The Nightmare Chronicles

By Samuel Turner

Seven people in the town of Springlight Falls participate in a sleep study where, once asleep, they are stalked by a murderous scarecrow. As the killer chases them, they decide to tell each other stories, hoping to wake up before they are slain one by one

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Dec 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781329564329

Book preview

The Nightmare Chronicles

The Nightmare Chronicles

a novel by Samuel Turner

Page Count: Approx. 140

Word Count Approx. 47,050

This book is dedicated to my family.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1: Red Camaro

Chapter 2: Revenge

Chapter 3: Skull Reaper: Danger of a Lie

Chapter 4: The Phoenix Chronicles

Chapter 5: Future Wars

Chapter 6: Dark Days

Chapter 7: The Phoenix Force

Chapter 8: Armageddon

Chapter 9: Reaper

Chapter 10: Warrior’s Instinct

Chapter 11: Eye for an Eye

Chapter 12: Christmas Fright

Chapter 13: The Creatures of Darkness

Epilogue

Prologue

It was a dark night in Springlight Falls. Mac, Alexis, Victor, Brent, Brandon, Jessica and Victoria were all in the sleep center, laying individual beds.

How do you feel? asked the doctor, who was in another room, monitoring them.

Relaxed. Alexis responded.

Good. Now, I need everyone to try to go to sleep.

What about the man from our dreams? Mac spoke.

Don't worry about him. I'll control every aspect of the dream within this room. the doctor told them, turning a knob on the control panel and releasing sleeping gas into the room.

As the room filled up with gas, the group closed their eyes. When they opened them, the group saw that they were no longer in the sleep center, but in the middle of a cornfield. In front of them was a scarecrow, which looked as if it had recently been on fire. As everyone stared at it, the scarecrow began to speak.

Welcome back, my children. the scarecrow spoke, landing on the ground.

RUN! Brent yelled, running as the scarecrow walked towards them. However, everyone had already running ahead of him.

They ran for several minutes, unable to see where they were headed. Finally, the group came across a large barn. After walking inside, they realized they had somehow entered a boiler room. Frightened, Jessica turned around to leave. However, in the place where the door should have been was nothing but a wall.

We're trapped! Jessica said, panicking.

Calm down! I have an idea. Victor told her.

What kind of idea? Brandon asked.

We should each tell a story.

A story? We will all die if we don't get out of here.

We're dead anyways. Victoria spoke. We are all asleep, remember? We need to wake up if we want to live.

Alrighty then. Alexis spoke. Who'll go first?"

I will. Victor told them. I call this story, Red Camaro."

Chapter 1

Red Camaro

"It was a beautiful summer day. Edward and Jacob Wyle were walking into a junkyard, looking to cause some mayhem.

‘Wow!’ Edward spoke. ‘Look at all this junk.’

‘What were you expecting, a five-star hotel?’ Jacob asked sarcastically.

‘No, but I did expect to find something decent.’

‘Whoa!’ Jacob exclaimed, gesturing behind his twin. ‘Check that out.’

As Edward turned around, a devilish grin appeared on his face. Right in front of them was a red 1969 Chevrolet Camaro.

‘It looks brand new,’ Edward said, as he and his brother walked closer to the car. ‘I wonder what it’s doing here?’

‘Who cares?’ Jacob said, opening the driver’s door and getting in. ‘Finder’s keepers.’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘We’re gonna steal it!’ Jacob said, looking down where the ignition would be. ‘That’s funny’

‘What’s is it now?’ Edward asked his brother, annoyed as he walked in front of the car.

‘There’s nowhere to put a key.’ Jacob said with a small laugh. ‘No wonder it’s in this place. The car’s a piece of junk!’

At these words, the car started on its own. The steering wheel then morphed into a spike, impaling Jacob as it sped forward, running over Edward and driving out of the junkyard.

Meanwhile, Julie Johnson and her best friend Isabelle Smith were driving down the highway with Jeffery Price and Vinny Taylor, whom they were dating.

‘I can’t believe we’re going to see a live 7eventh Kryptonite concert!’ Isabelle stated excitedly.

‘I know!’ Julie agreed. ‘How did guys get tickets?’

‘Let’s just say we borrowed them from the Chase brothers.’ Jeffery told them.

‘What do you mean, you ‘borrowed’ the tickets from them?’ Julie said nervously.

Suddenly, a red Camaro sped down the highway, slowing down as it drove next to them. Inside the car were Gabriel and Nikolai Chase, staring at Jeffery and Vinny furiously.

