Chapter 6: The Real Nightmare

Katelyn Bishop

Katelyn shifted her weight on her foot, but demanded an answer with her crossed arms.

He only flickered there and stared at her with those big green eyes.

Like he was completely innocent.

He ruffled his hair, "I'm not doing anything."

Katelyn's brows narrowed, "Stop lying to me... you're... you're flickering." she said.

Fear escaped her lips in a cry as her blue eyes scanned every inch of him.

Looking for the truth on his face, she was left cold and empty at Mr. Jerkaholic's non-response. He scanned over her with the searching, but it looked as if he was deciding something.Katelyn looked around, no one had even noticed the Mr. Jerkaholic.

What the hell? Why was he just flickering there?

As Katelyn was stuck in perpetual wonderment, anger swelled in her like waves in a tsunami.

Her gaze became more intent as he flickered more, " How the hell are you doing that..." she paused, " I want an answer!"

Mr. Jerkaholic said nothing, he just ruffled his hair nervously.Katelyn came closer to him, inhaling his semi-woodsy scent and looking at his features closer.She looked into his dark sea foam eyes trying to wash away that tide of uncertainty and find the answers she searched for.

He let another long moment of silence go before Katelyn repeated again, "I meant what I said, I want to know... why are you flickering?"

As she hollered this out with intent, another man on the platform screamed at her.

"Hey! Stop yelling at yourself woman, you look crazy!" he yelled in a gruff tone.

Katelyn's eyes narrowed again as she turned back to the man, "First of all, this is none of your goddamn business and anyone who told you it was, they were lying."

She paused looking at the man and analyzed him with a smirk, "And second of all, you potbellied, grey haired nuisance, even if I was crazy, you couldn't stop my yelling. You're nothing but a bloated pufferfish with the common sense of a box of chewed of crayons. Just because your wife is cheating on you with the pizza delivery boy, does not mean you get to throw around your flubber like King Kong. This isn't goddamn New York so get off your Empire State building and stop howling like the ape we know you are," she said crossly.

A chuckle rose from green eyes and Katelyn rolled her eyes at him, " Glad you could chuckle at my expense."

The other man on the platform muttered, " Crazy lady!"

Katelyn directed her attention back to green eyes, who was looking at her with a gleaming look.

From cheek to cheek, he smiled a toothy grin.

He still flickered and Katelyn looked around at people practically looking through him. What if people couldn't really see him? A hand shot up to her mouth in attempt to cover a large gasp.

As Mr. Jerkaholic's saw her gasp, he looked down at his flickering hands and his eyes painted a wide sunset of surprise.

Katelyn stepped closer to Mr. Jerkaholic looking him straight in those haunted sea foam eyes.

She put her hands on Mr. Jerkaholic and for a split minute, the flickering stopped as the both looked at each other.

Katelyn sincerely said, " Who are you?"

As she asked, a smile lit the corners of his mouth.

"You really don't know me?" he said with hope.

Katelyn softly nodded no.

All of the sudden, Mr. Jerkaholic's lips crashed into her mouth as Katelyn tried to hang on. Surprise claimed her momentarily as her brain caught up to her heart. His lips were soft and gentle, yet also so demanding as he laid claim on her with his lips. Her heart was doing cartwheels in place.

His semi-woodsy scent flowed through her as she breathed him, hoping to God she never had to breathe him out.

It was so weird to say, but he tasted like happy.

It was like having a sundae on a Sunday or winning the lottery blind folded twice.

She just wanted it to last a lifetime, what was so wrong with that?

Then... as quick as it began, Mr. Jerkaholic pulled away.

He was smiling ear to ear at Katelyn. Katelyn blushed with her swollen lips and red cheeks.

She dared not to look into those green eyes again, but she did.

As she blushed, he came closer for second time.

Katelyn prepared for them to resume, but Mr. Jerkaholic only kissed her on the cheek and he looked like he was trying to politely let her down.

His smile remained plastered to his lips and he quickly ran away from her running saying, " Thank you for forgetting me."

After that, he left her.

Alone.

Barreling out of control she thought it over, analyzing it all.

He kissed her. He kissed her. He kissed her and he didn't like it, so he left. A tear rumbled through her, though she could not entirely place where it'd come from. It flitttered down her cheeks in a scalding madness.

The sound of the subway screeching to a stop pulled her out of her disappointment.

Katelyn wiped off the tear intently, wishing away the emotions. Katelyn shook it off. She quickly wiped off her lips. God, how was she that stupid. He was just curious, and thanking her for something. He didn't mean it. God, Kate, you're such a blubbering idiot, she told herself.

Katelyn stomped off and got to her apartment as quick as she could to sink in a tub of Eddy's ice-cream, sad movies and her lumpy mattress.

Yes, she was a goddamn cliché, but what do you expect when someone kisses you once, decides they don't like it, then leaves?

The right answer to that question is ice-cream.

Opening the lid of the carton, she plucked a spoon from the dishwasher and began diving into the tub of cookie dough ice-cream like a regular Michael Phelps.

As she took one spoonful and licked it clean, she said to herself, " lap number two", as she dove her spoon back in.

After many more spoonfuls later (a woman never tells) and another sad movie, Katelyn climbed onto her lumpy mattress and curled into ball.

Tears welled in her eyes, but she willed them to stay put.

As she laid on her lumpy mattress, the stars began to dance in her eyes.

Finally, she began to fall asleep to the sound of the shutters of the broken A/C. A dream lit her eyes as she fell away into the darkness. When her eyes finally flitted open, she was on the subway car all alone. An eerie feeling passed over as shadows kept accosting her.

She sat on that subway curled up with her knees scrunched up. Fear pricked at her as she looked around.

