Nightmares of Darkness

Preface

The sun was bright and high in the sky around noontime; the birds chirped merrily in the tree branches as the squirrels rustled by. The sky was a beautiful shade of light blue and small wisps of clouds floated by lazily. It was indeed the perfect day to be outside enjoying a wonderful time with your best friend. Little Antoinette Sharder is the perfect example. A small girl about five with beautiful golden curls that smiled with the sun, softly colored rosy cheeks, and gorgeous aqua green eyes that could put the ocean to shame. She was in bright spirits, as is her usual outlook, and always thought that happiness can be attained in the darkest of times.

Across the street from Little Antoinette was her best friend, Darien Clayton. Darien was about an inch taller than Antoinette with raven black hair and deep emerald eyes. Darien, you could say, was the exact opposite. Though they were practically inseparable, Darien eventually had to return home. He had seven near death experiences in one year and was physically and mentally abused. He's only about six years old and has been living like that for three years, ever since his parents had been introduced to heavy liquor. But despite his home life, he still manages to maintain a friendly disposition around his dear friend.

Antoinette hummed cheerfully and skipped across the street to Darien's house and rang the doorbell. She rocked back and forth on her heels and waited, still humming. The door swung open and in front of her stood little Darien with a gash on his arm with blood trickling down his arm and tears welling up in his eyes. He quickly wiped them away with his sleeve. He grabbed her arm and jumped into a bush nearby in case his parents were still slightly sober to check outside. After a few minuets of waiting in the bush, they walked back across the street to her house.

"Honestly Darien, what do you do to hurt yourself so bad?" Athena Sharder sighed as she poured disinfectant on the wound and slowly bound it up. Darien winced but just shook his head. Athena knew why, but sighed again and helped him off the counter and handed them both a chocolate chip cookie. He engulfed the cookie and drained the cup of milk she handed him as well. After Antoinette finished her cookie and milk, the two rushed out into the backyard. "You be careful with your arm Darien!" She shouted after them and shook her head with a small laugh.

Though Antoinette was clueless as to why Darien would show up with a new cut or bruise, she didn't bother to ask. Every time she did he said he fell down the stairs and hit himself on the counter. But his wounds never stopped them from running around and tumbling freely in the grass. But this new cut on his arm prevented him from rolling on the ground, only because Athena came out and shooed them inside saying he might hurt himself doing that with a fresh boo-boo.

Instead they ran up to her room and jumped on the many scattered pillows all around her room. They laughed over the nothingness and pulled out her chess set. For about six months, they had been playing chess. Darien was in the process of teaching her the moves and the techniques. She loved to play chess, even though Darien would always win.

"Darien, you're beating me again!" She giggled. Ever since Darien explained to her the concept of chess, she was hooked and determined to win a game.

"Don't worry Antoinette! You'll get better, I promise! Because I'll be the one teaching you, okay?" Darien replied with a smile.

"You better!" They laughed together and then began to run around her room.

But the time soon came when Darien had to go home, though he and Athena both knew he didn't want to. But if she kept him for the night, she knew that the punishment might be worse than just going home now. They said goodbye and he walked across the street in the approaching darkness. Other kids were just now coming out of their houses in costumes; he knew he wouldn't be able to partake in Halloween this year. His parents were probably too drunk to even know what day it was.

He entered his house and stood in utter shock. Right there by the entrance and in front of him, sat his headless kitten, Mr. Fluff-fluff. The blood was still flowing freshly from the limp body. Not far off from the headless kitten, was the headless puppy, Professor Fuzz-fuzz. Hot tears streamed out of his eyes and down his cheeks. He continued to roam the house, though fearing what he might find. He wanted to run back to Antoinette's house, but he didn't want Antoinette to worry.

The glass beer bottles were broken on the split coffee table, the couches were severed, and the television was in pieces on the floor along with the busted stereo. The windows were shattered, and the computer was in pieces along with the computer desk. He then walked into his kitchen; the sink was running and flowing onto the tile floor. Dishes were shattered and the cabinets sat agape with food splattered everywhere.

"Hey, there you are, Darien, we've been looking all over for you…" A slurred, chilling voice erupt from behind him. Darien whirled around and saw his father in the kitchen doorway brandishing a butcher knife, still dripping blood…and a bottle of Jack Daniels in the other hand.

"Daddy?" He whimpered as he took a few steps back, tears still running down his cheeks. He tripped on a large piece of glass and fell, small shards cut up his leg. He made a small scream but stopped when he saw his father advancing in a drunken stupor. When Darien attempted to stand, he fell back down again and his hand landed on something small and fluffy. Horrified to want to look, but curiosity forcing him to, his hand rested on the head of Mr. Fluff-fluff. He screamed and stood up quickly and saw his father holding the knife high in the air. He screamed again and ran past him to entrance, hearing the swish the knife made when in violent contact with air.

When Darien tried to run out of the kitchen, he ran into his mother. His eyes widened and his mother grabbed him by the throat. "Where you goin', baby? Your father and I have to talk to you," she slurred. Before she could him far enough off the ground, he grabbed a large shard of glass and dug it deep in her thigh. She let out a loud shriek of pain and let go of him. Darien gasped and lightly touched his throat, but quickly ran around his mother and up the staircase. He grabbed the cordless from the hallway and rushed into his room. He locked the door and put a chair under the knob. He ran under the covers of his bed and dialed 9-1-1.

"Police emergency hotline," the operator said calmly.

"Please help me! My mommy and daddy are-"

"Boy! Just you wait until I get a hold of your skinny little neck! I'll kill you like your damned pets!" A menacingly slurred voice shouted from downstairs from slowly emerging up.

"My mommy and daddy are trying to kill me!" Darien sobbed into the phone. "Hurry, please!" He hung up the phone quickly and hugged his knees to his chest. His chest heaved as he cried violently. The wound on his arm began to bleed again and the tears began to obscure his vision. His father began banging on the door and shouted a never-ending sentence of slurred curses.

Then the sirens were heard coming up from the distance. Just as they pulled up to the house, his father had broken through the door. Darien removed his quilt and threw the phone at him. It hit his father on his forehead but he continued forward, now with a pistol in his hand.

"You're gonna die today boy," he father roared and aimed the gun. The police broke in and a shot was fired, a scream broke through Halloween cheers.