“Come to us.”
The hands were reaching from the ceiling.
“It’s not fair.”
I can feel them under my feet too.
“We miss you.”
And on the walls.
“I’m sorry…I really am sorry, I didn’t want this. I did not want any of this. It was never my intention…”
I woke up sweaty in my bed. My phone was ringing with a familiar ringtone, I sat up and picked up the call.
“Hey…you can’t still sleep?” The other person on the side, my best friend asked.
“Hey Anthony…yeah I can’t sleep, it’s the same nightmare again.” I replied, holding back my tears.
“You’ve been having nightmares every day since we got out of the hospital. It has been 2 months since then. Is the therapy not working?” He was concerned for me, I can tell it.
“I think it helped somewhat but it’s just I keep getting this nightmare. I don’t know…I feel guilty.” I wasn’t able to hold it off this time, tears started to drop “I miss them a lot.”
“…Don’t feel guilty. If anything I should be the one feeling guilty. I did nothing and you were the one who saved me. If it weren’t for you, I’d be… with them. It’s also been on my mind, that’s why I keep waking up in the middle of the night.” I know he was also feeling sad.
“Want me to come over?” I asked.
“That would be great. Thank Don.”
I hung up and as I looked up I saw something moving away from the door frame, but it was just too dark for me to make out what it was. I was sure it was just a hallucination, after all, I got a lot of those since the accident.
I quickly changed into my casual clothes and immediately left for Anthony’s place.
On my way to his place, I recalled the accident that happened just a few months ago that left all of my friends dead. It was supposed to be a happy end-of-the-year trip, but everything went wrong when the bus swirled off the road and into the forest below. Anthony sustained a minor injury but my injuries were not that much worse. I’ve been known for having great strength so I was able to hold onto one of the seats for a while with one hand while holding Anthony’s hand with the other. It didn’t last long because when the bus hit the ground, it knocked both of us back and we both fell on top of our friends’ lifeless bodies. The faces of people we all knew so well, now the last thing I remembered about them was their faces.
After driving for a bit, I finally arrived at his place. But before I clicked the doorbell, I felt someone, something watching me, and there was more than one. I looked to the window where Anthony’s room should be and I saw countless pairs of eyes staring right at me, they were pulsating and twitching around like they were silently judging me. And as if on cue, they all closed at once, making the window look normal again.
Ever since I got out of the hospital, I got nonstop hallucinations and nightmares. My therapist told me it was my PTSD or survivor’s guilt. But for some reason, I feel like it was something different, something that is right in front of me but I just can’t point out what it is.
The door opened.
“Hey…” Anthony opened the door “Get in, it’s kind of cold out here.”
“Thanks.” I walked inside his house where he lives alone.
After the accident, we both decided to get away from the people around us to get some time alone, we didn’t want to feel sympathy from people who don’t know what happened and how it felt like. Although therapy was a must. Both of our parents forced us into therapy to treat whatever effect it might have left us. I rented out a room in an old apartment and Anthony lived in his uncle’s home, who now stayed over at his parent’s house.
“Thanks for coming over. It gets kind of lonely. And talking to other people who didn’t experience it you know how it feels.” Anthony looked at the floor and said.
“Yeah…it does get kinda old. Come on, let’s go to sleep, it’s not close to morning yet. Besides no need to thank me, being here might help me get a good sleep for the first time in months too.” I smiled slightly.
He guided me to his room and when I first entered it, there was a slight chill running down my spine, like someone was breathing down my neck. But at the same time, I can feel a heavy amount of sorrow in the room. I stayed silent, trying to ignore it.
I looked at Anthony who was at the lockers grabbing a spare pillow and blanket.
“Hey, you can take the bed. I’ll be fine on the floor.” I expressed.
“It’s fine, I’m glad you’re here so you can take the bed as a thank.”
“No, it is a good thing for me too. If I ever have a nightmare I would know that you are here so it’s an even a bigger thing you are doing for me.”
He stayed silent for a while then sighed “If that’s what you want then I guess I can’t stop you.”
After I got my blanket and pillow, I lay on the floor and Anthony hopped on the bed. We both didn’t speak to each other but we both knew that deep down we were happy because the other person is there.
I was the first one to speak.
“Remember when we first met?”
“I do. It’s one of the highlights in my life up until now.”
“You were the quiet kid, never really stood out. Honestly, I didn’t even notice you for the first few months. I think I talked to you first because one of the teachers said you could use some friends.”
“And you were the opposite of me, the one who is outgoing and easy to make friends with. I never expected to talk with anyone because no one ever talked to me when I was at my old schools.”
I laughed a small bit “Although I can talk with anyone, you were really hard for me to make friends. It was because you didn’t even talk much. That’s why I asked everyone else to talk with you.”
“…I’m sorry…everyone did so much for me yet I didn’t open up until our very last year. I’m grateful because of you and because of them. I really wish I was a better person, I really love everyone.”
“…Me too…I can still remember Sarah’s voice telling me how I was funny every time I said a joke.”
I continued mentioning our old friends and before I realized it, Anthony already fell asleep. And not long after, I did too.
As I close my eyes, someone whispered into my ears “You’re funny.” and placed their hands over my eyes and mouth. I tried to scream but I couldn’t, I tried to struggle my way out but it was no use too, hands were all over my body, holding me down and sinking me into the floor.
I woke up sweaty on the floor. It was another nightmare but this time, it was more real than any other nightmares I had. Am I going insane?
A new day has begun and all I want is for it all to stop soon.