He was running, from who or what, he couldn’t tell yet. The house was completely dark.

“Nique!?” Jake yelled as he dashed down a hallway, attempting to escape the towering figure behind him. Jake glanced from left to right, his entire world seemed to be made up of this hallway he was in.

As the giant behind him continued steadily forward, the booms of its foot falls became louder, deafening all of Jake’s hearing.

Jake began to grow tired, this hallway seemed to stretch on forever, but there was a light at the end, shining through an open window, bringing color into his lifeless world.

He ran for it, light brought safety, and he needed to escape the relentless giant behind him.

The booming became louder, and just when Jake thought he was done for, that at any second a giant foot would come crashing down around him, snuffing his tiny life out, he made it.

He was nearly blinded once he stepped into the light but he’d made it, warmth cascaded all over his skin.

Boom.

Jake turned back swiftly at the sound. He squinted, but was unable to see past the rays of light he now stood in.

A hand with bright red nail polish smashed the ground in front of him.

Jake was knocked from the safe haven of light he had tried so desperately hard to reach. Beyond it, there was only a blank wall.

 Jake scooted himself up against the wall and held his breath. The figure bent forward and light danced on its body. It was her.

“H-how?” Jake said, gripped in fear.

She smiled. Her bright red hair tumbled over her shoulders.

“You should’ve known I’d find you again Jake”.

Jake’s heart began to accelerate. Alaina….

“But… w-we locked you away! For good!”

“Oh come on Jake, you of all people should know I get what I want” she said in a confident and playful tone. “Now…I believe you and I have some unfinished business.

Alaina’s hand loomed out from the darkness, engulfing Jake’s small form. She brought him close to her face.

“After I’m done with you, I’m gonna find out if Nique is as sweet as she looks”.

“NO!!!” Jake screamed as he was dropped into Alaina’s cavernous mouth.

“NO!!!”

“Jake!? Jake what’s wrong?” Nique’s voice pierced the darkness around him.

“Nique!?” Jake called.

She was in his arms instantly. He began to sob uncontrollably.

Nique didn’t have to ask who the dream had been about, Jake defended her from everyone, except for her, what she’d done to him still plagued his dreams.

“What happened this time?” she asked him after a few minutes of their embrace.

“She chased me down and ate me” Jake told her.

“Is that all?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jake looked at the floor. “No.”

She began to rub his back. “Tell me.”

“She told me she was gonna eat you too.”

Nique shuddered.

“It’s okay, I’m fine.”

“I know” Jake replied, “I just hate when you become part of it…”

He looked at her for a moment, and she could tell he wanted to ask her something, but he was afraid.

Nique smiled and kissed him. “Tell me”, she said softly.

Jake hesitated a moment, but then closed his eyes and asked her, “Do you blame me for all of this?”

Nique was startled by his question, more so because she did not have an answer for him.

Jake sighed another heavy sigh and said, “Let’s go to sleep”.

He didn’t sleep for the rest of the night, Nique however slept in his arms.