The Baileys

Vera ran through the corridor, she tripped over her sneakers, her black hair brushing against her cheeks. She quickly got up, knowing she made sound, she panted as she ran, her jeans covered with dirt and grime. She found a heavy metal door and pulled it open. Vera ran into the room, closing the heavy door behind her. The door made a loud crash as it hit the wall. Vera sat against a wall, crying. She panted trying to stay silent. Vera saw something creeping in the darkness of the room. It made a click noise as it walked, its bones creaking. It went into the light slowly, its face painted white.

As white as the clouds, but as dirty as a worm. Vera breathed heavily as she backed towards the door. The creature walked towards her. Vera tried to pull the door open. It wouldn't budge. She panicked and pleaded for help. The creature went behind her. She turned around and looked up at it. It was a tall man, his face painted white. His hair was long and greasy. Vera shuddered as the man creaked his bones, his arms were long, touching to the ground.

His back arched. Vera heard a siren and looked around. The creature screeched. It picked up Vera and ran. Vera screamed for help. The creature laughed like a blissful clown. His eyes were spirals. Vera looked into them, seeming hypnotized by the black and white spirals. She felt as if she was getting pulled towards something. Suddenly, she was standing in a black room. The room did not have any end. Wherever Vera moved, a light under her followed. Her jeans were coated with dirt and black substance.

Vera's shoes were falling apart, she walked within the infinite room. "I Survived Ralphie's Drop Light!" read on Vera's shirt. The drop light was a amusement park attraction. It was where you and four other people were tied to one single wooden board, forced to hold hands and your feet tied to each others. You were dropped into a deep eerie basement.

Water could be heard trickling through the basement. You have 35 Minutes to get off the board, but then you were handcuffed to one of the other participants, then which you help them get off the board. A light would drop every 5 minutes, showing the time decrease. You and your partner would have to find a way out of the basement before the water flooded the room, and you dropped into a pit. Vera and her partner had gotten out, as well as another group. Vera, her partner and the other group were given T-Shirts, a free pass to the other rides throughout the park. A few moment later, Vera woke up from the blaring of her alarm clock.

She was in her small New York apartment again. Relieved she got up and shut her alarm off. She lifted herself off her bed and stumbled to the bathroom. She hopped in the shower and sang "Pit Of Vipers". When she got out of the shower, she tied a towel around her body while she blow-dried her long black hair. Vera brushed out her hair, then left the crowded bathroom. She grabbed a pair of light blue jeans, her red sneakers, and a green shirt. Vera applied her clothing then pulled her socks on. She shoved her feet into her sneakers. She stood up and grabbed her phone off the charger.

Her phone read; "Four Missed Calls From: Ari". Ari was her best friend. "She's probably angry by now," Vera giggled. "I'll call her back later." Vera put her phone into her pocket. She grabbed her hoodie and threw it over herself. She thought about her nightmare, about the corridor and the man with spiral eyes and bones that creaked like an old floorboard. Vera grabbed her backpack and a piece of bread from the kitchen. She rushed out the door and down the stairs. She ran out of the apartment complex and to the bus stop. Vera waited at the bus stop for maybe 4 minutes.

The bus pulled to the bus stop and Vera showed her ticket. Vera sat in one of the seats and looked out the window. The cold air made the windows frost over a bit, Vera cleared it a small bit with her hand. When the bus made it's third stop, Vera stood and got off the bus. She usually walked the rest of the way to school. Vera's ears had blushed red, due to the cold. Vera was okay with it. Vera got to the school and entered. She walked to her locker and placed her stuff within it, she took out her binder, her book and her pencil case. Vera closed her locker and started approaching her class. Ari caught up with her.

"Why didn't you answer my calls?!" Ari bugged. "I was asleep, I can barley hear my blaring alarm through my sleep," Vera explained. "Also my ringtone was off." Ari shrugged. "The science project deadline is coming up, I've barley done anything!" Ari exclaimed. "Pshh! I finished it 2 days ago!" Vera bragged. Ari pushed Vera playfully, they both giggled and went to their homeroom. "I had the weirdest nightmare last night," Vera said. "There was this corridor, this tall man whos bones creaked like old floorboards!" Vera exclaimed. "His eyes were spirals! It felt like I was getting pulled towards him." Vera said with interest.

