Welcome To My Nightmare (Academy of Broken Dreams Book 1) Read online

  “Whisper, I have no idea what it was. Maybe it was a new costume or an effect from the strobe lights. Whatever it was, it was wicked cool. We better get home, looks like a storm is coming,” Sam points out as the first of many big fat raindrops splatter the windshield.

  By the time Sam drops me off, the wind is picking up; the rain is falling harder, and lightning now streaks across the sky. “I will text you later!” I yell as I jump out of the car and run to the front door.

  I walk in the door, hang up my rain soaked jacket, and kick off my muddy boots. Stopping by the kitchen, and grab an apple, cheese stick, and water before heading to my room to change out of my wet clothes.

  I open the door quietly, making sure not to wake Shadow if she’s sleeping. I put my snacks on the bed and change out of my wet clothes. Climbing into bed, I pull up a few conspiracy theory articles on a new website and read while I eat. I noticed that even though I had just had a late-night snack I still feel empty, there is something my body is craving and I don’t know what it is. I brush-off the feeling, chalking it up to the haunted mansion. I roll over, flick the lamp off, and try to fall asleep.

  That feeling of floating surrounds me again. I open my eyes to see Shadow sleeping below me, but why is she glowing like that? I feel pulled to get closer, yet the closer I get, the more I feel like I’m being sucked into my sister’s head.

  I land on my ass in the middle of a seedy motel room, there are two blurry figures on the bed. I walk closer and notice that it’s Shadow and Chaz. They both look happy. It grows dark; I look down and realize the darkness is coming from the black tendrils beneath my feet. When I look back up at the scene before me, it has changed. Now Shadow stands at the end of the bed with mascara tears running down her face, as she watches April riding Chaz into the sunset. I feel like someone has punched me in the gut and knocked the wind out of me.

  I bolt upright in my bed to the sound of my sister screaming bloody murder. I rush over to her. “Shadow, are you ok?” I ask gently shaking her shoulders.

  She waves me off and lays back down never fully waking up. Crawling back into my bed I wonder why I’m having nightmares at the same time as my sister? I don’t know what is going on but I notice that the craving I had is no longer there.

  5

  As the week goes on, nightmares plague my family. I can’t remember a time when we’ve all had such bad dreams. It makes me think of the article I found when I was researching the Denver horse. I pull it up and start reading before searching for more information.

  I pull out my phone and call Sam.

  “Happy Halloween,” he answers the phone.

  “Yeah, yeah. That’s not important right now,” I say, excited to get to the real news.

  “What can be more important than the best holiday of the year?” he asks.

  “You know how I’ve been having bad dreams every night?” I ask, getting impatient.

  “Yeah…” he draws out.

  “I went back to that article I found on my birthday about that horse thing. It turns out there’s a creature called a Nightmare, and it feeds off of bad dreams,” I explain then lower my voice to a whisper. “I think there’s one haunting my house.”

  “Why would it be in your house?” he asks, confused.

  “I don’t know. But it’s the only explanation I have. Me and someone else in the house both have a bad dream every night,” I sigh.

  “I guess it makes sense. What if you’re the Nightmare?” he teases, laughing at his own joke.

  “Yeah, cause that makes sense. I’m a skeleton looking horse that haunts people's dreams,” I roll my eyes. “Anyway, Rain and Stormy are having a Halloween party tonight, are you coming?”

  “Wouldn’t miss it. I’ll come over early so we can plan our pranks,” he offers.

  “Great, see you then,” I hang up the phone and check the time. It’s already well past noon.

  I head down to the kitchen to grab lunch and walk in on my mom fussing over snacks for the party tonight. She goes all out for everything we do. We couldn’t ask for a better Mom.

  “Whisper, can you help me peel these grapes?” she calls out when she notices me.

  “Can I eat a sandwich first?” I ask, my stomach growling.

  “That’s fine,” she sighs. Her thoughts say something different. “Teenagers always want to do things their own way.”

