Just as I woke, the chill of the air hit the nape of my neck and I immediately knew where I was. In my numbed state from the frosted air of the night, I willed myself to open my eyes and accept it. I gazed up at the leaves not four inches from my face as I lay with my back flat on the grass. Every night I wake up under the same crooked tree. The trunk started off as a massive, even piece of bark but halfway up, something willed it to contort to the right and start heading back down only it hadn’t made it all the way. Forever to be taunted by how close it had come to victory. As I lay there still staring up at the massive piece it almost felt like it was staring back at me.

~Dominus…~ I heard whispered in my head.

My breath ran cold. I charged out from under the crooked tree as fast as my body would move. I was just about used to the sleepwalking to the tree by now, but never had that happened before. Whatever that was. The weather finally hit me when my teeth chattered against my will. I would catch pneumonia and die if I stayed out here barefoot, in nothing but my pajamas. Time to hitchhike another ride home.

“Anita? Is that you again, what are you doing here?” Jason drove up along the rode, slowing down beside me to keep my pace. I considered asking him for a ride but our history told me it was a bad idea. “Get in loser.”

“Leave me alone.” I could see my breath escaping as I spoke reminding me just how cold it was and what an idiot I was being.

“You’re going to freeze to death. Get in!”

Dammit. I got in the damn car. Skewer me. I’m freezing in my pj’s, disoriented, exhausted, and now in the car with the school bully and professional jackass. How ever could this get any worse?

I turned to take a last look at the crooked tree. “So what are you doing here so early?” I asked him. If I was going to be subjected to spend a car ride with this idiot, then I wasn’t going to play defense. I looked at him and he made no attempt to answer. He didn’t even take his eyes off the road. It was like I wasn’t even there. “I’m talking to you.”

My demands seemed to work because he blinked away from the road. The gears spinning in his head. “I don’t really…” Yes? “You know, I asked you first.”

“Sleepwalking. Your turn.”

He looked nervous. Like someone was listening. He breathed out a shaky breath. “I’m not sure exactly.” What did that mean? “Sometimes when I’m driving, my mind…it’s like it goes to sleep and then wakes up and I’m driving on this street.” It was almost like he didn’t realize who he was talking to because the next thing I knew, he was defensive as hell. “You tell anyone about this and you’re dead. I’ll deny it so don’t even bother.”

“That’s a very convincing threat. I think I even got chills from that…oh wait no that’s just the cold seeping in from outside.”

“I’m serious!”

“Relax I’m not gonna tell anyone. Believe me I’d like to forget this whole morning.”

It felt like we had been driving for 10 minutes or so which meant we should be approaching my house. I took a look outside and my heart dropped into my stomach. We were on the same street with that crooked tree. But that didn’t make any sense. We were moving the whole time. Surely we must have left. Thinking back I couldn’t remember us turning out to another street. Was it just me or did Jason notice too. I turned to ask him, “Jason—“ I jumped hard with my back against the window. Jason’s expressionless face turned towards me as the car kept its same speed. His eyes were glazed over in cloudy white. “JASON!” I screamed. I turned over to open the door but it was locked. Jason let go of the steering wheel and lunged at me as the car swerved out of control. “Jason! Stop it! Get off me!”

I fought him for as long as I could, finally getting in one good punch and sending him back into his seat. He shook his head like a wet dog. “Ouch! Dammit Ani what the fuck?” He looked at my face as I tried hard not to cry. “What? What’s wrong?”

“The fuck you mean what’s wrong? You just attacked me you jackass!”

Dumbfounded, he wanted to know more but I demanded he let me out of the car. After some arguing he pulled over and I jumped out and stomped away. “Ani wait! I’m sorry, just tell me what I did.”

Everything went silent after that. I turned around to see where he had gone, but he was just gone. I didn’t think it was possible to get any colder but something just didn’t feel right. I just needed to get home, go to sleep and wake up. Then everything will go back to normal. How wrong I was. I turned to continue my walk and crashed hard into a wall with scarp edges. “Dammit!” I held my nose so it wouldn’t bleed. Little did I know that was the least of my problems. I opened my eyes and I was standing in front of that crooked tree once again. Only this time, Jason was laid unconscious same as I was earlier that morning. My legs lost what little strength they had left. “Jason! Jason wake up!” My nose was pounding but i tried not to focus on the pain. Something was really wrong.

~Master. You have returned.~

“Who said that!” I screamed. Just about had enough.

~It’s me, the crooked tree~