Just Keep Screaming
by Chris Dämn
Stephanie awakens from the nightmare, panting and still laughing hysterically. She flails her arms and legs as she screams with laughter. She tries to get up, but is in restraints. Her laughter turns to blood curdling screaming as she continues to convulse in an attempt to free herself. A sudden thud on the door quiets her for a moment.
As she lays there in the dark, unsure where she is, she tries to catch her breath. After a couple seconds there's another thud at the door. The thud scares her stiff, her heart pounds, and she begins to feel extremely cold. Another thud happens and she jolts even stiffer as if being electrocuted by the sound. As the thuds become louder and faster, she clinches up even more.
Stephanie gasps for air as the thuds start matching the rhythm of her pounding heart. She lets out a scream so loud that she becomes hoarse while tensing up so much the restraints break. She hurls herself off the bed and lands hard on her back. The impact on the concrete floor pushes the air out of her lungs. She bounces up in pain and slams the back of her head on the floor. The warmth of her own blood beneath her shocks air back into her lungs. The pounding on the door continues as she turns over and spits blood from her mouth. She tries to pull herself under the bed for safety while blood gurgles in her throat as she tries to breathe.
Once under the bed, Stephanie vomits from pure terror of what is happening. The vomiting helps her gain her breath. Still in complete shock, she glances around the room to try and figure out where she is. The thudding continues as the door begins to buckle under the pressure of the blows. She looks up at the bottom of the bed and sees a sawed off shotgun duct taped to it. Next to the shotgun is a note that is written in blood. All it reads is “Aim for heads.”
She frantically pulls down the shotgun. As she does, the door bursts open. A tall figure in a trench coat stumbles through the door. Stephanie cocks the shotgun and shoots at the figure, hitting it in the abdomen. The tall figure doesn't even flinch from the shot. Instead, it giggles like a baby and continues coming towards her.
Stephanie's eye grow wide with panic as she realizes the tall figure in the trench coat has the face of a baby. She shoots again, this time remembering what the blood written note said. She hits the figure in the head and it explodes. The headless body falls to the floor.
She starts panting once again, and says in a very hoarse voice, “What the-.” Before she can get the last word out, another one walks through the door. She cocks the shotgun once again shoots. Again, the head explodes and the body falls. Before she can even take another breath, another one comes through the doorway. She does the same as the last two. Three headless bodies in trench coats are now piled on the floor. She tries speaking again, “Jesu-.” A fourth enters. She screams in terror and shoots again. She continues to scream and shoot as more flood into the room. Suddenly Stephanie feels someone shaking her from behind, and throws her elbow back.
“Ow! Fuck!” Stephanie wakes up, out of breath, and sees Brock standing and holding his face. “I think you broke my nose, hunny!”
“I-I-I-I'm so sorry! I just-”
“Having a bad dream, I know. You were screaming like a madwoman! What the hell were you dreaming about?”
“I,” tears start rolling down her face. “I'd rather not talk about it.” She grabs Brock and holds him close. “I'm so sorry about your nose. Please just hold me for a moment.”
Brock wraps his arms around her and calmly says, “It's okay my love. I'm here.”
She starts bawling uncontrollably and clinches him tight. “God, those dreams were so awful.”
“Aw, babe,” Brock says while stroking her hair. “I already told you, God abandoned us long ago.”