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The Dream Taker
The stench in the air caused Klaine to stumble for balance. The odor was one that she could not identify; it was very powerful with a metallic aroma that left her senses reeling. She did not want to walk further into the house but the nightmare had her in its grip and there was no letting go. Klaine walked slowly, cautiously, into the room for she could feel the evil in the house and knew it was waiting for her.

As she neared her parent's living room the overwhelming stench filled her nostrils once more, causing her to stumble and fall to her knees. Klaine took short shallow breaths attempting to keep the nausea at bay. Now on her hands and knees, Klaine crawled slowly, terrified at what she may find. Once in the living room, Klaine forced herself to look up and as she did she gazed right into the sightless eyes of her Father who was tied to his favorite chair and drenched in his own blood from a deep slash across his neck. Sobbing she crawls toward her Father's lifeless form never taking her eyes off of him. As she nears her Father, her hands encounter a form and her hands are instantly drenched in a wet sticky substance. Klaine forces herself to look down and sees the ravaged body of her Mother who had been beaten and stabbed to death.

"Oh, God please just let it be a bad dream, this can't be real", Klaine sobs as she holds the lifeless hand of her Mother. Quick as lighting an arm goes around her neck and she is jerked up to her feet. A voice whispers in her ear, "Don't worry beauty, you won't join your parents, your time isn't yet. I plan on playing with you or your life for a while yet. Remember me, I am the Dream Taker who will be a part of your waking and sleeping time for a long time to come". Darkness engulfs Klaine as the Dream Taker strikes her on the temple with a heavy object.

Klaine wakes up gasping for breath and is drenched in sweat as she comes back from Hell. Throwing the damp blankets from her, she sits up from bed and on shaky legs heads toward the bathroom and a hot shower. Klaine wondered why after months of no nightmares, did they come back now to haunt her.

Turning on the shower, Klaine looks into the mirror above the sink and sees what she has seen many times. She sees e a woman of slight build who could use at least 15 pounds added to her 5'4" frame. Haunted hazel eyes framed by dark lashes and what she always thought of as an average looking face but that many had said looked like a replica of a Cameo portrait. Pulling her shoulder length honey blonde hair from her face, she looks at the small lighting bolt scar by her left temple and is reminded that it was not just a nightmare but a fact of her life.

After showering and downing a fluffy old and tattered pink robe, she walks toward her dining room table and her laptop computer and decides she might as well get some work done. As the computer comes to life, the screen flashes that she has a new email, as she opens the email her heart stops as she reads the text, "Hello Beauty, did you think I had forgotten about you?" "I love your hair longer, but you really need to do something about that ratty robe".

Learn more about this author, Susan Roark.
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