Dionte

The door creaks open with the child and his faithful companion hurrying inside. A strong gust of air manages to slip in before it's shut that makes Dionte shiver even from the couch. Jun-Seo kicks the fresh white snow off his boots before joining them all in the living room.

"Ngh, it's only a short walk here but I'm still freezing."

Heavy snow has fallen this morning, accumulating a couple of inches on the ground. Winter is in full swing now. He might need to go out and buy a warmer coat as his thin jacket isn't cutting it for upper New Jersey's bitter cold.

"Why don't I fix us all some hot chocolate for this meeting's snack?"

Everyone gladly accepts the homeowner's offer, and Chantel makes her way to the kitchen.

"Oh, you should make an extra cup!"

The kid's comment has her peek her head, and similarly, this gains Pravati and his attention.

"Wait, do you mean...?" Dionte begins, and the boy happily nods to his suspicions.

"Yup, I ran into Rebekah when walking Biscuit again this morning, and she said she'll be coming over. I told her what time we were meeting, so she should be here any minute."

A mutual smile tugs at the therapist's lips, and the stubborn teen was reached after all. We have another addition to the team.

The older woman beside him brushes dark strands of hair behind her ear while listening in. "I'm assuming that this Rebekah is the blonde girl I've seen in previous dreams?" 

"Right. Before Jun spoiled the big surprise, I was going to inform you that she had her special dream last night," he says quite jokingly, not to have him feel that he's actually upset by the shared news. "We had a deep conversation then, so I was hoping that she would finally be persuaded to join us."

The fact that she is makes the pain of yesterday's faded scratches worth it. The steam of the hot chocolate comfortably heats his face as Chantel hands out everyone's beverage. They agree to put the meeting on hold until their newest member arrives. The focus is switched to casual topics while sipping on their drinks to the ticking of the grandfather clock.

Sure enough, after a good ten minutes or so there is a knock at the door.

"Welcome to my humble abode! Make yourself at home."

The blonde gives an awkward nod as she removes her hat, and he can tell her hair has been snipped by her spiky ponytail. Maybe it's an outward sign she desires to cut her past self out of her life. Taking a seat on the sofa beside Jun, she's handed a mug of her own to consume.

"I see you're all packed up for the next two weeks, huh?" Chantel glances at her duffle bag that does look quite full for the extended sleepover.

"Well, blame this guy's persistence that I decided to crash here with how crowded it already seems."

Realization clicks when she verbalizes it, and he never did run this by the homeowner first.

"Sorry, I ran into her a few days ago and suggested she stay with the rest of us. Your house is our base but it wasn't my place to invite her."

It's true Pravati is staying there too, but Chantel invited the woman herself. Nevertheless, she waves this off as he expected while taking the last available cushion between them.

"No worries, I would've done the same. It's too complicated for her to come every night and go home the next day. Though I'm curious, what excuse did you give to your parents?"

Rebekah swallows the drink she's started guzzling before responding, "I just said that I was staying with a friend in the neighborhood until New Year's. We... could use the space so they didn't object to it."

Considering what she's said about her parents, I wonder if they cared whatsoever... Though the expression on her face isn't filled with so much hate as it was originally. It makes him believe they might've reached some kind of understanding after the dream.

Once proper introductions are given, the meeting goes into full swing. There are two important topics they need to discuss and it begins with the most obvious one: the last member they've yet to see.

"We know that a 'Luis' is the name of the final dream sufferer that is an elderly man. We haven't seen him in person but we've heard him during nightmares before. Maybe we can ask around again since we have a better description of who we're looking for."

"No need; I know where he lives."

The blonde's bombshell has their wide eyes lock on her as she sets down her empty mug.

"You mean you've met Luis in the dreams?" Dionte confirms, and they need to be certain.

"No, but I had seen him there hiding. He doesn't live that far from me, and I kinda paid a visit to him the other day for reasons..." she mumbles, scratching behind her neck like a child's hand caught in the cookie jar. "Look, I know for a fact that is his place."

This is perfect. She can escort him to his home for them to try and reason with the old man. Luis's own dream state must be coming shortly, and he's clueless about what's in store and the nature of this curse as a whole.

"Okay, I'd like you to take me there, but prior to that, there is one more matter we ought to cover. And that's our next course of action when Luis's dream comes to pass."

The curse can very well be permanent. If that's the case, they can't keep sitting idly until New Year's Day. By that point, it'll be much too late to do anything.

Dionte leans forward in his seat, his eyebrows furrowing. "If we already know that a doctor can't help because this is a spiritual problem, not a medical issue, then that only leaves us with one option. We need to reach out to a spiritual leader and tell them everything: how our lives have been turned upside down since December 1st."

I would say my parents but... His dad is on the other side of the state, and he would rather not drag him into this if possible. The last thing he wants to do is cause them more stress; he's provided them a lifetime of that already.

"Well, we could always try talking to my pastor then?"

Chantel's questionable tone snaps him out of thought.

"Your pastor?"

