy didn't sound too far fetched either. Had her sanity been stolen from her? As the reader, you may have (by any chance) wanted to reach out to her and tell Thalia, that as a matter of fact, she wasn't actually losing the plot.
--In the morning bus--
Ophelia was different today - not her usual reserved self. From the looks of it, red had crept in through the corner of her eyes and her every single action was sluggish. Thalia had never seen her in this almost comatose state. Her golden curls was strewn messily across her head and the glow that radiated from her face was flickering weakly. She was a dying light bulb. Earlier, the bus driver also hadn't given one of his nefarious smiles. Peering at the front mirror of the bus, Thalia noticed a subtle gleam in his pupils; it was unsettling. She couldn't shake an uneasy gut feeling, but an inhospitable air was lurking in the bus.
"Ophelia you alright?"
"mmhm ye- yes"
"Did you get enough sleep last night"
"i think so" muttered Ophelia in a haze
"Want a wake up slap?"
"yes, i mean no, i'm sorry."
*Other students continue chattering loudly in the background*
"i just had a bad dream"
"I'm so sorry girl, I'm here for you" *hugs Ophelia reassuringly*
Ophelia managed a weak smile. Thalia had felt sullen for being unable to help her friend. Wait a minute, did she say she had a bad dream? Thalia's eyes flashed wide open.
"what's wrong Thalia?" questioned her friend in the same sluggish tone
"I-errr, it's nothing, don't worry about it. Here, want some water?"
"oh, ok. i'm good"
She hadn't payed much attention to it, but now Thalia noticed her friend's hands were quivering. Had Ophelia faced a traumatic experience in her dream? 'There's no way it could be related to mine. I shouldn't compare hers to mine.' The bus lurched to a halt and soon the students started exiting through the door in clusters. Packing her bag and helping Ophelia up, Thalia glumly walked to the front, mentally preparing herself for the boring day that would ensue.
Suddenly, within a second of the last person walking out, the bus doors slammed shut with a deafening creak and jerked forwards. The girls were hurtled backwards in an instant. They were shell shocked. Vision blurry and ears completely in limbo, Thalia groped around for support. The accelerating monster had shown no mercy and as hard as she tried, she couldn't get her mouth to scream. From the corner of her eyes, she spotted Ophelia slumped unconscious in front of a metal pole: blood trickled down her forehead and her face was lifeless. Thalia wanted to cry for help. Why was this happening? She crawled towards her, barely managing to maintain her balance. But she was soon thrown sideways on her gut. Thalia blacked out.