‘Give them back!’ Nikolai demanded from the passenger seat.

‘Sorry, guys. We have no idea what you’re talking about!’ Vinny told them, as he was holding the tickets in the air.

‘I can see them in your hand. Give us the tickets now!’

‘Over our dead bodies!’

‘Alright, assholes.’ Nikolai said, pulling out a pistol and pointing it at Vinny. ‘Time to meet your makers.’

At that moment, a rocket flew in from behind, colliding into the Chase’s Camaro. As the Camaro exploded, the force of the blast knocked the group’s car off the road, flipping it upside down.

‘What the hell was that?’ Julie said, crawling out of the wreckage a few minutes later.

‘I don’t know, JJ.’ stated Isabelle, as she, Jeffery and Vinny also climbed out.

‘Is everyone alright?’ Jeffery asked, walking towards Julie.

‘If you mean are we all alive, then yes, we’re okay.’ Vinny, spoke, standing next to Isabelle. ‘If you count the car, then no, because your dad is going to kill us!’

‘It’s alright. I’ll call and explain everything to him.’ Jeffery said, walking towards the highway as he pulled out his cell phone.

Suddenly a red blur sped past, nearly running Jeffery over.

‘Hey, watch where you’re going, dumbass!’ Jeffery yelled, flipping the bird as the car screeched to a halt.

‘Do you know what that is?’ Vinny said excitedly as the car turned to face him. ‘It’s a 1969 Camaro!’

Suddenly, two hands rose from the hood of the car, giving Jeffery the middle finger as it sped towards JJ’s boyfriend, flattening him.

‘You two stay here.’ Vinny said, pulling out a knife.

‘What do you think you’re doing, Vinny?’ Isabelle said, shocked.

‘I’m checking it out.’ he said, scratching the side of the Camaro as he peered through the window. ‘That’s strange.’

‘What is it?’ Julie asked.

‘It’s empty.’ Vinny stated. ‘Oh, no!’

‘What’s wrong?’ Isabelle asked as Vinny stared at them.

‘Run!’ he screamed, as fire burst from the driver’s window, burning Vinny alive.

‘No!’ Isabelle cried, as JJ held her back.

‘Come on! We have to get out of here.’ Julie told her, Isabelle pushing her friend to the ground as she tried to drag her away.

‘I am not leaving until that thing is dead!’ Isabelle spoke, hatred in her eyes as she picked Nikolai’s pistol off the ground. ‘Run, JJ.’

‘What? I’m not leaving you, Belle.’

‘Get out of here, now!’ Isabelle ordered, pointing the gun at Julie.

‘Fine, I’ll go.’ Julie said, turning around and dashing down the highway.

‘Alright, you bitch!’ Isabelle spoke as she turned the gun onto the car. ‘This is for Vinny and Jeff.’

She pulled the trigger. Click!

She fired two more times. Click! Click!

‘Damn it!’ Isabelle said, tossing the gun to the ground as she began to run. Suddenly, as Isabelle sprinted down the road, a sniper rifle materialized from the roof of the car. It then fired out a laser, disintegrating Isabelle.

As Julie ran, she noticed a police car on the side of the road.

‘Help!’ she yelled as she approached it.

‘What’s wrong, miss?’ the officer asked, stepping out of the car. A he stepped towards her, the red Camaro sped in front of her, crushing the cop.

‘What do you want from me?’ Julie cried out.

I want to become you, Julie! A voice spoke inside Julie’s head.

‘How do you know my name?’

From the Wyle brothers. The voice told her.

‘How do you know them?’

I’m sorry for what they did to you.

‘You didn’t answer my question.’

You don’t have to worry about them anymore. I made sure of it.

‘What do you mean?’

They insulted me, so I killed them. That’s how I found out about you.

‘How is that possible? What they did to me was years ago.’

Whenever I kill someone, I absorb everything about them.

‘Why would you want to be me?’

Because I know you’re still hurting inside. You’ve been hurting ever since that day.

‘That doesn’t answer my question.’

I can make all the pain go away. That, and I need a new body.

‘Why?’

This one is too, what’s the word? Conspicuous.

‘Why did you kill my friends?’

They insulted me. So, do we have a deal?

‘What kind of deal?’

I get your body, and you get to take revenge on everyone who ever harmed you. It’s a win-win situation when you think about it.

‘Fine.’ Julie said, after thinking it over. ‘We have a deal.’

