Synopsis: Chesulloth finds herself trapped within her own mind. At first, she is lured in with offerings of pleasantries while she sleeps. Then, her sleeping body is bound and she is plunged into all her deepest fears, forced to endure ordeal after ordeal. The only way out is to overcome her fears, but her fears aren't all they seem on the surface.
Table of Contents
Just a Little Closer
"Now you understand, then? Why you wanted to come back here? Why you wanted me to find you? Why you wanted to know the answer? Why you wanted the power of certainty?"
He rattled off the questions like a machine and she shook her head in confusion, but the memory of her falling back into this dream and searching through the darkness filled her head. In her memory, The Man in Red's voice echoed, "Don't you want it?"
"Don't you have a name?" she asked in disgust as her mind chanted 'The Man in Red.'
"Getting closer, aren't we? You can just call me Sam. Sam, I am." He let out a blood-chilling laugh.
"Is this some sort of joke?"
"Joke?" He leaned towards her. "It's a dream, isn't it?"
She pressed her palms against the wall behind her.
"Every human has a fear of spiders and snakes. Or of being wrong. ...Or of waking up tomorrow and no longer existing." He erupted in fits of laughter, squeezing his words out between chuckles. "You've... let yourself get the worst one!"
He straightened up and threw his arms wide open. "You don't even know if this is real!" He pointed to his feet. "There's no ground beneath you."
She opened her mouth to scream as she felt the firmness below her feet and behind her back disappear, but no sound came out.
The Man in Red stayed level with her and stared, rapt. "It's amazing what sort of situations you create for yourself."
She wasn't falling. "You! You're doing this!"
He shook his head. "No, you've given me this power. You've given me control over your dreams. Just a little closer," he reached an arm towards you, "and you'll be in my dreams." His lips parted, revealing his pointed teeth. His lips continued to part until they reached his ears.
His voice sounded over her scream. "Then you won't have to know what's truth and what's lie."
The Man in Red flinched and backed away from her, hissing. "That damn man!"
Chesie fell to the floor, but this time, there was no pain.
"You still have your one chance, Ches—"
"What did you mean by I 'have the worst one?'"
The Man in Red's jaw went slack. His hand balled into a fist and he shook it at her. "No wonder he wants you," he hissed.
Chesulloth's eyes scanned the dark space and she looked back again for the doorway. It was there. Not missing a beat, she threw the double doors open and stepped back over the doorframe.
The worst fear? Was The Man in Red her fears? It all made sense, but what were her fears? Her hands quivered as she slammed both doors shut, The Man in Red standing idly on the other side. She didn't want to think about it. Her eyes flittered from one of the plain wooden doors to the other. She didn't know which to pick.
A light began to glow around one. Oh no, she wouldn't make that mistake again. She rushed to the other door and flung it open. The Man in Red stood there, his pointed teeth flashing. "Welcome back, again, Chesulloth. You were almost there."
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