  “Nevermind, I can peel the grapes first,” I offer, feeling guilty.

  “You’re such a good kid,” she smiles at me.

  I dig in, peeling the grapes, eating one occasionally. “Why am I peeling grapes?” I ask.

  “For the creepy feeling station. Peeled grapes for eyeballs, spaghetti for worms, and slime for guts,” she giggles. Wait, does she think we are all still eight?

  We finish prepping the rest of her ‘creepy foods’, and I grab a sandwich while she starts on the actual food for tonight. When I finish eating, I offer to help again, working in the kitchen with her until Sam shows up dressed as a mummy.

  “You like my costume?” he asks, spinning around when he enters the kitchen.

  “You make a terrifying mummy, Sam,” my mom smiles at him.

  “Yeah, ghoulish,” I laugh, grabbing his arm and leading him up to my room.

  Shadow went out with her friends tonight, so we have the room to ourselves.

  “What are you dressing as?” he asks.

  I walk over to my closet and pull out my costume. It’s a replica of the outfit of the thirteenth doctor complete with the cream colored hooded trench coat, blue capri pants, black shirt with a stripe of color across the chest, yellow suspenders and to round it out with a calf high pair of brown boots. As soon as I watched her season, I knew she would be my inspiration for Halloween this year.

  “Wow, Whisper; you went all out this year!” he whistles. “I love that you went all Doctor Who!”

  “Her name is The Doctor and you know this. It only happens once a year,” I smile, proud of the costume that is totally cosplay worthy.

  We sit on the bed trying to come up with pranks, but the party keeps throwing a wrench in everything we come up with.

  “I guess this year, we will just have to enjoy the party,” Sam shrugs.

  “I guess,” I sigh, feeling defeated. “Go downstairs, I need to get changed.”

  “See you in a few, Doctor,” he grins over his shoulder as he closes the door behind him.

  I get into my outfit, carefully adjusting each piece, then apply a light makeup. The hair doesn’t match, but I’m not too bothered. As I finish up, I realize how late it really is. The party is in full swing by the time I make it downstairs.

  I join in, thankful that I don’t know most of these people. Their thoughts are more focused on the party than the weird girl Whisper.

  Rain pulls me aside and introduces me to a short black-haired Japanese girl. “Whisper, this is Akemi. She’s studying here as an exchange student from Japan.”

  “Nice to meet you,” I smile at her.

  “I love her pretty red hair,” Akemi thinks before responding aloud. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

  I smile at the girl because I can't remember the last time someone thought something about me that wasn't an insult of some sort. Sam comes over and tugs on my costume, nodding to the back door. I give the girl a slight wave before letting Sam drag me out to the makeshift dance floor in the backyard.

  We spend the night dancing and eating, and when the party finally starts to wind down, I find myself exhausted.

  I walk Sam to the door and tell him goodnight then head up to bed. Shadow rarely spends the night elsewhere so it’s weird sleeping in our room alone. I switch out of my costume into some comfy pajamas before settling down in bed.

  I toss and turn for a bit, but finally feel like I’m drifting off. I open my eyes and see my body below. Damn, not this dream again. Drifting through the house, I arrive over the twins’ slumber party. The Japanese exchange student Rain introduced me to earl
ier is glowing. Guess she’s the object of my dream tonight. The vacuum turns on and I’m sucked in her head.

  We are at the college, and Akemi is talking to a guy in the hallway outside of her class. She smiles shyly and tucks her raven black hair behind her ear, then looks down, her cheeks flushed.

  The black tendrils, that have become a focus of every dream I’ve had, start winding out from my body, latching on to the walls and floor. Suddenly the guy she was talking to starts mocking her, calling her racial slurs, before laughing and walking away. She slumps to the ground crying then I’m shot back.

  I sit up straight in bed. This nightmare felt different, and I hear screaming from downstairs.

  “Baku! Baku! Baku!” Akemi cries out.

  The house rumbles. What the hell? Are we having an earthquake? I rush out of my room and down the stairs. The girls, other than Akemi, are all asleep.