At these words, a giant needle emerged from the Camaro, piercing Julie in the stomach, She gasped as the car dematerialized, holding her belly as it disappeared. Suddenly, she began to scream in pain as she dropped to her knees, holding herself as she exploded. As the blood mist dissipated, a figure emerged from the remains: It was Julie, completely naked. She walked down the highway for several minutes, until a convertible pulled up next to her.

‘A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be out here like that.’ The driver spoke, opening the passenger door.  ‘Never know what could happen.’

‘Thanks.’ she said, getting in and shutting the door. ‘I’m JJ.’

‘Leroy.’ he told her. ‘Where are you headed?’

‘Home.’ she spoke as she stared into the mirror, electricity flickering in her eyes."

After finishing his story, Victor took a breath, then said, So, who's next?

As they stood there, Victor was pulled into the wall by an unseen force, leaving nothing but a bloodstain behind. The six survivors ran deeper into the boiler room, running into a windowless room and closing the door shut.

What do we do now? asked Victoria.

We continue to tell stories 'til we wake up. Brandon said. "I have a couple I call Revenge and Skull Reaper: Danger of a Lie.

Chapter 2

Revenge

"Jeff Thompson drove back to his house. As he entered the house, he came upon the horrifying sight of his wife’s dead body. After a few seconds, he spotted his three year old son sitting beside her, and approached him.

‘Samuel, what happened here,’ Jeff fearfully asked his son.

‘I played with Sam, then I played with Mommy. Now, I want to play with you!’ Samuel replied in a way not unlike the boy from Pet Semetary.

Suddenly, Samuel drew a pocket knife from behind his back and sliced his father’s ankles. As Jeff lied on the ground, his son tore a huge piece of flesh form his throat with his teeth and spat it out. As the police drove up, Samuel walked out of the house and sat on the porch and waited.

Fifteen years later, Samuel Thompson sat in the passenger side of Tiffany Worthington’s car. Tiffany, whom he has been seeing for almost two weeks now, was driving. Sitting in the back seat were Thomas Newberry and Melinda Washington.

‘We’re here,’ said Tiffany, as they pulled into Sara Blair’s driveway. Sara, who has been friends with Samuel for about four years, was throwing a party for Samuel to celebrate his birthday. Samuel, Tiffany, Thomas and Melinda stepped out of the car and followed Sara into the house, which was crowded with many people they knew from school.

The party was a complete success. Everybody was having a great time. No matter where you looked, people could be seen talking, telling jokes and just plain enjoying themselves. They were, at least, until it was time for Samuel to open his gift.

When the time came, Samuel opened the gift. Inside was a note which read: Look up.

As Samuel looked up, a bucket of motor oil poured down on him. At the sight of him, the whole room began to burst out in laughter, except for Sara, who looked absolutely horrified.

The laughter seemed to go on forever. All of a sudden, Samuel, chucked a glass towards the other side of the room, bearing an evil-looking glare on his face. The glass shattered against the wall, at which point everyone in the room became as silent as an empty house on the moon. Samuel quickly stomped up to the attic, fuming.

When she saw the look on Samuel’s face, Tiffany, regretting what she had done, became worried. She left the house with Melinda and Thomas, closely followed by an angry Sara.

‘WHY WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?’

‘It was just a joke!’ Tiffany told Sara, ‘I had no idea that he would react like that. I figured he would just laugh about it!’

Sara, Tiffany, Melinda and Thomas walked down the sidewalk. They were about a block from Sara’s house when Melinda exclaimed to Thomas, I forgot my purse.

‘I’ll wait for you here,’ Thomas said.

‘No. You should go ahead. I’ll catch up with you later.’

And with that, Thomas left to catch up with Sara and Tiffany as Melinda ran back to the house.

When Melinda reentered the house, she came upon an astonishing sight. The house was still packed with people. It was, except for the absence of Tiffany, Sara, Thomas and Samuel, as if the past five minutes hadn’t gone by yet. She searched the first floor for her purse. When she didn’t find it, she searched upstairs, but still could not find it.

Just as she was about cancel her search, Melinda found her purse stuck in the attic door. As she grabbed the purse, the door suddenly fell open. After getting up, she proceeded to climb the ladder into the attic.

‘Samuel?’ Melinda called, ‘Are you up there?’

As Melinda stood up, her eyes rest upon a terrifying sight; scratched into the wooden walls, in large letters, were these words:

T H E Y ’ R E A L