ERASED

Chapter Three

There was a knock on my door, which made me jump up immediately, pulling me out of that nightmare that was drawing me into the darkness.

Who are these people? Carole? A disgusting p*****t? Who on earth is that little girl?

My thoughts were interrupted by the knock that came harder this time. I looked at the alarm clock on my table, it’s past midnight. Did I wake the neighbors with my scream? Did I scream?

This new apartment is no shield from the nightmares I’ve had for the longest time. I wrapped my night robe around myself and wore my shoes and headed for the main door. I checked the peephole on my door first to know who it was, I could see a lady in her night robe standing outside with arms folded across her chest and a face that held no expression. I took a deep breath, getting ready for whatever yelling she’s going to bring my way. I honestly wouldn’t blame her, I’d be mad too if the new neighbor started yelling late in the night when I’m trying to get a beauty sleep.

I finally summoned the courage to open the door, and there she was, beaming at me.

“Marilyn, I suppose?” She asked me. She was very pretty, looked like she was in her early thirties, her strawberry blonde hair tied up in a ponytail and a few dots of freckles on the bridge of her nose and her cheeks too.

“Yes, do I know you?”

“I’m Nancy Williams, your next door neighbor,” she said to me still smiling, but her smile isn’t as weird as the strange man in my my dreams. It’s more, peaceful. “Gary, the guy that lived here before moving out told me you’d be moving in, he didn’t tell me you liked screaming at night,”

A soft blow that was because she’s still smiling and making light of the situation, I don’t know if she’s serious or not.

“I’m really and truly sorry Nancy. It was from a nightmare, I didn’t even know my screams were that loud,”

“Nightmares? So the demons have gotten to you? This house has always been haunted.”

“Huh?”

“Kidding,” she said laughing. “I was only pulling your legs, don’t think too much about it. Mind if I come in?” She asked and I let her through immediately. Being all alone in this house isn’t helping, I’ve got nowhere to be tomorrow so a night with a stranger doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.

“Tea and biscuits?”

“Oh no, I just had some fruits before coming down here, the place looks really pretty, suits a cutie like you,” she said to me patting my cheeks. “So tell me Marilyn, are you new in Edvert?”

“I’m not, I usually drive down from Landei down here to work but I decided it was time to move from my parents house and live close to work, it’s a few streets away,”

“It was wise of you to move down here, don’t worry, the crime rate here is little to non existent and the people are really friendly. You’d adjust in no time,”

“Thank you Nancy, I’m really grateful to have seen you tonight after that terrible night mare,”

“Do you frequently have these nightmares?” I nodded my head. Nancy had this aura that felt welcoming, it can make anyone open up their darkest secrets to her.

“I feel like, I have these memories that aren’t mine. I keep seeing this little girl that gets tortured, every single day. She looks like younger me, but I’ve never ever been in any of those memories, it’s not adding up. I lose my ability to sleep because these nightmares keep me stressed all the time. I want to get a therapist but what do I even say? Its not even making sense to me and here I am, bombarding you with issues that aren’t your business. I’m really sorry, it’s just… I wish it would go away. I’m tired of feeling like a mess. I’m afraid of falling asleep alone, here, what if I don’t wake up? Or worse, what if the man is real and comes to r**e me?”

“r**e you?”

“He is always forcing himself on the poor girl, she’s really small, I think ten or eleven,”

“Have you seen a therapist?”

“I don’t know any Nancy. My mom has been advising me against it all my life and even when she told me to go ahead because I’m old enough, I knew she didn’t want me seeing one.”

“What your mom doesn’t want you doing isn’t your problem. The only problem here is you need to someone who’s trained for cases like this. I know a good therapist and I’d recommend her to you as soon as I’m able to lay my hands on my phone when I get home.”

“Thank you Nancy.” For the first time, I was honest to someone about what I was dealing with. She held my hand in hers and then proceeded to stand up and give me a long, intentional and warm hug.

“Do you have any friends here in town?” I shook my head immediately.

“I find it hard to make friends so I don’t bother trying at all, I’ve always remembered being a loner all my life,”

“Are you busy on Sunday my darling?” It’s an early Sunday morning, I had no other plans for a Sunday like this than binge watching Friends and eating takeouts. I’m pretty sure the six friends on the show are tired of seeing my pathetic face .

“I’m free today,” I said to her.

“Great, come to church with me then,”

“Church? I’ve never been to one,”

“There is always a first time for everything,” she added trying to convince me to go with her.

“I don’t have what to wear either, and, I’m such a sinner, who would want me in their church?”

“Nonsense. God doesn’t care about all those, He cares about you. He sees you Marilyn, that’s why I’m here,”

“How do you mean?”

“I’m only but an extension, meant to make two wires meet, I’m not here to force you but to help you. Locking yourself up in here won’t change anything, going out there would help you out of your head a bit,” she said. “And as for the dresses, I have lots of lovely dresses and clothes sitting in my wardrobe, you could come shop there later today, what do you say?”

“You’re really persuasive, I can’t say no to you. Your smile is too innocent to disappoint.”

“Does that mean you’re coming with me?” She asked again with eyes widened in anticipation. I just chuckled,

“Yes Nancy, I’d be coming to church with you.”

“Yayyy!!” She squealed then hugged me. “Just come by my house around 9 am so we can find a lovely dress for a pretty girl like you.”

“Thank you Nancy, you’ve really helped life my mood.”

“That’s what I’m here for. I can stay over if you want, if you feel lonely sleeping here with the nightmares,”

“You would? I dont want to bother you, you’re already helping me so much,”

“I am not complaining, if you want I really can.”

“No husband or kids that might be worried that you’ve been kidnapped?” She laughed so loud, throwing her head back before comporting herself again,

“I’m sixty!” She exclaimed and my jaw dropped to the floor. “Widowed at 30, two kids that are abroad married and working away. I chose to remain here because it’s close to home.” She said but I couldn’t hide the shock on my face.

“You’re sixty Nancy? Now hello there, I want to be like this when I’m older,” I said in awe.

“Speaking of which, you must meet Liam Johnson! He’s a friend of the family, a very wonderful young man, you’d like him, although he’s grumpy at times but definitely. I must make you meet him, he’s coming to church later today.”

“No problem Nancy, come sleep in my room please, ignore the mess because I’m still trying to unpack since I got here.”

“Liam is taking over his dad’s company, he has a fiancé, a pretty one, but she has such a bad attitude, he’s rich, very very wealthy, and so is his best buddy, Dylan.”