NIGHTMARE

DATE: JUNE 30, 2008.

SEASON: SUMMER.

LOCATION: SEINE-SAINT-DENIS, PARIS, FRANCE.

AGE: TWELVE

Irynefer was standing outside a grimy club with a neon sign flickering weakly above. The air was thick with the stench of sweat, alcohol, and desperation. Her hands were small, trembling, and stained with grime. She felt the roughness of the broom handle against her skin, her thin fingers were barely able to hold it properly.

 "Faster, girl! You worthless little—" A large man with a permanent scowl—her handler lashed out, striking her across the cheek. Pain exploded in her face and the taste of blood filled her mouth. She recoiled, tears stinging her eyes, but she dared not cry. Tears only led to more punishment.

She swept the floor faster, her tiny body aching from the long hours of labor. Her stomach growled, but she knew better than to ask for food. Every mistake, every moment of defiance, was met with brutality. He would pull her hair, yank her off her feet, and leave bruises that took weeks to fade. The other workers avoided her, their eyes filled with pity or indifference. 

Suddenly, a hand grabbed her arm, yanking her up with such force that she nearly dropped the broom. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked up into the angry eyes of one of the club's bouncers. His grip was like iron, and his fingers dug painfully into her flesh.

"What are you standing around for, you useless brat?" he snarled his face inches from hers. His breath reeked of alcohol and stale cigarettes, making Irynefer's stomach churn.

"I-I wasn't—" she stammered, trying to pull away, but his grip tightened, making her wince in pain.

"The boss says you're done here. You're more trouble than you're worth." he hissed.

Before she could react, he pushed her hard against the wall, and tangled her hair around his fingers, yanking her head back. She bit back a cry as the pain shot through her scalp and tears sprung to her eyes.

He dragged her down the dim hallway, his fingers still gripping her arm so tightly she could feel the bruises forming. Irynefer stumbled, struggling to keep up with his long strides, fear bubbled up inside her like a living thing. Her mind raced, trying to understand what he meant. Done? What did he mean by done?

"Please," she whimpered. "I didn't do anything wrong."

He didn't respond, his jaw clenched in anger. They reached the heavy metal door, and he threw it open, shoving her outside into the alley. The night air was frigid, biting into her skin, and she stumbled, catching herself against the rough brick wall.

"Get lost," the bouncer snarled, his voice cold and devoid of any empathy. "We don't need you anymore. You're just a burden. If you show your face here again, I'll make sure you regret it."

With that, he slammed the door shut. Irynefer stood there, stunned. She was free? After six years of being trapped in that hellhole, they were just throwing her out like garbage? free—free of the club, of the beatings, of the endless nights of cleaning and crying. But what did freedom mean when she had nowhere to go?

The alley was dark and the only light came from a flickering streetlamp at the far end. The stench of rotting garbage filled the air, making her wrinkle her nose. Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked them away, too numb to cry. She was free, but she had nowhere to go. No home, no family, no friends. She was alone, utterly and completely alone.

She wandered down the alley slowly and hesitantly. Her eyes darted around, wary of the shadows and the dangers that lurked in the darkness. She found a spot behind a dumpster, away from the street, and curled up on the cold, hard ground. The smell was awful, but she was too tired to care. She pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, and tried to make herself as small as possible. Hunger gnawed incessantly at her belly, and she hugged her knees tighter to her chest, trying to keep warm. The thin t-shirt she wore offered little protection against the chill, and she shivered, her teeth chattering.

She lay there too exhausted to keep her eyes open, yet too terrified to close them. listening to the sounds of the night. The distant hum of cars, the occasional shout, the rustling of rats. Every sound made her flinch and made her heart pounded with fear.

Exhaustion weighed heavy on her eyelids, yet she didn't dare fall asleep, but she was so tired, so very tired. Slowly, her eyelids drooped and she fell asleep against her will.

--- 

The sound of footsteps woke her. At first, they seemed distant, like an echo in a tunnel, but they grew louder, more insistent. Irynefer's eyes snapped open, and she blinked in the darkness, trying to make sense of her surroundings. She was still in the alley. Her head ached, her muscles stiff, but she pushed herself up, glancing around.

A figure emerged from the shadows, moving towards her. He was tall and broad-shouldered and his face was hidden in the darkness. Irynefer's heart began to race with fear clawing at her throat. She tried to scramble to her feet, but her limbs were sluggish, and she stumbled, falling back against the wall.

"Look what we have here," the man's voice was low and rough, sending goosebumps all over her "A little girl all alone in the dark. What are you doing out here, sweetheart?"

Irynefer pressed herself against the wall with shaky hands. She didn't answer, couldn't answer, her voice was frozen in her throat. The man's eyes glinted in the dim light, and he moved closer, his shadow falling over her.