Ari looked intrigued. "Man! Why can't I have cool dreams like that! My dreams are always about dumb things," Ari huffed. Vera shrugged. The announcements came on. "Good Morning Students and Staff Members of Dutchess County! Please rise for the Pledge Of Allegiance." Everybody rose from their seats and spoke the pledge with their hands over their hearts. The pledge finished and everybody sat back down. The principle spoke the rest of the announcements. Ari and Vera spoke until the first hours bell rang. "See Ya Vera!" Ari exclaimed as she waved at Vera. Vera waved back and smiled. Vera walked to her Science class and took a seat.

Her brain was filled with the thought of the corridor and the man with the spiral eyes. She snapped back into reality once the bell rang and the class commenced. Vera sat in her class, writing notes in her notebook. Her teacher spoke about astrology. It was Vera's favorite subject. "You'll be doing an astrology project," Spoke the teacher. "It will be due at the end of the semester." The teacher talked on. Vera thought for awhile and sketched out her project onto a piece of paper. The bell rang a few moments later, Vera picked up her stuff and walked out of the classroom. She walked to her locker and opened it, she hummed as she switched out her materials. Vera felt dizzy and grabbed the edge of her locker, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She stood straight up again and closed her locker. Vera slowly made her way to the nurse's office, she sat down and waited for the nurse.

Vera held her head and sat back in her chair. The room spun in her vision, making her feel woozy. She blinked slowly as the cold air of the AC brushed against her face. Vera fainted a bit later, she "woke up" in a dark room. She was on the ground, Vera stood up and walked around, feeling for a door. She found the latch of a door and pulled it open. Vera realized where she was. She was in the nurses office. Vera walked out and down the eerie dark corridor. It looked as if plants and roots where growing through the cracks of the walls.

She shuddered as she walked through the creaky corridor. A cold breeze ran up her spine. Vera saw a trail of black substance invade her sight. Vera turned the corner and followed the trail, the substance stained the bottom of her sneakers. When she breathed her breath turned to a cold mist. Her blue eyes glistened in the small lights that she passed. Vera heard creaking coming from the dark corridor, but Vera couldn't quite clearly see the white face of the creature. The nightmare seemed too real not to be within reality. Vera's breath was shaky as she backed up slowly. The creature stumbled towards her, its bones creaking. The creature's eyes spiraled like before. It looked as if it was balding, yet it had hair flowing down the back of it's head.

Vera looked more frightened and turned to start running. She panted as she ran. The creatures bones creaked behind her like floorboards. The creature screeched as it chased her. Vera ran to the room she'd woken up in and locked it. She backed up and slid down the wall. She hugged her knees, still panting. The creature crept near the door and screeched. The creature slammed its head against the door, breaking the wood. Vera screamed as the creature broke a hole larger and larger with its head. The creature tilted its head, smiling at Vera. The creature's teeth were pitch black, the creature bent over and unlocked the door with its crooked teeth.

Vera covered her ears and put her head on her knees. "It's not real! It's not real, It's not real, It's not real!" Vera told herself, shivering. Vera forced her eyes shut and repeated. She looked up and opened her eyes. The creature screeched into her face. Vera screamed out of fear. The creature picked up Vera with ease and started running down the corridors. It laughed like a clown and its eyes continued to be spirals. Vera was tied to it's eyes. The creatures bones creaked and rattled as it stumbled down the rickety corridor. Plants were growing out of the cracks and crevasses of the walls.

The plants reached out, the creature handed Vera over to them. The plants took her in and hugged her tight. Vera panted, her chest being crushed by the roots. She squirmed, it felt as if a corset was squeezing her organs out of her. Vera's arms and legs were tightly held to the wall. The creature went up to Vera and wrapped it's hands around her face, tapping her ears. Sirens blared and the creature screeched. It ran away, its back arched and its bones creaking. Vera broke loose of the roots and fell to her knees. She panted staring at the molded carpet of the corridor.

Vera stood up and ran down the hallway. Passing the cubbies of the 1st grade classes. She ran to the doors and pushed them open. It was a dark purple forest. Vera ran through the deep purple trees, pushing the branches out her way. She brushed the her hair out of her eyes and kept running, tears streaming down her face. Vera stopped at a tree and began to climb. Pulling herself from one branch to another, trying to be quiet. Branches creaked and cracked.