"Yeah, though I'm not sure if I can rightfully call him that, and I haven't gone to church in a year. A few months after the fair incident, I just couldn't motivate myself to go through the motions anymore. I've been too cowardly to go back since connecting with God again, so this could be the very push I need to do it."

Her fist balled in determination lights a fire in his heart. Even now, she's taking baby steps to overcome her trauma and lack of courage. Perhaps he can give them guidance to avert the dark fate they all currently face.

"Waiting until Sunday service wouldn't be ideal. I mean, we probably would want to deal with this sooner than on Christmas Eve. There is bible study this coming Thursday when we can speak with him instead," she suggests, and he likes the alternative.

"That's a great idea. We shouldn't overwhelm him, so why don't the two of us-"

None other than the second resident of the home strolls on in with a heavy sigh. She grumbles about the cold while removing her coat, though she's frozen in place like an icicle when spotting their extra guest.

"...Why is Rebekah here?"

The blonde runs her fingers through her cut hair, and it's not too surprising that the two know each other. They are both sophomores at the same private school, so they probably have classes together. Still, how is Chantel going to explain her presence? What excuse can she possibly give-if one at all?

"Well, she-um..." The older one stammers, clearly frazzled by her sudden appearance.

"I needed some time away from home, so your sister invited me here."

This fib is delivered in a calm manner, but despite how Rebekah keeps her cool, Tiara's frown only deepens.

"Why would she let the main person bullying the twins under our roof? I heard about what all you and your squad have been doing at school."

The tension is beginning to thicken as Tiara tosses her bag aside. She's not going to let this go. Even if her and the twins are no longer friends after Chantel's fib, they were very close in the past. Of course, siding with someone that harassed the girls to the hospital is another act of betrayal.

"You don't understand-"

"Then clue me in!" she shrieks, stomping around to lock eyes with her sibling. "What are these gatherings you guys keep having? Every time I come back around five o'clock sharp, you all are having some kind of tea time. Plus, conversation seems to immediately stop whenever I enter the room. The juicy gossip you're sharing is something you don't want me to know. And after I thought we were through keeping secrets from each other..."

There's a moment of silence, and Dionte sets a firm hand on her shoulder. Without any words exchanged, he communicates with his eyes what she must do. It'll do more harm than good to keep Tiara in the dark at this point. Since her house is the base of operations, her younger sister was going to take notice.

Letting out a sigh, the taller female offers the confused girl her seat. "Okay, I'll tell you all of it, but I think you'll want to be sitting down when hearing this."

From the start, Chantel recaps the story of their lives this month. She's careful not to miss a single detail, including her change of heart when whether Tiara is shocked by this or patiently waiting for her to finish; the girl doesn't make a peep until she's done speaking.

"S-So that's why you've been waking up terrified? You looked pale as a ghost then, like when we were told that Mom and Dad's flight didn't make it..."

"Does that mean you believe me, because I promise this isn't some elaborate lie I'm telling?"

The others nod, confirming all that she's shared, and the younger shakily nods her head.

"I highly doubt that a story this wild could be anything but the truth. I get that the twins were upset about you leaving them behind now. Still, I never imagined they would be so furious as to put a curse on you. Experiencing death over and over again is too extreme of a punishment."

Tiara's long painted nails puncture her unblemished skin, and it's natural that she would be conflicted. She only just learned the whole truth from Chantel recently, and the twins did this in exchange for their bright futures. Kaleigh and Kaylen are trapped in their own dark solitude; they're trying to channel their anger to relieve the misery eating away at them.

"Do you have any leads at all on how to break it?"

"Not yet, but we're hoping Pastor Ige can give us some answers this Thursday."

This objective mentioned reminds him of today's plans, and they should leave before the sun is hidden.

"Rebekah and I ought to go and talk to Luis. It's supposed to be a few more inches of snow coming later this evening."

The two get ready to take off, though Tiara locks eyes on a certain duffle bag.

"Is this your belongings?"

"Yeah, I tried to pack as light as I could for a two-week stay..."

This response has the girl throw the heavy bag over her shoulder, Chantel at a loss for words as she struts right past her.

"Where are you going with that?"

"To my room, obviously. She can't stay in yours with Pravati or bunk up with Dionte. I'm still pissed about how she's treated the twins. Regardless, the nightmares are gruesome enough to also wake up with back pain from sleeping on the couch." Tiara pauses when reaching the foot of the stairs, her grip tightening on the bag's strap. "I'm aware I'm powerless in this situation, but at least depend on me a little more. I can handle the cleaning around the house until New Year's. You just don't have to carry this load on your own; that's what family is for."

"Tiara..." A wavery smile tugs at her lips, her teary gaze quite the opposite from fear. "Thanks, I'll take you up on that."

It seems confessing their dilemma went smoothly with the William sisters. Now there is someone else who needs to be enlightened on their situation. Once they're all bundled up, Dionte and Rebekah leave for Luis's house.

...

"Are you certain this is his address?" he asks skeptically, and the blonde moves ahead on the porch.

"Yeah, this is it."

"It looks abandoned..."

"All passersby probably assume that besides us neighbors, and we still question at times if he's alive in there."