"Don't be afraid," he taunted. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to help. You look cold and hungry. I can take care of you."

His hand reached out, fingers brushing against her cheek, and she flinched away, her breath hitching in her chest. But he was too fast, too strong. His hand shot out, grabbing her by the wrist, and pulled her towards him. She cried out in pain and terror.

"Let me go!" she screamed, struggling to free herself, but he only laughed like a menace. He pulled her closer, his other hand moved to her hair, and yanked her head back forcefully. His breath was hot against her face, reeking of alcohol and something sour.

"Don't fight it," he murmured. "No one's coming to save you."

"Let me go!" she cried, her voice high and desperate. She kicked and thrashed, but he only laughed at her weak struggles.

"Shut up," he hissed, yanking her closer. She could see his face now, twisted into a cruel smile. His eyes gleamed with malice, and his breath was hot against her skin. "You're just what I've been looking for."

Irynefer's mind raced, terror coursing through her veins. She tried to scream, but his hand clamped over her mouth, stifling the sound. He shoved her against the wall pinning his body with hers, and she felt a wave of nausea rise in her throat.

"Please," she whimpered, her voice muffled against his hand. Tears spilled down her cheeks, and she struggled, her limbs weak and trembling. "Please don't…"

Her plea fell on deaf ears. He ignored her, his hands rough and callous as they pawed at her. Irynefer's mind went blank and her body froze with fear. The alley spun around her, and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the horror of what was happening.

---

When she finally came to, she was alone again, her body aching and bruised. She lay on the cold ground with her clothes torn and the taste of blood in her mouth. Her hands were scraped raw from where she'd clawed at the ground, trying to get away. She felt hollow, empty, as if a part of her had been ripped away. Her mind struggled to process what had happened, but the memory was too raw, too painful.

A hoarse sob escaped her lips, and she curled into a ball wrapping her arms around her battered body. She could still feel his touch, his hot breath, the weight of him pressing her into the ground. She wanted to scream, to claw her skin off, to make it all go away. But she was too weak, too broken.

---

Suddenly, the nightmare shattered, and Irynefer awoke with a scream, her body jerked upright in bed. Her heart pounded in her chest and her breath came in ragged gasps. She was trembling, and her hands clutched at the blankets as if they could anchor her to reality.

She wasn't in the alley. She was in the castle, in the room that had been given to her. The fire in the hearth had burned down to embers, casting a faint orange glow over the stone walls. 

She could still feel the man's hands on her, the echo of his laugh in her ears. Her skin crawled with the memory, and she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to shake off the nightmare.

A sound broke the silence—a low, hissing noise, like steam escaping from a vent. Irynefer's head snapped towards the source, her heart still racing. Vex was there, the creature sat on the edge of her bed, his four eyes glowing in the dim light. He watched her with an expression that was hard to read, his movements slow and deliberate.

"Night… mare…" Vex's voice slithered through her mind, fragmented and disjointed. "Dream… of past… dark… shadows…"

Irynefer swallowed, her throat dry, trying to steady her breathing. The memory of the alley, of the man, was still vivid in her mind, the fear clung to her like a second skin. She looked at Vex, her eyes wide, trying to push the nightmare away, to ground herself in the reality of the present.

Vex's eyes flickered,. "Feel… fear… alone… scared…"

Irynefer nodded, unable to find her voice. Her hands were trembling, and she clenched them into fists, digging her nails into her palms. She forced herself to take deep breaths, to focus on the here and now. She was in the castle, not in that alley. She was safe. She was different now, not that frightened, helpless child.

Vex moved closer, his body slithering like a shadow. "Irynefer… safe… here… not alone…"

She closed her eyes, nodding again, letting his words wash over her. The creature's presence, though strange, was oddly comforting. He was a reminder that she was in a different world now, one where she wasn't powerless. She took another deep breath, the tension slowly draining from her muscles.

"I know," she whispered finally, her voice hoarse. "I'm… I'm just not used to it. Not used to feeling safe."

Vex tilted his head, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Mind… open… thoughts… loud… careful…"

She blinked at him, remembering Nakht's words, the way he had read her thoughts so easily, exposing her desires without effort. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but she nodded. "I'll try," she said, her voice steadier now. "I'll be more careful."

Vex's eyes softened if such a thing was possible. "Learn… adapt… strong… like stone…"

Irynefer let out a shaky breath, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Thank you, Vex," she said quietly. "For… for being here."

Vex hissed softly, a sound that might have been a laugh. "Vex… always… here… watch… protect…"

She lay back down, pulling the blankets up around her. The fear was still there, lurking in the corners of her mind, but it was muted now, less overwhelming.

And slowly, with Vex keeping watch, Irynefer drifted back into a dreamless, peaceful sleep.