Once Vera got into a certain place on the tree, she sat on the branch, panting. She began to feel dizzy again, trying to keep herself still. Vera tried to grip herself to the branch, looking down at the blue grass. The ground to her was spinning, making her feel more woozy. She tipped off the tree without noticing. Before she hit the ground, she actually woke up, on the ground of the nurse's office. Vera sat up and shuddered. She stood up and walked out of the nurse's office. She walked down the hall a bit frightened. Vera calmed down eventually and returned to class. The bell had just rang for the next class. Vera sat down and exhaled. Her teacher spoke about Mesopotamia.

Continuing the lesson they'd learned prior. Vera was zoned out the entire time. She barley noticed when the bell rang. Vera stood up and went to her next class. Again, she was zoned out. Vera's head tilted forwards, as she was still tired. She lifted her head back up and shook herself awake. Her teacher taught simplifying fractions. Vera was very zoned out, she hadn't noticed Ari come to the class with her. Ari wrote down notes for Vera. After class Ari poked Vera. Vera snapped out of it and looked at Ari. "Hm?- Oh, Hey Ari" Vera spoke tiredly. "Hey, you look pretty tired," Ari clarified. Vera nodded slowly. "Just, nightmares. I fell asleep at the nurse's office and had the nightmare again." Vera remarked.

"Oh, well maybe you should go home and get some sleep. Or, try to get sleep without nightmares anyways." Ari urged. Vera nodded. "I'll..ask if I can call my mom to pick me up. She's at work, so she'll be pretty mad." Vera worried. "Well, its for your own health." Ari addressed. "It'll be best for you." Ari shot a pleading look. Vera nodded and started to walk off to the office. Chills ran down Vera's spine as she walked. The creaking from the creature echoed through her ears. She often checked behind her, expecting there to be a large creature there, there never was, just the blurry lights of the corridors.

Vera read the signs of the classrooms as she walked past them. The signs often read "Stop Bullying!" or, "Sign Up Here!" for a club within the school, as well as teams. Vera exhaled, she began to feel really cold then. She rubbed her arms, trying to warm up, as she walked to the office. Vera sat down in one of the chairs in the office. The secretary noticed her.

"What do ya need, Hon?" The secretary buzzed, putting her hair into a pony tail. "I don't feel too well, and I get dizzy when I stand or walk to much." Vera clarified. "Alright, I'll take your temperature. You can call your mom," The secretary spoke. "Name please." Vera started dialing her moms number. "Vera Baileys." Vera answered and kept dialing. "Hello this is Janelle Baileys at New York law firm." The lady over the phone spoke. "H-hey mom, it's Vera, do you know if you could come pick me up? I don't feel well." Vera answered.

"Hm, I'll come get you in a moment. Get your stuff packed up, I suppose." Vera's mom Transmitted. "Alright, see you in a moment." Vera Murmured. "Love you." Vera stammered. "Love you too, Vera." Vera's mom Assured. Vera place the phone down. The secretary stood up and got a thermometer. The secretary took Vera's temperature. "Well Vera, your temperature is alright. But you can still go get your stuff and pack up. I'll notify your teachers." The secretary Disclosed. Vera nodded and stumbled out of the office, beginning to head to her locker. The corridor spun as she stumbled.

Vera collected her items and stumbled back to the office. She took a seat on a bench and waited for her mother, dozing off shortly later. Vera opened her eyes and looked around her. She wasn't in the office anymore. Vera stood up and peered around, her breath made cold air come from her mouth. She rubbed her arms, as she was freezing. Her stuff wasn't there either, she wandered around, a light under her followed. A laughing clown could be heard in the distance. Vera turned around and looked behind her, backing up fast. She tripped backwards, over her sneakers. Vera felt as if she was falling two thousand feet. She screamed as she watched the ground go farther from her.

Vera turned and faced where she was following, she forced her eyes shut, preparing for impact. But, she didn't hit the ground. Something caught her. Vera carefully opened her eyes. A creature had caught her and was inspecting her. Vera shuddered, her breath shaky. The creatures thin fingers running across her back. The creature set her down carefully and slowly backed up a few steps. It made tiny screech like noise, like it was trying to speak. Vera shuddered and stood up carefully. Her breath made a cold cloud of air float in the air, the creature seemed fascinated by it and tried to touch it, looking confused when the cold cloud disappeared at it's touch.

