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JUSTINE WAS HAVING trouble sleeping. She kept going over that night in her mind. Everything was more like smoke and mirrors instead of one clear image. Did she see the outline of a tattoo under his shirt or was it just her imagination? She was in and out of unconsciousness on the trip there. She briefly recalled a boat, but she just could not be sure.
She was grateful the sleeping pills finally started to kick in. Lately, that had been the only way she could sleep. She was in a deep slumber when the images began flashing through her mind. She was running blindly in the dark. She could hear his heavy breathing from behind her. Hands reached out from all over trying to grab her.
She bolted upright in bed. Terror choked her and fear ran like ice water through her veins. Even though she was partially awake, the images still flashed in her mind.
She took in deep, steady breaths in an attempt to calm her nerves. What she would not give for one full night’s sleep. The dream was worse tonight than it had been in the past. Maybe she was starting to remember more.
She reached for her robe to snuggle up in. The dream left her feeling cold. She tried to conjure up the image from her dream one more time. She had a feeling it was something important, but it disappeared so quickly. Something nagged at the back of her mind, though. The more she thought about the dream and its ghostly images, the more fear pulled at her mind. Cold seeped deep into her body.
She hated this feeling of the unknown. She was nothing more than an inconsolable child. She had been deathly afraid of the dark since that night. Even in the safety of her house, she was afraid monsters were hiding in the dark, waiting to finish what he started.
After her latest dream, she was afraid to go to sleep. As it tried to take over her body once more, she went into the kitchen to make herself a pot of coffee. Awake she could keep her guard up, but once asleep, the images began their brutal attack on her subconscious.
As the smell of the coffee filled the kitchen, her eyelids grew heavy. She shook her head and poured a cup of coffee. Right now, her life was in limbo. In order for her to keep her sanity, she needed to find a way to move on. Currently, she was lost, confused, and afraid to fall asleep. She hoped the sleeping pills would knock her out so hard that she would be unable to dream. So far, that had not been the case.
Sleep was a nightmare. The images waited for her to fall asleep so they could devour her in fear. She had been a strong woman once, but now she was weak.
She heard her brother walk into the kitchen, “What’s wrong?”
Shaking her head, “Nothing. I couldn’t sleep.”
“You can always come stay with me for a while, I can ask for more time off.”
Letting out a sigh, she replied, “No. I need to get on with my life, and so do you. I should be thankful that I escaped with my life. I just hate the unknown. It’s like he still has control over me, even though I escaped.”
“What about the dream? Did you remember more?”
“I vaguely remember the dream. The images come and go. Something keeps nagging at the back of my head. I just wish I could remember more.”
He reminded her, “The doctors did say that he had used ether to knock you out. You may never remember anything, he wanted you unconscious.”
“I know, but I swear I remember him bringing me to the cabin in a boat. I distinctively remember a boat and the water. I remember the rain hitting my face.”
“Maybe you should call Detective Boutin and see if there is a chance you were brought to the cabin by a boat.”
“I’ll do that first thing in the morning. There is no sense waking him up right now. Maybe by then, I can remember what else is bothering me. I don’t know what it is, but something tells me it is an important piece of the puzzle.”
John came over and gave her a big, brotherly hug. She would miss him when he left today, but they needed to get on with their own lives. She did not like that she let this monster turn her into a quivering mass of tears. It was crushing to be brought this low. She did not like being this vulnerable.
She looked out the kitchen window and stared out into the predawn darkness. Daybreak would soon be here to chase the shadows away. She had enjoyed watching the sunrise, now the darkness scared her. He could be out there, waiting. She was afraid to go out at night. She had been turned into something she always feared, a coward.
She rubbed her hands up and down her arms, trying to warm her chilled body. John was behind her pouring himself a cup of coffee. She felt guilty that he was up so early because of her. With him leaving, she considered having an alarm system installed at her house. It may help bring her some peace of mind.
She could not go through the rest of her life living in fear. She jumped at every little noise, any slight movement in the shadows. She was waiting for him to strike again. She had to snap out of this. She could not let him drive her crazy.
THE NIGHT WAS STILL and quiet. The darkness swallowed him whole. Even the moon and stars must fear him because they hid behind the dark ominous clouds looming overhead.
He patiently watched the house, waiting to make his move. The cops here were imbeciles. They did not even have someone watching over her. All he needed was for her to step outside and he would make his move. If it weren’t for the fact that her brother was still with her, he would have made his move already.
How dare she think she could escape from his clutches! After he was done with her, he would deal with Bridgette. She fell for his charm and now it was time to swoop down and save her from the deadly monster that lurked about her property.
Anticipation rushed through his blood when the kitchen light went on. He made his way closer to the house in hopes that she would step outside. This may be his only chance to attack. The darkness hid his movements. Now, he must wait to see if she did indeed step outside.