Stella's POV

Friday night and I how the house to myself. Bec and dad were on a date, which meant I had a moment to relax alone. Instead of watching TV on the couch like I would have liked to do, I was chaining myself to the bed in my room.

I have found myself at the gate twice already and I didn't want it to happen again. If chaining myself to the bed would stop me, I would do it. I knew this wasn't sustainable, but I didn't know when I could get to Churchwell. I had no plan and until I had something in place, I would have to deal with the chains.

With a sigh, I turned off the light and laid down. "Here goes nothing," I mumbled to myself, then closed my eyes and waited for sleep to take me.

"Oh Stella, you think chains will hold us?" The shadowy beast asked with a smile.

I looked saw chains around the beast's legs. So, the chains around my wrists stop the monster from the dream.

"Looks like it can stop you."

It shook its head as it pulled on the chains. "Maybe, but it can't stop you."

"I don't need to be stopped. You are the monster."

It pulled on the chain and snapped it in half. "Maybe you are the one that does need to be stopped."

My heart started pounding as it moved closer to me. A bright light shone into the room, causing me to shield my eyes. When I opened them, I saw we were in Churchwell, by the gate.

In front of me lay the woods, full of dead bodies. I scanned the space, trying to see if I saw Gray. However, I stopped when I saw Else. Tears came to my eyes as I shook my head. I couldn't breathe. This monster was lying. There was no way I could do such a thing.

But as I looked at the blooded bodies, I couldn't fight the fear that came to my mind. What if the monster was true? What if I was the one that would bring death?

"You think I am the monster, but look at the damage you can cause," it growled.

"You are lying."

"I wish I was. Stella, you fight me, and this is what you will get. You will be death if you fight it anymore." with that, the monster walked into the shadows of the trees.

I shot up in my bed, covered in sweat. The chains around my wrists were snapped in half, leaving my wrist bloodied and raw from the slumber.

I couldn't fight it any longer. I would prove the monster wrong. It would haunt me no more. Enough was enough. I had to go to Churchwell, even if I didn't have a plan. There I would find the answers, I was sure of it.

Without wasting any more time, I got up and started to pack a bag. As I threw items into the bag, I thought of a lie to tell dad and Bec. It needed to be believable. Something that they would ask no questions about.

Minutes later, I was upstairs, pulling on my sweater, praying they would not see any trace of blood around my wrists. I tried to clean them up as best I could, but sometimes Bec saw everything.

"Hey, how was your evening? When we got home you were already asleep," dad asked as he put down his phone.

"Yeah, it was alright. Decided to sleep early last night," I said to them as I tried to calm myself. They needed to believe this, and I only had one shot.

"So, I wanted to remind you, I'm going to spend the night with Alice for the weekend. I will be back Monday night."

"Oh, I think I forgot about that," Bec said as she walked in.

I shrugged. "It's fine. You have a lot on your plate. We just have had this planned for a while now."

"After all that has recently happened, are you sure you are up for it?" dad asked.

"Totally. Alice wants to do a movie marathon or something like that. It's just going to be full of relaxation and junk food," I told them.

Dad nodded as he turned back to his phone, taking the lie. For a second there was silence as he turned to Bec, communicating silently with her. Dad and my mother were never on the same page at this, but Bec and my father looked like they could have full conversations without words. Maybe that was how you knew you found the right one.

Dad gave a sigh, snapping me from my thoughts. "Alright. You have fun then."

I smiled at him. "Thanks! I will."

"Do you need someone to take you to Alice's place?" Bec asked.

I shook my head. "No, she'll pick me up."

"Ok, see you on Monday then," dad said as he scrolled on his phone.

I gave them one last smile before turning on my heels to get my bag in my room downstairs.

I would not look back to tell them I loved them or that they meant the world to me. They didn't need to worry about what was going on with me. I just needed them to let me go easily. And for that, I would not cause a scene.

With my head held high and the bag around my shoulders, I called out to them one more time. "See you in a few days!"

"Have fun!" dad replied.

