umoru mustapha
@umorumustapha596358
10 months ago

chapter 5

sleep


James and Abigail were sited now in his office. He offered her a bottle of water from the fridge as they got in, and she finished the whole thing. Running down to the church was no easy feat.

" Thank you." She responded the moment she was done drinking.

He nods. " Can I start by saying. I don't know how I know you, but after we shaked hands... I started getting this flashes. I saw you in a car accident and the driver I think,  I wanted to call for help but... I can't tell what happened next. I just woke up the following morning and everything was somehow different." He finished speaking.

" Different how?" Abigail asked.

" My family support of my ministry as a pastor, the church booming more than ever... It's like everything just became perfect all of a sudden. I know I should be happy, but am not," he answered.

" It's the holy Spirit sending a message to your spirit being, he did the same to me too. But trust me, we have a bigger problem going on...and it's all my fault. " She says glancing at the window, preparing herself for what she's about to say next. " I made a mistake a long time ago and now a lot of lives are paying for it."

" What do you mean?"

" You are familiar with the scripture; Hosea 4 vs 6 right."

" My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, and the rest of it."

" Yes. Fifteen years ago our city was under an attack from a supernatural force of evil, a demon to be precise. People who slept at night never got to see the light of day. The police department couldn't understand what was going on, but within a week... We had lost twenty people and it went on for three weeks straight. The public started growing concern, everyone to afraid to sleep at night. A lot of conspiracy theories were raised. Back then, I was a fourteen. A nun who had just joined the church after my mother's death. The priests decided to take matters into their own hand, they sort out to find who is deity was. It's patterns of operation, and how to stop it." She paused her mood changing now.

James seem to notice. " Am guessing what you guys found wasn't helpful."

" Oh it was. But... We should have put God first. After weeks upon weeks of research, they found an article in an old archive written by archeologist back in 1855. The article was never published because no one believed his story. According to what we read; he had encountered this thing during one of his travels. A town back then had been completely wiped out with no idea how or what did it, we were glad to even be able to find that article. Because he died a week later after going for publication and got rejected."

" What is this demon anyway?"

" It calls himself... SKROMDREAD! The dream traveller. The article never revealed this information."

" How did you then know it's name."

" Because he told me himself." She looked at him. His expression was dumbfounded, but she continued. " The priests learnt that SKROMDREAD'S pattern involved moving from one's individual dream to the other, feeding off their fears and grieve. The plan was to lure it to the church using a particular ritual and a victim, and then perform an exocism in order to send it back to hell. " She stood up now and walked up to the window gazing at the night sky.

He didn't push it and waited for her to continue with what happened. But he knew things did not go as planned.

" His willpower was too strong and time was running out... So I did the most crazy thing ever. I made them choice me as a host with no idea what I was getting myself into..." Abigail trailed off.

" Is that the reason for all of these things happening around us."

" Kind of. We trapped SKROMDREAD inside of my subconscious mind, as long as I stayed awake. He would never get out." She stated.

" Why would you do something like that in the first place!" He yelled at her.

" I didn't wanted all of our efforts to go in vain! You weren't there when a lot of people were dying like birds on their own bed! People unable to say goodbye to their loved ones! So yes, I did something stupid but it ended up saving a lot of lives!" She fired back.

" Yeah at what cost, you not able to sleep at all! That's... I can't even begin to imagine how that's like." He paused realizing something. " You lost someone too didn't you."

Abigail was silent.

" But I thought you said it feeds off on  grieve? How didn't it affect you?"

" Because I didn't feel the need to grieve... I sealed off that part of me, I was angry and let that drive me. Combined with the anti inducing sleep tablet I was taking, it exploited them all and waited patiently for when my body will finally gave out."

" The accident."

" Exactly."

" Does that mean we're in some kind of dream place or something!" He was pacing around now. " If that's so... How do we free ourselves now."

" It's called a dream realm. It's a place our mind goes too when we fall asleep."

That wasn't helping his situation.

She walks up to him stopping him from pacing around.  " Last time I didn't put God first before anything, I am not making the same mistake again. All we need to do is find the exit point," she says.

" What about the demon?"

" Let me worry about him."

She opened the door to leave his office, but immediately they were both sucked into a void of pure darkness.

" What just happened? Where are we?" James questioned looking around but it was like they were staring into nothingness.

" I am impressed!"

They heard the voice all around them.

" Show yourself demon." Abigail demands with a grin.

" Oh but of course." 

A dark cloud surrounded where they stood and began to come together, until a being emerged it. The being stood eight feet tall, a skeleton for a skin and a face all covered by a cloak. His hands were that of a giant's foot and claws that resembled a finger. It eyes, were empty, it was like staring into pure darkness. A staff with a knife edged spike on it's head stood by his right hand.

" Jesus." James mumbled. He was staring at something terrifying.

SKROMDREAD turned his gaze to him and then waved his hand and on point, James vanished out of thin air.

" NO!" Abigail yells. " What did you do to him!"

" I sent him to another dream where he can't break out of again. I needed to speak with my prisoner. It's good to finally meet you in the flesh Abigail Benson! Did you really think you could  combine both light and darkness in the same house? Your foolishness has lead to your demise. Now this town will pay for your disappointment."

" You lie demon; who are you to declare when the Lord has not commandeth it so! I speak from the authority of the most high, release James Morgan now!" She ordered.

His laugh echoes through out the void. Then he stood in front of her in a second.

" The sprit is willing but the flesh is weak! You brought this upon yourself, we are tied together child. Even God respect's convernant. When you decided to trap me in your mind, you created a seal that bound my sprit to yours making us one. Though you were able to keep me hidden, your flesh kept on feeding me with the drugs you were taking. It was only a matter of time... Fifteen long years of patiently waiting for you to fall! And now, while your sprit is trapped here, your physical body will be of good use to me."

Abigail could not say anything. He was right, she felt like crying. This was truly her fault. SKROMDREAD grabbed her suddenly by the throat, strangling her with his firm grip.

" YOU LOSE MORTAL!"  He showed her a flash of light. In it she saw bodies of innocent people who have been killed while she was trapped here. " They never stood a chance because they never had faith to believe in a higher power. Their souls are mine to use as I please and so is your new friend James Morgan. He only has thirty minutes to live."

He threw her body to the floor.

" See you never Abigail Benson."

A shadow appeared and he was gone leaving her alone in the void...