1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Meghan

I can't breathe.

Heavy smoke fills my lungs as I struggle to take in a breath. Tears spring from my burning eyes and all I can do is scream for help, but no sound escapes. The only sounds resonating are that of my heavy heart beats and the crackling fire raging around me.

The heat is almost too much to handle and I can feel my body about to give up. All around me death and chaos is consuming my world, yet, I can't find a way to escape.

Please, someone help me . I think to myself.

Suddenly, my eyes spring open and the blurry vision is gone. Replaced is the realization that I was just having another nightmare.

Well, it is really a nightmare if you have lived the tragic episodes you are haunted by each night?

Sitting up, I feel the sweat dripping off me as I attempt to catch my breath.

I listened carefully, praying I didn't wake my roommates again. The room was still pitch black and no lights or sound came from the hallway.

Sighing, I was momentarily relieved that I hadn't woken up Stacy or Kirsten. Typically, when I went through one of my hellish nightmares, I woke everyone up in my apartment, and the rest of the tenants in our downtown Sunnyvale apartment. It was quite impressive really, my screams could be louder than the busy city streets below.

I wish I could say these hauntings weren't real, but sadly, they were. Ever since I had lost my fiance, Wade, in a tragic fire a few years ago, I had been plagued by death and fire. It was like my past was haunting me.

I thought when I left my hometown and the tainted memories behind, the dreams would stay gone, too. Sadly, I was wrong.

Instead, I brought my demons with me. The only reprieve I had was knowing that Stacy and Kirsten didn't judge me. I knew it wasn't easy on them being constantly woken up by my terror filled screams, but they were nothing but sympathetic to my situation.

Stacy and I had grown up as neighbors and attended college together. We met Kirsten in our first class as freshmen and we all three hit it off. Then, last year, we decided to move in together. It was great-- except for me.

Somehow, when darkness arrived, it was like my world turned upside down and I couldn't control my body or emotions anymore.

Glancing over at the bedside table, I saw that my clock read three in the morning. At least I had made it through most of the night before my dream had awoken me. Realizing I couldn't go back to sleep now, I decided to power up my computer and work on some assignments from work. I had a lot of work that I could focus on for my job at MLA Publishing. It had been my dream ever since I was a child to work in the publishing industry. When I came to Sunnyvale, I landed an internship with MLA Publishing; a small publishing house started by my boss, Melanie and her husband, Cole. After it gained great success, she ventured out and opened a local magazine company which published a monthly edition that featured local newsmakers.

Working, I kept myself busy until the sun emerged in the morning sky. The never ending noise of Sunnyvale kept me company when I would wake and have nothing else to do. It wasn't like the chaos found in cities like New York, but more like people out enjoying the sunshine and beaches. The noise never bothered me and in fact, at times, it was comforting. Realizing it was safe to venture out of my room now, I crept into the hallway.

"Caught you," I heard from across the hall.

Turning on my heel, I spotted Stacy staring at me, her arms folded across her small chest.

"What?" I asked.

"I thought I heard you having a nightmare last night," she began, giving me a slight smile. "I figured you would try to sneak out here like nothing had happened," she finished.

I wanted to argue with her and try to fib my way out of this, but we both knew I was a terrible liar.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" I asked her.

"I was sort of tossing and turning. Then I heard you just now. Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, like always.

However, I never took her up on her offer. The last thing I wanted to do was relive those memories while awake. It was bad enough that I had to do it nightly.

Shaking my head, no, I walked further into the hall. "No, I'm ok," I said, and then walked to the kitchen.

Starting a pot of coffee, I could hear Stacy making her way to the bathroom to get ready for the day. I was beyond grateful that she never pried further. I always knew she and Kirsten were there for me if needed, but they never pushed me to tell them what was truly going on in my messed up head.

I didn't understand it myself.

And at times, I wish I could forget everything that happened that night that ruined my life forever.