Just a Dream

Torrential downpours spilled from the stormy sky above, raindrops pelting the windows like a constant barrage of tiny explosions that threatened to shatter the windows. Trees bent under the force of occasional gusts of wind, their branches whipping back and forth, while some leaves were stripped from their limbs and sent flying through the air like confetti. Inside, the bedroom was tranquil, and only the sounds of James's steady breathing filled the atmosphere. The tranquility was short-lived, however, as his eyes suddenly shot open after hearing a ferocious thunderclap that got his adrenaline rushing and his heart skipping a few beats.

After alleviating himself, he turned and peered at the window, observing the strands of rain slide down before lightning illuminated the room and another clap of thunder shook the ground beneath him. Upon looking outside, James noticed something was rather… off. He looked down and realized he was in a soft, cozy bed, enveloped by the intense warmth of the blankets instead of the blue sleeping bag he was used to laying his head on. He spun his head to the right and saw that his companions were no longer with him.

"Jessie, Meowth, Wobbuffet?"

James was in limbo, his subconscious confined by confusion, panic, and fear. He scrunched his buttoned pajama shirt and the bedsheets as cold sweat dripped from his forehead, his heart racing and pounding against his chest with increasing ferocity. It was as if his heart was trying to tell him something, to warn him of an impending danger he couldn't quite comprehend. The feeling of being trapped in his body was overwhelming, but at the same time, curiosity piqued through his veins, trying to marvel at where he was. James eventually climbed out of bed and decided to do some exploring. He placidly turned the doorknob, cringing at the sound of intense creaking that pricked his eardrums.

He stepped out and closed the door behind him, and he couldn't help but notice the powerful lightning bolts lighting up the entire hallway as thunder roared, causing the glass windows to rattle and escalate the moment. James nonchalantly descended down the staircase, his bare feet gliding over the cold marble floor, producing an eerie scraping sound that echoed through the silent mansion, amplifying the feeling of solitude and isolation. Questions swirled in his mind with each step he took: what happened to his companions? How did he end up in that warm bed? More importantly, how the hell did he end up in the mansion in the first place?

Pondering was one thing, but finally noticing the strangely familiar structure of the place put him in a disastrous situation. Everything around him was gradually recognizable. From the patterns on the ceiling to the paintings propped on almost every wall, it felt like a veil was lifted, allowing James to see the mansion in its unerring form.

He halted midway and viewed a painting that caught his attention, and one glance was all it took before it finally hit him; it was a painting of him and his family. The pieces of the puzzle were coming together, and the realization struck him like a ton of bricks. It was the place James had sworn he would never return to. And that said place... was his mansion. A lightning bolt irradiated the hallway, reflecting off the window behind him and casting a sinister glow over the drawing. The once innocuous artwork now seemed to take on a more ominous and foreboding presence, as if the electrifying energy from the lightning had seeped into its very being.

The man lost his footing and fell to his knees, tears forming in his eyes as he whimpered softly. A choking sensation stung his throat, making words impossible to consider. He pulled his lavender locks tightly, biting his bottom lip as a narrow stream of blood flowed down his chin. There was one answer to escaping the dire state of affairs. And the answer was, and always been for most of James's life... was running.

Running was nothing new for him. Despite the times he mused periodically that he was tired of it - especially to Jessie during his earlier days of Team Rocket training - only to be drawn back into the vicious cycle of constant manipulation, and he always succumbed.

Every. Single. Time.

Watching him suffer did his parents and that bitch a huge favor. They would do anything to abuse him and degrade his life in every way possible, and he was fucking tired of it. Tired of being pulled back into their traps. Tired of life. Tired of everything.

Drying his tears, he stood back up with a determined look that caressed his face. Just as he was about to take the first step, he stumbled backward, clutching his left cheek after feeling a sudden, painful sting that numbed the left side of his face. It almost felt like needles were cutting deep and stabbing his skin. James removed his hand from his cheek, revealing a plentiful amount of blood that stained his hand.

Tears plagued his eyes once more, quivering uncontrollably. He felt paralyzed, frozen even. Trapped and consumed by rounds of emotions and memories he thought were brushed away. Now was the time for running.

With a heart of dismay, James hastened through the dark, shadowy corridors of his mansion, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. Even though the pain was excruciating, he didn't want it to hold him back. His feet scraped against the marble floors once more, creating hallow echos that were barely audible because of the intense thunder. The more he ran, the more he apprehended that his mansion was not as straightforward as he thought. Every time he turned a corner, he felt like he was going back to the same place. Despite his increasing confusion, James pressed on through the seemingly endless labyrinth, and every time he thought he might have found a way out, he found himself back in the same place again. The frustration and distress he felt was palpable as he continued to run, hoping to find an exit.