The lights in the subway flickered for a couple moments as Katelyn attempted to predict the nightmare she was getting into.

All of the sudden, a screeching sound belted through her ears and Katelyn immediately grimaced at the sound. The lights all turned off and fear completely rattled Katelyn.

Finally, the lights came back on and a woman with white hair and a blue neon stripe appeared. Katelyn immediately perked up as the woman looked at her and smiled.

It was Dr. Phoenix from "Blank Slate". ( Dr.X = Dr.Phoenix)

The woman cleared her throat, " we have a payment plan for you".

Katelyn didn't even pretend to hesitate, "what is it? I'll do anything. Anything."

Phoenix looked at her with an electric smile, " You need to save him from completely disappearing."

Katelyn's eyes flickered momentarily in anticipation, " Who?"

Phoenix handed her a folder while she kept on her perpetual smirk.

Katelyn's eyes went wide when she saw the name, " Flint Morgan?" she asked incredulously.

Phoenix nodded and Katelyn continued with her barrage of questions, " But will you really help me forget that night if I save him?"

Phoenix smiled and nodded again, her blue eyes bewitched Katelyn.

"It will be as if that night had never existed."

Katelyn nodded in disbelief, " All I have to do is save him?... wait... how do I save him?"

Phoenix looked at her and smirked, " Make him see that life is worth living. If he does that, he won't disappear. If he stays I get my money doubled and you get your memory of that night wiped."

Katelyn's eyes glinted happy tears as she looked at Phoenix in wonderment.

There had to be some catch. Nothing comes without strings, and usually those strings killed you in a tight overbearing knot.

Phoenix kept a steel face though. Katelyn tried to read her expression but it seemed to be in another language entirely.

Finally, sick of waiting she asked, " What is the catch? What happens if he disappears?"

Katelyn's brows furrowed.

Phoenix's features were still cold and blue, "I don't know what ever you are talking about. I would never have a so called 'catch'."

Katelyn's eyes bore intensely into hers, " I know this isn't your full plan and why does it have to be a Morgan of all people. They deserve to disappear, why would you want to stop that. Even for all the money in the world, it's worth it. The Morgan's are horrible people. They deserve every bad thing they get and more. Why save him?"

Phoenix's eyes challenged Katelyn's and she smirked once again, " I'm glad you say that. I'm glad there will be no complications... because if you get close to Flint Morgan, he will take from you the only thing you love".

Katelyn's eyes constricted at Phoenix's, " Is that all? Don't worry, Flint Morgan and me. He has a luckier shot of catching two black eyes than my lips. I assure you... he will not be problem... but I need to know. What happens if I fail? Do I still get my memory wiped of that night?"

Phoenix looked at her head on, " Yes, but it is better if you save him."

Katelyn challenged Phoenix's eyes, " Don't give me that vague fortune teller bull. Tell me, what happens if he disappears."

Phoenix gathered up her things as the subway seemed to be slowing down.

Katelyn got up in a panic, " Wait... I need to know."

Phoenix gave her sympathetic glare and then she smiled villainously again, " You'll just forget him like all the others."

The subway's screeched to halt interrupted her as more questions prodded her, "But that's what I wanted all along. Why would that be bad?"

Phoenix gave her a smile with the crinkle of her eyes, " That's what you think you want."

Phoenix gave her one last icy glare and said, " Remember, it means a lot more if you save him. Don't let your petty feelings get in the way of what has to be done."

Katelyn nodded, "I promise."

Phoenix smiled as the subway doors opened with an alarming shutter.

Katelyn looked outside, they weren't at the terminal, " But..."

Phoenix jumped out, " Remember... you want to forget.".

Suddenly, all the lights went out in the subway and it felt like the subway was falling.Katelyn tried to run away as the subway turned, she started slipping. Soon, the subway was completely vertical and all Katelyn could hold onto was a metal pole in the subway.

Katelyn began slipping and fear shot through her as, finger by finger she let go.

Finally, she fell and she felt like the subway was crashing into something. Katelyn screamed a blood curdling cry. Katelyn woke up in a cold sweat. Her breath raced to catch up to itself.

Katelyn's grasp to her sheets was heavy and her eyes opened with an intense start.

Katelyn looked around, she was all alone. There was no Dr. Phoenix. No "Blank Slate".

But... there was a folder at the edge of her bed which said the name "Flint Morgan" in sharpie.

It had his address listed and all the possible information on that man that could possibly be found. It said everything from his allergies to his favorite type of women.

Funnily enough, it was the exact opposite description of her.

On the back of the folder, a pink post-it note stuck there saying, " Remember to forget. Tell him you are a part of Blank Slate. Get to him. Make him stay- Dr. Phoenix."

Katelyn turned on her lamp to read more about this Flint Morgan.

Whether Morgan liked it or not, he would be saved, goddammit.

She wanted to forget and she didn't have to remember that.

That night had played over and over. Blank Slate offered to wipe that memory clean. If this was the price, so be it.

"Prepare to be saved, Flint Morgan" Katelyn said with extreme annoyance at the task.

She was not happy with this. Not happy at all.

Before, Katelyn hadn't truly known the meaning of nightmare before this night.

She only knew what kept her awake most nights.

Now, learning what she had to do to Flint Morgan, she felt she truly experienced a real nightmare.

And that was learning she had to save Flint Morgan. She had to save her nemesis to save herself.

That was real the nightmare.

Thank you for reading! So Katelyn wants to forget something too... can she do it without falling for Flint? And what was up with that kiss... will Flint explain that in next chapter or just roll over it because Katelyn already described it here? Find out in chapter 7 of "Blank Slate", thank you for all the votes and comments! I really love all my readers who take time out of their days to read my work. I admit I'm no great writer... but I'm trying and all your comments and support help me try and become a better writer!