  She points at me. “You! It was you! Baku is coming.”

  “What?” I ask, as she stands and scurries out the front door.

  I run behind her. “Wait, what do you mean Baku is coming? What did I do?”

  She ignores me, running down the street, not even glancing back. The house shakes and the ground rumbles beneath me. Throwing me off balance, I lurch against the entrance, trying to gain my footing. I turn, expecting to see my mom, dad, and sisters stirring or running down the stairs. But the house is quiet and dark. How is this not waking them?

  "You need to come with us," A deep voice calls out from behind me. Yelping with fright, I turn to see four faces staring at me. One held out his hand, while the other three seemed to be in some type of defensive stance as if ready to fight someone...or something.

  "What are you talking about? Who are you? I'm not going anywhere with you." The words tumble out of my mouth as the house and ground rumble violently.

  "I don't have time to explain right now. I promise we won't hurt you, but if you don't move now, we could all die." His eyes seem calm even though his voice is rushed and holds a slight panic behind the words.

  "But my family," I turn, staring into the dark house once more.

  "Will be fine. It's not after them. Now, move," his voice is no longer panicked but calm and controlling...demanding even.

  “There’s no time for this,” the blonde grabs me.

  I struggle to fight out of his grip, but the black tendrils wrap around me, preventing me from moving. The world warps and I feel like I’m folding in on myself. When they finally let go, I’m standing in the middle of a grassy field, with nothing around. What the hell just happened?

  6

  The guys immediately start walking forward, dragging me along with them.

  “Let me go! Take me home!” I yell as I try to squirm out of his grasp.

  When we hit a certain point, I feel like I am struggling to get through a wall of thick jello. Finally, when we make it through the other side, I stumble, the toe of my shoe catching on an uneven block and I fall forward. I thought for sure I would face plant right onto the pathway as the blonde releases my hand, but a pair of strong, long-fingered hands reach out to steady me. When I look up, I come face to face with the deepest set of steel blue eyes. I look him over; he is wearing Victorian clothing his black pants are creased to perfection and under his tailcoat he wears a black vest. His short brown hair is streaked with red and black.

  “Thank you. I can be clumsy,” I tell him feeling my cheeks get warm.

  “That’s ok, we should have been more careful with you. I’m Ryland. It’s nice to meet you, Whisper,” he says, catching me off guard with the smooth, easy timber of his voice.

  “How do you know my name?” I ask.

  “We were told your name when we were given our collection assignment,” he replies, a sweet smile spreads across his face.

  “Welcome to the Academy of Broken Dreams, I’m Max. Now can we get on with this? I have better things to do,” he says, his chestnut curls streaked with purple and silver streaks bounce as he points his finger at the castle behind me. He is wearing a similar suit only his vest is purple.

  I jump around to see what he is pointing at, expecting… I don’t know what I was expecting but it sure as hell wasn’t what I see! I pinch my arm just to make sure I’m not still dreaming. Ouch! Yep, I’m definitely awake. Shit! What the hell have you gotten yourself into this time Whisper, thinking to myself. I turn back around to find the blonde guy watching every move I make like I’m some kind of science experiment.

  “Why are you looking at me like that? Who are you? Will someone please tell me what is going on? And what is this Academy of Broken Dreams?” I ask, throwing my hands into the air.

  “Look at you like what? I’m Finn,” he points over his shoulder with his thumb. “And that’s Korbin.”

  “Why are you all so calm about this? And why won’t you answer my questions,” I ask looking over the last two guys. Finn and Korbin both have on similar clothing as the other guys, but Finn’s vest is a deep red and Korbin’s vest is cobalt blue.

  “Calm about what?” Finn says with a clueless look on his face. “This is just a normal day for us.”

  My mouth falls open. Surely this hot guy is not that stupid. He doesn’t seem like the dumb jock type but hey, who knows? I think to myself, mentally shrugging my shoulders.

  “What he means is, this isn’t the first time we’ve been through this,” Ryland says, trying to help the situation.

