CHAPTER 1

11:54 pm. I haven't spent a single second sleeping. Or even considering it for that matter. Not now, not at this time. Though I figure her meeting is inevitable, I still try to keep myself awake in hopes of her appearance only occurring if I do fall into slumber. And yet, every time the clock chimes my eyes get heavier. lt feels as if a force was squeezing them shut. I sense myself shaking.I couldn't possibly guess why this was happening, seeing as i was wide awake just a moment ago. But before I know it my own body betrays me and I lose all consciousness. Midnight arrives. Of course. No matter what I do I will always end up here. The same dark alleyway, appearing as if it was engulfed in flesh and gore. And the same Lady. I'm not even sure if I should call her that. Her very gaze fills me with fear. Her rotting body and teeth covered shoulders send a shiver down my spine. " I'm Mallory, '' she says, soft spoken. That's the first time she's talked to me. Since we met two weeks ago all she's ever done is stare at me with a crooked smile. Though now I guess she has warmed up to me. In a way, this continuous restless dream is comforting. I feel as if she's become my only friend. But I know all she is is some nightly delusion. A persona I made up to ease my mind. And that's all she'll ever be to me, comforting or not. I stand there, clearly ignoring her yet she continues to flash her grin as if she's trying to get me to like her. "10 Minutes", i thought , "10 Minutes and i'll be back". At that point all I could do is pray to the lord, if there is one, to either let me go early or force the seconds to tick by faster. Though the guilt of my actions has never affected me, never would I have thought it could manifest itself into nightmares. At last i dont let it get to me during the day but just before midnight I am filled with dread and anxiety.I look at her hideous silhouette one more time before my vision grows blurry and I wake up in a cold sweat. Panting I waste no time getting a towel,wiping the sweat off of my body and looking at my reflection in the mirror. Despite the fact that I rarely look at myself I spend an absurd amount of time staring at my mirrored image, dissociating. Once I realized I was behaving in an insanely counterproductive way, lost in thought, I gathered the motivation to get dressed for my work shift.