Midnight Dream – Chapter 7
I didn't cry the next day.
I didn't scream.
I didn't tell anyone.
I just left.
I knew if I stayed, I wouldn't survive the next time.
So I did the one thing I never did before.
I chose me.
I took the money I had saved and left the state. I went to the place I had planned in silence, the small studio I secured, and started over.
I had to do this for me.
For my safety.
I moved to Gloomyfogs with no plan, no friends, no family, and no idea what I was doing.
And for once... I was okay with that.
The outside world had no contact with me. I kept a small flip phone that barely worked, and that's exactly how I wanted it.
No noise.
No connection.
No one finding me.
That first night felt different.
No yelling.
No footsteps.
No one calling my name.
Just silence.
I didn't know if I should be scared of it...
or grateful for it.
I woke up the next day and went searching for a job. In a small town like this, there isn't much. A grocery store, three restaurants, one hair salon, and a few other small shops.
The population was about 1,500 people, tucked away in the mountains.
And I loved it.
It was always gloomy, like it was about to rain but never did. A little windy at times, but quiet.
Peaceful.
Everyone knew each other. Everyone was kind.
Even out there, I still caught myself looking over my shoulder.
Double-checking doors.
Locking windows twice.
Old habits don't leave that easy.
I applied at a corner store that surprisingly paid well. If I needed anything bigger, the nearest city was thirty minutes away, and there was a bus that charged a dollar and fifty cents.
I worked Monday through Friday and had weekends off.
That alone made me smile.
Living there made me smile.
Something I had never done before.
I remember holding my first paycheck in my hand, staring at it longer than I should have.
Not because of the amount...
but because I earned it.
Nobody gave it to me.
Nobody controlled it.
It was mine.
A few months passed, and I became familiar with Gloomyfogs.
I started going to church.
I started seeking God.
Something completely new to me.
I didn't know how to pray.
I didn't even know if I was doing it right.
But I talked anyway.
Because for once...
I just needed someone to hear me.
Days started to feel longer.
Months started to feel like years.
And for the first time...
I felt at ease.
I didn't have to look over my shoulder anymore.
I decided I wanted more for myself.
So I went back to school.
I got my GED and did well, but I wanted more than that. I couldn't afford big colleges, and I didn't like being around large groups of people.
So I enrolled in a technical college almost an hour away from Gloomyfogs.
I didn't care about the distance.
Transportation was free.
I just wanted better.
That's when I decided to study cybersecurity and technology.
I applied.
Got in.
And did really good.
But there were nights I wanted to quit.
Nights I sat there staring at the screen, not understanding anything.
Feeling stuck.
Feeling frustrated.
But quitting would've taken me back.
And I refused to go back.
Time passed, and it was time for me to graduate and find a better job.
A better life.
I applied to companies in the city and waited.
For a month, nothing.
Then one day, my phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Is this Miss Midnight Dream?" the woman asked.
"Yes, this is she."
"Hi, this is Miss Fountain from WINNERS. I'm calling to let you know you got the job. We'll be emailing your schedule, supervisor details, and start date."
I froze.
"Oh my God... thank you so much. I really appreciate it," I said.
"You're very welcome," she replied.
I hung up and immediately started thanking God.
Over and over again.
The next week, I got up early, got ready, and headed to work.
The drive was long, but I didn't care.
I was finally stepping into the life I deserved.
Everyone there was nice, but serious about their work.
And I liked that.
I smiled to myself.
Look at the woman I've become.
Look at the life I'm building.
Years passed.
I grew.
I learned.
I moved up.
Eventually, I reached a position where I was overseeing almost everything when my boss wasn't there.
People came to me.
I made decisions.
I hired.
I fired.
And the pay?
Well over six figures.
And through it all...
I still lived in my small town.
Gloomyfogs.
I loved it there.
I still do.
So I built a house.
Not just any house.
A house designed to protect me.
From the outside world.
From people.
From anything that tried to come near me.
Every camera... every lock... every design...
wasn't just for safety.
It was control.
Something I never had before.
And for once...
I felt secure.
I was happy.
Or at least...
I was learning how to be.
Because some parts of me...
were still stuck back there.
This is where I wanted to live.
This is where I wanted to grow.
Maybe even start a family one day.
When the time was right.
I built a life where nothing could reach me.
Or at least...
that's what I thought.