Sudden, familiar laughter - the kind he heard countless times before - made his ears twitch with hesitancy and his stomach lurch, but he shook his head vigorously, striving to push away a certain someone from corrupting his mind. Hope was found when he finally broke away from the maze and found the front door. A reassured smile tugged his lips and suppressed an alleviated sigh. He was almost there.

As James neared the front door, the hallway expanded, stretching out before him. His smile quickly disappeared, and the fear swooped back in. The faster he ran, the farther away the door was. Thunder crashed with each step he executed, and the laughter increased in volume and became more distinctive, and James could feel it vibrating in his chest. He was so close to the door now that he could almost touch it.

Almost.

Almost.

ALMOST -

*SLASH*

A whip scarred his back, ripping the back of his shirt, and revealed a concrete red mark that was visible to the naked eye. He screamed in pure anguish as he fell to the ground. Bitter tears poured in light sheets, his loud sobs reverberating with the befriended laughter that pursued. It was over for him. He felt lost, forever trapped in the cold, treacherous snakepit of defeat. In the blink of an eye, darkness enveloped him like a giant blanket, and the raging storm faded away until all he heard was deafening silence.

The laughter that had once been so familiar was now gone, replaced by an uncanny quiet that left James feeling isolated and alone. He lay still, catching his breath and trying to deem what had happened, but the silence was so loud that it seemed to drown out everything else. He could see nothing, feel nothing, hear nothing. All he knew was the darkness. Even though he couldn't see anything around him, he managed to get up and stand despite his shaky legs.

"H-Hello?" He choked on his leftover tears, intertwining his fingers. He put one foot forward, but the darkness was disorienting, and he struggled to keep his balance. It was as if every step he took was through water, his movements slow and labored.

"Help me!" James could feel the muscles in his voicebox tighten with each word he mused. He suddenly stopped in place as he viewed a faint greenish mist began to swirl around him. He tried to back away, but he was rooted to the spot.

A bright light stung his bloodshot eyes and shielded them immediately from the sudden brightness. As the light mildly dimmed, he saw a mirror reflecting his own image, but it was more than just him. With pupils dilated, a wave of revulsion stabbed him in the heart after grasping why his face felt so numb. The left side of his body was sewn together with thin, twisted threads, almost like a patchwork quilt. But it was more than a patchwork quilt, he was sewn with another human being, and that being was... was... her!

Jessebelle!

James's ability to scream was gone. Her forbidding presence completely silenced him, taking away his voice, like she always did in prior years. She watched every mouth movement and smiled with satisfaction, knowing she knew he was still a definite coward.

Chuckling malevolently, she mused, "Oh, James. If ya really wanted to plead for help, why are ya so mute?"

His eyeballs leisurely peered down at Jessebelle's hand as she reached into her pocket, retrieving a slender, gleaming needle. Its sharp tip glistened ominously under the flickering light, promising unspeakable pain and horror.

"Well, it doesn't matter. As long as we're together, I'm enchanted nonetheless."

With a calculated movement, she held the needle firmly in her grasp, her fingers tightening around its cold metallic body. James gulped and held his breath, awaiting the gruesome fate about to befall him. Jessebelle lunged forward, the needle finding its mark, and stabbed both his eyes. A sickening squelch filled the void as the sharp tip punctured James's delicate eye tissues. Blood spurted forth, mingling with the tears of agony that streamed down his face. The unbearable pain caused his body to convulse. The sheer brutality of the act was difficult to comprehend, even within the darkest recesses of the mind.

The once vibrant colors of life were replaced by the crimson hue of James's spilled life force. The sound of ripping flesh and the sickening thud of the needle meeting bone filled the air, forever etching itself into the annals of his torment.

James continued thrashing in his sleep before waking up with a scream that echoed in the cabin. Gasping for breath, he felt his face, ensuring it was still intact. He ran his hands over his cheeks, his nose, and his forehead, checking for any signs of injury. When he confirmed that everything was fine, he repressed a sigh of relief. He blearily turned and smiled faintly at the sight of Wobbuffet sleeping on the floor next to him with Meowth lying on top of his stomach. His smile widened as he saw Jessie's awkward sleeping position. Her arm was under her pillow, and her neck was tilted at a weird angle; he stared at her gaping mouth as her loud breathing filled his ears.

"Just a dream..." He whispered, placing a hand over his chest and sighing again.

Of course.

He turned and stared at the glistening moon casting a glow on the window and the wooden floors before he turned away and started fidgeting with his fingers. The screams, the laughter, and the excruciating pain, he could still hear it, he could still feel it. All of it. His lip quivered again while tears began to form as he curled himself up like a ball. It always took time for James to recover from nightmares, especially when they had to deal with pieces of his past. Hopefully, by morning, he'll be okay.

It's just a dream...