  I spin in a slow circle, taking in my surroundings closer this time, trying to remember all the details. This doesn’t even look like my country anymore. Behind me stands an old gate that has definitely seen better days, worn and torn from years of weather. Behind the gate sits a huge Victorian style castle, but not the type of castle you think of when you think of fairy tales or Buckingham palace. No... this castle looks like it could be the home of Count Dracula himself. The stones in the walls are pitted and used to be covered in vines. I can tell the vines had recently been pulled off because the stones are discolored in those areas. The windows reach from the floor to the ceiling and need a good cleaning.

  “Where are we?” I ask again, this time a bit of my curiosity seeps into my voice.

  “We just told you, The Academy of Broken Dreams,” Max says. He is now pacing and glaring at me.

  “And I am just supposed to know what the hell that is?” I huff at them and cross my arms waiting for them to answer.

  “No, but it will all make sense after you meet with the headmaster,” Ryland replies.

  “How did we get here, Ryland?” I ask him, feeling my temper climb, this was at least the third time I have to ask this same question.

  “We teleported,” he says as if it's the most normal thing in the entire world.

  “Wait, we did what! How is that even possible? Teleporting doesn’t even exist!” I tell them, my voice jumping by a few octaves.

  “Well, I don’t know what to tell you but it's a daily norm here,” Korbin says, emerging from the shadows of an old, twisted oak tree.

  “So what do you mean by collect me? And why do you think it’s ok to go around just collecting people?” I ask them still not understanding what is going on.

  “That is something they don’t permit us to comment on, along with most of the other questions you asked us previously. That is the Headmaster’s area of expertise, and he is awaiting your arrival,” Ryland replies as he walks down the pathway that leads to the main door of the academy.

  “Wait! What do you mean waiting for my arrival?”

  We make our way up a flight of stairs that leads to the main doorway; I feel like I am being watched, but looking around, I can’t see any faces in the windows. So I chalk it up to the fact that I’m in a new place and still have no clue to what's going on. I still have so many questions, and I am hoping this headmaster can shine some light on what a Baku is.

  The main doors to the academy are huge, dark cherry wood decorated with two individual brass horse head door knockers. They would have been b
eautiful if it hadn’t been for the fact they look like demon horses with their nostrils flared and their wild eyes staring back at me. Ryland grabs the ring on one of the knockers and bangs it three times, the door is opened by an older gentleman that introduces himself as Alfred.

  “Evening gentlemen. It looks like you were successful in your collection. The Headmaster is expecting you. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe there are a few students out of bed.” Alfred closes the door and gives a small nod before walking off.

  We follow Ryland up the stairs to the highest tower on the west side of the castle; we are standing at the bottom of an elegant black marble staircase with strange symbols etched in gold all along the banister. The guys step up on the first couple of steps and turn to look at me.

  “Come on, Whisper; the headmaster is waiting, step up so we can go.” Ryland states from the step higher up.

  I place my feet on the bottom step and suddenly I feel like I’m folding in on myself again. The feeling doesn’t hurt it just feels awkward and unexpected, like having a harness on and being snatched backwards at a high rate of speed.

  We reappear in front of a large, red ornate door. Once again decorated with a brass horse-head knocker. What is it with these people and their brass horse-head knockers, I think quietly to myself? Finn takes the ring in his hand and knocks on the door, and it swings inward, revealing the man I presume is the headmaster, sitting behind a big mahogany desk, reading out of a big thick book.

  7

  I follow the guys into the room, now painfully aware I’m only dressed in my pajamas.

  “Ah, Miss Lawrence, have a seat,” the tall elderly man gestures towards the oversized leather chair across from his desk as he closes his book.

  “My name is Felix Gandore, Headmaster of this fine academy. We have admitted you, because you, my dear, are a Nightmare,” he introduces himself.

  “Wait a minute, hold up. I mean I know sometimes I’m not the most normal person, but I’m not that bad,” I jump up babbling.