The Hole

“No! Stop!" Sofia screamed. The figure didn’t stop. He kept coming for her, grabbing her forceably to a door.

“Please” Sofia pleaded.

The figure succeeded in propelling Sofia towards the door. He opened the door. Sofia peered into it. There was nothing. It was pitch black. Sofia was careful to not go over the edge. It appeared to be a deep hole.

No. I don’t want to go in there.

The figure man proceeded to thrust Sofia towards the hole.

“No. Get off me!” Sofia began to punch at the figure. It stumbled back, their grip off of her.

Sofia pulled off their hoodie and peered at their face. She gasped. His piercing green eyes could have glared daggers into her soul.

“Get in the hole!” The man screamed at her, pulling her hair.

“Ow!” Sofia squirmed, biting his hand. With that, the man slapped her face. Sofia tasted metal forming on the corner of her lips. She was bleeding.

The man lunged for Sofia again, but this time she didn’t protest. She was too worn out. The figure grinned, successfully shoving her into the hole.

"No!” Sofia’s thrill voice rang whilst falling down the pit.

Sofia woke up with a jolt. Sweat beaded against her forehead. She removed the moisture with a quick swipe of her hand. Immediately she sprinted to the bathroom. Sofia examined her reflection. It was there just as she thought.

“No...” She whispered, dropping her head into her hands. Sofia broke off a piece of toilet paper, dabbing at the blood resting on the side of her lip.

She slumped on the closed toilet seat. Sofia had this recurring nightmare for the past 2 weeks. And every week, something terrifying occurred when she woke up. A disturbing souvenir when she woke up. A bruise from her nightmare. Last week it was a large cut on her leg. That was hard to hide from her mother.

Sofia didn’t know what to do anymore. Who was that man in her dream? Why did he push her into that hole every night? Where did that hole lead to?

Multiple questions swarming her head, without a scanty answer in sight.

The following morning.

“Sofia, why were you screaming last night?” Sofia’s mother asked her, taking a sip from her orange juice.

“Hmm? Oh it was nothing mom.” Sofia was especially distracted today. She wanted the nightmares to stop. Sofia didn’t want to cause anymore worry from her mother.

“Are you sure?”

Sofia tucked a braid behind her ear, throwing her books into her book bag.

“Yes, I promise. I gotta go.”

Sofia rushed out the door before her mother could ask any other questions.

“Sofia!”

Sofia’s mother sighed, shaking her head.

Sofia practically ran down her house steps, towards the bus stop. She had a paper due tomorrow and she didn’t start. Everything was stressful and hectic for her.

“I need to figure out how to stop that dream from happening again.” She told herself, while walking across the street.

“I just need to-”

Suddenly a car came roaring towards her. Sofia screamed, jumped out of the way just in time.

The car came to a halt quickly. Sofia could see the driver twist the keys in the ignition, and get out of the car.

When their face came into view, Sofia couldn’t believe her eyes. It was the man in her dreams. She recognized those evil green eyes. Sofia cupped a hand to her mouth, retracting away from him.

“Hey! Are you hurt?” The man wanted to know.

“No, get away from me you...you psycho!” Sofia cried.

”You don’t want to do that.” The man warned, lifting an item from his pocket. Sofia squinted at the object.

“A gun.” Sofia breathed.

The man stalked closer to her. The gun waving carelessly in his hand. Sofia’s throat was burning with fear. She tried to swallow but even water couldn’t put out the fire lodged in her throat.

“Now get in the car, and we’ll have no problems.”

Sofia held her head up in defiance.

“Or else what?” She challenged, stepping closer to the man.

The man rose a questionable eyebrow. As if he thought it wasn’t obvious.

“I blow your head off darling.”

Sofia didn’t realize it before, but he had a slight English accent. He wasn’t from here.

Sofia shook that irrelevant thought away.

The man pressed the gun against her temple.

“Boom.” The man laughed.

Sofia felt a tear form in her left eye. It drizzled down without warning, giving a warm touch to her shivering cheek.

”Come on.”

The man nudged her to get into the car. The gun pinned to her back. Once she was inside,

the man swiftly got in on his side and slammed the brakes.

They drove in silence until they came to an abandoned house. The man seemed to be in a hurry, rushing to park in the empty driveway.

He pulled open Sofia’s side, grabbing her arm. Sofia didn’t budge.

“I’m not going in. Just tell me what’s going on! Who are you and why were you in my dreams?“

The man didn’t answer. He paced around the driveway, banging the gun against his head. Sofia noticed it was evident he was distraught.

“Fine. You wanna know what’s going on? My name is Carter and someone offered me money to come get you. I hacked into your dream and I knew where you lived- your house was in the system.” He reasoned.

“And I ran into you to get you into the car. The guy said you would come with me because I was in your dream. I’m so sorry. I- the guy said he would give me 500k bucks if I got you. I need it to help my grandmother. She has leukemia. I’m so sorry.” Carter rambled, running his hand through his hair.

Sofia never felt more confused in her life.

“What do you mean hacked into my dream?”

Sofia didn’t understand how that could possibly work.

“Well. Wait. You don’t know? You can’t be serious right?" Carter stared at her in disbelief.

Sofia furrowed her eyebrows, crossing her arms.

“Don’t know what?”

“How long ago were you having dreams with me in it again?” Carter asked her.

“Two weeks why?”

Carter rubbed at his chin.

“You gotta check this out.” Carter walked towards the house. Sofia eagerly followed.

When they opened the door, Sofia had to catch her breath. There was her dream. Except now in real life. The door. The hole.

“What’s going on?”

“That hole.”

Carter opened the door, beckoning Sofia to come closer.

“That’s how I hacked into your dream. That’s where you can transport to anyone’s dream. Or anywhere you want in general. It’s where the guy wants you to go.”

Sofia shook her head, bringing her hands to her skull. It hurt. Nothing made sense.

“Why did you hurt me in my dream? Why when I woke up, I had bruises?”

Carter’s expression looked apologetic.

”Oh sorry about that. You were resisting me and I needed you to wake up. Going down that hole is how you wake up. If you didn’t you would have uh-"

Carter scratched the back of his head.

“Gone into shock and die in your sleep.” He told her casually.

“Anyways, I thought you knew this hole was the answer to everything."

Sofia didn’t know anything apparently. All she needed to know was why this man wanted her.

“Okay, down you go. I need my money.” Carter gave her a strained smile.

Sofia edged to the opening like she did in her dream. Except this time, she wasn’t hesitant.

“Fine. One more thing. How would the portal know where I want to go?”

“Oh don’t worry. It’s been waiting for you, for weeks love.”

“Oh."

Even though Sofia was nervous, she needed the nightmares to stop.

“Well, bye Carter. Sorry about your family.”

Carter smiled in an endearing way.

“Thanks love. And uh sorry for those bruises.” He added, in a bashful way.

Sofia laughed. Who would’ve thought she could be civil with the scary man in her dream?

“It’s fine.” She reassured him.

Sofia took a deep breath. Carter stepped away from the door.

Sofia took several steps back for a starting point. Then she charged at the hole. Disappearing underneath the door.