Vera muttered. "W-what are you?" She backed away slowly. The creature screeched by mistake, trying to speak, it covered it's mouth and whimpered, feeling guilty. Vera flinched, panting. "A-are you struggling to t-talk?" Vera questioned. The creature grunted, nodding. "Oh, well can you w-write?" Vera Quizzed. The creature nodded, it stumbled and rattled, finding a patch of dirt. It'd used it's claws to write "Creaky Bones" in the dirt. The K was backwards, as well as the B and S. Vera peered at the writing, exhaling. "W-well the name surly fits." Vera Disclosed. The creature nodded in agreement. "Do you have a name?" Vera Queried.

The creature nodded, starting to spell out a name in the dirt. Vera read the letters off carefully. "T-A-T-U-M, Tatum?" Vera inquired. The creature nodded. "Oh, well, where am I?" Vera quizzed. The creature shrugged. It's bones would rattle. "Huh,must be a dream?" Vera spoke. The creature nodded, peering behind itself. Vera felt her head, blinking slowly, she felt dizzy once more. "I-I don't feel well, I might be waking up. I'll, see you next time, Tatum." Vera spoke carefully. Tatum nodded, Vera fell backward, a cold breeze rushed against her, she felt as if she was falling another one thousand feet.

Cold air felt as if it was brushing against her body. Color of the real world came into view, Vera blinked slowly. Vera's Mother was tapping her, Vera yawned and lifted herself up, already feeling dizzy once more. Stumbling and falling into her mother's arms. Vera's Mother lifted her back onto her feet and helped her walk out. Vera blinked slowly, rubbing her arms, as she was cold. She stared out the window at the New York traffic, then looking back and fourth at buildings. Her mother drove quietly. Tying her hair into a bun at a stop light. Vera slipped a hoodie over her T-Shirt.

"So, what happened that made you start feeling Dizzy?" Vera's Mother questioned. "I dunno, I just started feeling sick, then when I stood up I felt dizzy." Vera answered. Her mother nodded, sighing afterwards. "Well, I need to get you home. I need to go back to work before my break is up." Vera's mom sighed. Vera nodded and went back to staring out the window. Her lips were sore and dry, and she was gaining a headache. Vera blinked slowly and leaned her seat back a bit, staring at the side of the car. Her hoodie warmed her skin, yet she was still cold. Frigid to be exact, she didn't know why she'd feel this way, it was explainable. Maybe the fright from the creatures? Maybe she was cold from the room she'd been in whilst dreaming.

Maybe it was even the office. Still unknown to her. She dozed off. Her dream was, different this time. No sign of the Creaky Bones, or Tatum, just a cold room, her lips were blue and her eyes watered. She rubbed the tears out of her eyes, exhaling, making a cloud of breath enter the air. Vera knew she wasn't alone, but she didn't know what was with her.

Ever since Janelle had Vera, she knew Vera wasn't a normal girl. But, she still loved her like any other child. You see, Janelle had taken Vera to the doctor for countless injuries that should have ended her life completely. Vera had told Janelle about these Wacky dreams that could not be explained by a normal human mind. Janelle knew it was unusual, but just assumed they were dreams. Yet, she still questioned for Vera's mental safety. Vera hadn't gotten many outrageous dreams in awhile. That she'd heard of at least, she had almost forgotten about the ordeal.

Janelle looked over at Vera, who was peacefully asleep, she'd sigh, turning her focus back to the road which was covered in a fresh blanket of snow. Vera had always had some sort of imaginary friend, she didn't mention them for years. Janelle had a feeling in her stomach, that that'd change soon, she didn't know where the feeling came from. Janelle thought about Vera's father, he'd left when Vera was a baby. Janelle missed him dearly, even though he didn't love her anymore. She'd sigh and tear up a bit. Janelle wiped the tears from her eyes, sniffling.

Janelle hoped he'd come back one day, he hadn't. It'd been 17 years, they hadn't spoken since Vera was at least a month old, when Nolan left her and Vera. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. Janelle turned into a gas station parking lot and got out. She filled her gas tank, paid for the gas and got back in her car. Vera shifted and turned onto her back. Janelle glanced over, but glanced back to the road, adjusting herself in her seat. Janelle worried about Vera quietly, this had happened before, but it always ended in Vera talking crazy about creatures and things that weren't there!

Janelle shivered thinking about it, glancing back and fourth at Vera, and the snow covered road.