I woke up screaming.
And when I did, my head began to swim with memories of my mother, in a bathtub filled with blood, and memories of Dan, with a bullet hole through his forehead.
I kept screaming and crying, trapped in my memories and nightmare, that I didn't notice him immediately.
"Jesus, April." I felt my body gently being pulled up, sliding into someone's lap. Strong arms wrapped around my trembling body, pulling me to warmth, holding me safe. "You're going to damage your vocal chords if you keep screaming like this."
"Mom." The word scraped through my throat and I winced and let out a sob. "Dan."
"Calm down, honey." A hand began to trail gently up and down my back. "It's alright. You're safe."
Breathing deeply, I kept my eyes close, my forehead pressed into someone's neck.
