Cici tossed and turned. She had been given a night dress and something to drink, but it wasn't enough. She didn't really want to sleep, all she wanted to do was find her daughter and fix things. She was so scared, thinking about what her daughter was feeling. After all, it was just the pair of them. Cici wasn't in contact with her parents anymore, she didn't have any siblings.
It had always been Cici and Dawn, just the two of them.
As she lay, tossing and turning, she spotted something out of the corner of her eyes. She hadn't seen the glowing rat earlier in the dining room - she had been too focused on her own torment, but now she noticed it. She began to scream, top of her lungs, pulling back so hard she fell off of the bed, blankets pooling around her, "MOUSE!" She yelled. She didn't know enough about rodents to differentiate the rat from just a common mouse - only that it had ugly beady eyes, a long gross tail, yucky fur and big teeth to bite and spread disease.
She screamed again, at the top of her lungs.
It had always been Cici and Dawn, just the two of them.
As she lay, tossing and turning, she spotted something out of the corner of her eyes. She hadn't seen the glowing rat earlier in the dining room - she had been too focused on her own torment, but now she noticed it. She began to scream, top of her lungs, pulling back so hard she fell off of the bed, blankets pooling around her, "MOUSE!" She yelled. She didn't know enough about rodents to differentiate the rat from just a common mouse - only that it had ugly beady eyes, a long gross tail, yucky fur and big teeth to bite and spread disease.
She screamed again, at the top of her lungs.
Nine o' clock, ten o' clock, the time flew past and Jack continued to wait. Solitaire, houses of cards, the occasional jerk out of near sleep. Midnight, one AM, two AM. He heard a noise, and jolted awake. The chair was knocked aside onto the floor, and his door was open; Sterling stood in front of him, staring at him. Jack rose quickly, grabbing his Police Positive off the table and rising quick.
"What the hell're you doin' in here, you rat bastard?"
Sterling sneered and rose his hands in mock apology, then slowly backed away and walked out of sight. Jack sprinted to the doorway, but the man was down the hall, nearly at the corner. Jack hurried out after him, but the hallway never reached the corner; it stretched on, and on, and everything became blurrier. Jack grasped at the wall, trying to gain his balance, but the world around him was swirling too fast. He kept the grey trenchcoat in his sight and pushed on, but things were spinning out of control; he dropped from a slouch against the wall to a near crawl on the floor. Finally, he grasped at cloth and pulled himself up to face Sterling's head.
"What were you doing?"
Sterling turned and pushed Jack against the wall, but it wasn't Sterling's face that Jack saw. The eyes were gone; black pits now, oozing black blood. The mouth opened, more black blood, and he moaned at Jack. Somehow, Vindici could make it out in his head.
You didn't have to follow me.
Then the specter smashed a vial of holy water into Jack's face, and he woke up with a start, kicking his table footrest and knocking the cards to the floor. Sunlight streamed in through the window onto him and he looked around. The chair was still against the door, and the time was...well, late enough to go outside and eat. He put away the gun and rubbed his face a little before moving the chair and leaving his room.
____________
Today's number was 4. From now on, the dream numbers will be determined by 1d12 divided by two, with halves being rounded up.
"What the hell're you doin' in here, you rat bastard?"
Sterling sneered and rose his hands in mock apology, then slowly backed away and walked out of sight. Jack sprinted to the doorway, but the man was down the hall, nearly at the corner. Jack hurried out after him, but the hallway never reached the corner; it stretched on, and on, and everything became blurrier. Jack grasped at the wall, trying to gain his balance, but the world around him was swirling too fast. He kept the grey trenchcoat in his sight and pushed on, but things were spinning out of control; he dropped from a slouch against the wall to a near crawl on the floor. Finally, he grasped at cloth and pulled himself up to face Sterling's head.
"What were you doing?"
Sterling turned and pushed Jack against the wall, but it wasn't Sterling's face that Jack saw. The eyes were gone; black pits now, oozing black blood. The mouth opened, more black blood, and he moaned at Jack. Somehow, Vindici could make it out in his head.
You didn't have to follow me.
Then the specter smashed a vial of holy water into Jack's face, and he woke up with a start, kicking his table footrest and knocking the cards to the floor. Sunlight streamed in through the window onto him and he looked around. The chair was still against the door, and the time was...well, late enough to go outside and eat. He put away the gun and rubbed his face a little before moving the chair and leaving his room.
____________
Today's number was 4. From now on, the dream numbers will be determined by 1d12 divided by two, with halves being rounded up.