ADRIA’S POV

I was running, and my feet was thumping on the ground as I took each leap in fear. I couldn’t tell what was chasing me, but the atmosphere didn’t seem right.

I was in an abyss of darkness. Everything was dark, no ray of light. I tried to pry my eyes open but it felt as if a strange, negative force was keeping me down.

The same dark voices continued to loom in my head, making my mind spin like a well-woven web. This was the same gruff voice that haunts me every time. I tried so hard to move my body or wake up but my body was stuck, like I was paralyzed or sort.

One look on this place, I could tell I was in another world or space, I could feel everything like it was real but somewhere deep inside me, knew it was the voice that was toying with my sanity.

My hands and legs were bound as I was shackled down with an unseen force. I was unable to move, but who would feel something this dangerous, and not try to escape. I tried with every strength in me to break off from the unseen force, but it was all futile.

“Oh, shit!” I cursed under my breath, shakily.

“What do you want from me?” I sobbed, feeling completely tired, and scared.

But I got no response, and all I could hear was just a heavy breathing sound. Not even my shadow was anywhere to be seen as it had blended with the darkness, making me feel lonelier, and helpless.

“I'm you.” The voice thundered eerily, making my skin crawl in fear.

I never expected that I would be given a response this time, and that the voice was going to be one that would make my heart jump in fear. It made my head jumble in confusion and fear of the unknown.

“No.” I responded in a low tone. “No, you are not!” I uttered and shook my head in denial, and started trying ways to wake up from the nightmare.

“I repeat, I am you.” The voice stated again firmly. “Just give me time, and you’ll find out soon.”

I shook my head again, and shut my eyes real tight. This wasn’t possible. There was no way this could be real.

“Please go away. Leave me alone!” I yelled out in frustration.

I heard a low chuckle, and a low rumble as well. “Adria, you can’t run from me because I'm you and you are me.” The voice repeated firmly, and those words echoed in my head.

Suddenly, I felt a light touch on her arm and I sat up abruptly, and screamed on top of my lungs.

"No!" I voiced out.

My chest was heaving up and down, and my breathing pace had increased. Sweats trickled down my body, and my night gown was quite soaked in it.

“Adria, come on. Take this medicine.” My mother handed it over to me, and sat down beside me with a concerned look on her face.

I quickly took the medicine and gulped it down with a glass of water. This nightmare was a recurrent one, and anytime I had it, I always came down with a disturbing migraine.

I sobbed, and fell into her arms.

“I’m tired, mother. I can’t do this anymore.” I continued sobbing, and then she began to pat me on my back.

“It’s okay, Adria. I understand you. I’m sure this will pass away with time. It’s just a passing phase.” My mother assured me.

“I have been having different nightmares since I was young, mother. Do you think I’m possibly suffering from a condition? Don’t you think I might need treatment apart from these drugs?”

“No, Adria. If we also go to the hospital, all they’ll do is to prescribe a few drugs. It is something which has to go away itself. You just need to calm down.”