He attempts to ring the bell, which is broken, while she simultaneously pounds on the door. The teenager gives him a shrug when he shoots her a look, mumbling an excuse of 'elderly people have trouble hearing.' After they wait for a couple of minutes, he knocks this time, but there's no response.

"Mr. Gonzalez, I'm Dionte Harris; I'm a nightmare sufferer similar to you. I know the origins of this curse, but I don't want to speak on it through the door."

Total silence. Did he head to bed this early, or does he have difficulty hearing, like Rebekah suggested? Although, the blonde acts as if neither is the case, crossing her arms with a loud snort.

"I told you on the walk here that this would be a wasted trip. This cranky old man doesn't open up the door for anyone," she says dryly before her blue eyes dart to his boarded window. "You know, we could provoke him to answer the door. My friends and I were playing a stupid game last time, but now it would be for a good cause."

"Not a chance," he dismisses just as quickly with a firm shake of his head. "He could be asleep or not even home. Nonetheless, we aren't destroying his property just to get his attention. You said my persistence is what convinced you, right? So, I'll come every day until I can get him to listen to me. Let's go."

With that, they turn to leave, and he glances back as he descends the steps. He catches a glimpse of movement from the curtain, but his eyes might be playing tricks on him. Perhaps tomorrow will be better luck. The worst-case scenario is they don't talk at all prior to his special dream.

...

Sunday rolls around with no progress on reaching out to Luis. However, one blessed path could be opened as he enters the room with the older sister. Tiara separates to a different Bible study group among her peers while the adults sit around in the large circle of chairs. It feels great to attend a study secession again after missing it for the past two weeks along with services since the dreams began. The size alone is triple their own, but the fancy decor isn't what creates a welcoming church home.

"Your church is really diverse..."

Dionte watches people continue to pour in conversing with one another having unique skin tones and backgrounds. No matter what status these church members are on the financial ladder, they're all considered equal in this bible study class. His parents' home is predominantly black, so it's nice to witness a variety of races in harmony together.

"Yup, that's the beauty of Deliverance Baptist Church. Most churches are rather segregated because of cultural differences, but the merge works fairly well for us. Jun's family considered joining before his step-mother complained about switching back to her old church. One that most likely lacked the color we have here at Deliverance. Actually, Mrs. McBride was a member too, even if only for a short time..."

The twins' mother. He does recall Kaylen mentioning she was a believer during Jun-Seo's dream, though that doesn't apply to the remaining three. It has him curious if the woman introduced them to the faith before her passing, but the pastor clearing his throat regains his attention to his own spiritual nurturing.

A middle-aged Asian man enters with a gentle smile, and the room quites down as he opens his Bible. It's a little challenging to follow a lesson they haven't partaken in the past few weeks. Nevertheless, the topic of forgiveness is one that resonates with him given their current situation. It's as if it was meant for them to seek his guidance today. The worries of their fearful nights flee from the guest in the house of light.

When the class is over, the older sibling sends Tiara out ahead to get the car all toasty with the snow steadily falling. They split to go and chat with the person of interest who waves goodbye to another family taking their exit.

"Oh, I thought my vision might've been failing me, but it really is you, Chantel."

She gives an awkward smile at this. "Good morning, Pastor Ige. It's been a long time."

"That it has, but I never did stop praying for you to find your way home. My heart leaped for joy when I noticed you enter with your sister. And I see you've brought some company as well."

He gestures to the tall male, who stands a short distance away, and she motions for him to come join them.

"This is Dionte; a friend of mine. He's staying at my house temporarily because of some complicated issues we're desperate to discuss. Do you mind if we talk in private?"

The three head around the corner with the chatter growing ever more distant. When solitude is granted to them, Chantel starts from the beginning. His wide eyes express volumes of his bafflement to their situation, but the flicker in his irises implies that this curse isn't just now being brought from under the lampshade.

Pastor Ige's hands run through his balding hair, and they might've added to it with this stressful issue laid upon his shoulders. "I...I would've never imagined this is the news you'd bring on your first day to church in a year."

"Well, I wish this wasn't my reality either, but this is what my cowardice and dishonesty have reaped me."

"And these nightmares aren't going to go away on their own. We were hoping you'd have an idea of how to stop them," Dionte voices, and the curse book had no methods of removal but one. And the twins choosing to end the curse or not is out of our control...

"I assumed that Maggie was lost back then. The guilt from her sin had caused her to simply go mad, but now I see the burden she was carrying wasn't fabricated."

They exchange anxious glances at this revelation.

"W-Wait, you've met someone personally who has suffered our same curse?"

He nods to his clarification with a grim look before clutching the good book.

"...I need you both to meet me here this Tuesday at noon. I can explain more on the way to pay her a visit."

The pastor returns to see the last few people out, but the two of them don't move a muscle. They are granted a solid lead, yet it doesn't exactly feel like a victory. I fear what kind of state she's in from the terrors that have been plaguing her.

A/N Another chapter ended. My mental health hasn't been the best as of late, so I apologize if this isn't that great. The next chapter will be from a new P.O.V