"I will," I muttered, then walked out the door to get to the gate.

I walked with a fast pace, worried that Bec or dad would see through my lies can call me back home. Before long, I was running down the bike path, trudging through snowdrifts from the night before.

As I huffed through the snow, my phone buzzed. I saw it was mom calling and despite my urge to not pick it up; I did the opposite. "Hello?" I said into my phone.

"Hey! I think this is the first time you answered my call in days," mom said as her voice cut in and out.

"Yeah, sorry. I've been busy."

"Penny for your thoughts?"

I shrugged. "It's just school stuff. Nothing else."

"Don't stress too much about it. We both know your GPA is enough to get into any school you want."

I smiled at the thought of that fact. With everything circling my mind related to Churchwell, I forgot about what would happen after school. I was more than 2/3rds of the way done senior year. After that, I would be free.

"I guess you're right."

"I know I am. So what else have you been up to? Any sign of Gray recently?"

I frowned at the mention of his name. I held onto hope that he would come like a torch in the night. However, the more time he stayed away, the more I felt frustrated. My headaches and sleep walking were getting worse and that monster from my dreams was not relenting on leaving me alone. If he was here, things would be easier. But he wasn't.

"Nope, and I'm starting to think I don't need him."

Mom laughed on the other end. "Wow, girl power. I love that for you. That's the strong independent girl I raised."

"Yeah, I guess it is," I said as I gripped my luggage a little tighter.

"But listen baby, just because you want a boy doesn't mean you need one. I made that mistake once, and I swear I would not let you make the same one."

Her words made me stop in mid-walk, allowing me to think about it in more detail.

"Just be sure this is the right move for you. That's all I'm saying," mom said as her line broke up.

"I think I'm losing you," I stated.

"I think - are..... talk... later," she said through the choppy phone call. With that, the call ended.

"Talk to you later," I mumbled to myself, then stuffed my phone back into my pocket.

The gate was within sight now, and with every step, my heart sped up. Suddenly, the conversation with my mother was nothing but an echo in my mind. The gate consumed all of my thoughts.

With my free hand, I shoved my hand in my pocket and felt the piece of paper that I used to open the gate last time. It was rough and warn from being balled up on my desk for nearly two months. I just hoped that it was still the same process as before.

I looked at the gate in front of me and took a deep breath in. I pulled out a crumpled piece of paper in my pocket and thought about how I used it last time. Last time I was so worried about Gray and getting to him, but this time it was different. It was for me. 

I knew the instructions worked, but standing here made me scared. There were so much uncertainty related to going through the gate. It was just me, all by myself out there. I would have no Gray to back me up. 

I knew what Churchwell was like. I knew it was dangerous and yet I was going forward. The migraine in the back of my mind was enough to shelve my fears. I couldn't live like this anymore. I needed to stop my nightmare from getting any worse. 

<>

With a deep breath, I followed the instructions carefully, touching the gate along the frame, moving stones from one side to the other. Each step I completed, the gate clicked as if it was a lock breaking. Finally, I stopped as the gate rumbled.

Not wanting to wait any longer, I opened the gate to see the sunny and warm Churchwell on the other side. I looked behind me and saw the snow falling down. I just hoped this was the right move. Before I thought any more about it, I stepped through to Churchwell. Quickly I closed the gate behind me, then looked around at the lush green vegetation that this place had.

A twig snapped, causing me to jump. "Show yourself!" I demanded.

Slowly, Graywick stepped out from behind a tree. He held his hands up above his head, then lowered them down. He waited for me to say something and when I did not; he spoke. "Did you want answers?" he asked.

"Will you give them to me?"

He smiled with a nod. "Of course. I would be happy to. You just need to follow me."

I couldn't be the death in my dream. I would do everything I could to stop that. If following Graywick meant that I would be free of the shadow monster, then I would follow him. I would do anything to stop myself from becoming what that monster said I would become.

With a nod, I followed him deeper into the tree line, away from the school, convincing myself this was the best option I had.

And maybe it was.