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Little nightmares: reality and fantasy.
Chapter 5: The Session (Part 3)

Chapter 5: The Session (Part 3)

Eve woke up from her sleep, then looked around.

"Oh... Where am I? ... I remember."

Eve headed towards the window to open it. As she opened it, a refreshing breeze swept in.

"Ah... The morning breeze is so pleasant." Eve turned back to the bed and found a notebook on the table. She sat down on the bed,

picked up the book, and upon opening it, found a note that read: "Eve... After you wake up... Draw what you saw in your nightmare, Otto."

"Alright... I'll draw," Eve said.

******

Eve carried her food tray, looking around.

"Wow... What a large place... I didn't expect a restaurant in a hospital... That's good service, too."

Eve noticed children and patients around her whispering about something, or rather, about her. Eve looked for a place to sit but noticed the children trying to ignore her.

She sat alone, feeling as though even those plagued by nightmares didn't want to be around her.

"It's clear they fear me... Perhaps because of last night's incident. If Otto hadn't stopped me... I would have done what I did to my father." Eve began to remember; she had wanted to jump from a known window. However, Eve was on the verge of laughing.

********

"This is the girl who almost went mad."

"She caused quite a stir."

Eve began to think as she watched the two girls talking about her.

"I can't stay here... I feel uneasy... Everyone stares at me strangely... As if I... as if I."

Eve struck her childhood with her hands, making a loud noise that made everyone turn to her.

"I'm used to this... even when I was..." Eve said this as she looked at her food.

"I'm full."

********

"Mr. Otto... this was a brilliant idea... Now... you can know Eve's feelings," said the receptionist with astonishment.

Otto smiled with a strange smile, then said, "Based on what Eve drew in the notebook... she has just started."

*******

"All right Eve... How was your day?" Otto asked Eve.

"It was fine... I managed to hold on through the whole day," Eve replied to Otto, in a state of anger and melancholy.

"But your facial expression tells a different story," Otto replied to Eve.

Otto glanced at his watch and said, "It's 9 PM... It's time for the session."

"At last... It's session time!" Eve exclaimed joyfully, jumping on the bed out of excitement.

Otto sat on the chair and took out a notebook.

"Now Eve... you will tell me what happened to you in the dream... don't worry," Otto assured her.

"I don't know... I..." Eve said, feeling somewhat tense.

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Otto pulled out three candies from his pocket.

"Do you think I'm a little girl? This won't work on me," Eve responded.

"Oh... I thought this might work on you too," Otto replied with surprise.

"Too," Eve said without realizing it. After saying that, her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth in surprise.

"What did you say, Eve?" Otto asked.

"Nothing... nothing."

******

"You are now my sleep assistant... before sleep... you will definitely tell me a story," Otto said to Eve.

"No need, sir, to encourage me like children until I tell you what I dreamed," Eve calmly replied.

"Very well... start narrating, and I will record everything you say," Otto said calmly.

Otto's look at Eve was strange, and she began to think and talk to herself.

"A strange feeling."

"I'll start then, Otto," Eve took a deep breath, then began narrating her nightmare.

"On the first day... the nightmares began similarly throughout this week... the nightmare started with a normal beginning... I found myself in a dark place... I tried to figure out where I was... I called out... I screamed into that void..."

Otto recorded this information and then asked her, "Does it always start the same in all your nightmares?"

"No... it was different on the second day... when I saw him."

Otto's expression changed, and he asked, "Him?"

"The door... wooden," Eve replied coldly.

"Impossible... how did you see the door even though you..." Otto interrupted Eve.

"Even though I... what?" Eve was puzzled as soon as she heard his words.

"Sorry... Eve... please continue... take this," Otto gave Eve a candy to calm her down and continue the narration.

Eve raised her hand, gesturing refusal, and replied calmly, "I'm not that small to this extent... I'll continue... where was I?... I remembered... after I saw that door... everything changed... I heard whispers... warning me... not to approach it... but after facing those whispers, something else appeared... those eyes... they began to chase me... this situation continued for two full days... so I told my father."

Otto interrupted, saying, "That makes sense... you told your parents a week ago... right?"

"Yes."

"But... why didn't you tell them before?" Otto inquired.

"That's because... because... because I didn't want them to..." Eve said nervously.

"It's okay... continue," Otto replied.

"Okay... three days ago... I opened it... but found myself in a room resembling my bedroom... but the strange thing was the image of the disfigured man..."

Otto stood up from the chair, then went to his desk and brought a book with post-nightmare drawings. When he sat down, he opened the book to Eve, showing drawings of grotesque creatures, and Otto began asking Eve about the creature she referred to.

Otto continued to describe the characteristics until his finger stopped at the image of a disfigured man, his face dangling like melting wax, with a black coat and a black hat.

"This is the man... Otto."

"Impossible... impossible," Otto said in a strange way.

"What... what's impossible?" Eve said, nervous about Otto's demeanor.

"I... I'm sorry, Eve... I don't know what's happening to me... ha," Otto said apologetically.

Eve patted Otto's head reassuringly and said, "Don't worry... I'll continue... alright, where was I... oh yes... then other monsters started chasing me... as I remember... they wore crimson red clothes... and there were two types... the tall one was clever... and the short one was stupid and wore a long red hat... but both types could extend their hands... and the strange thing... this disfigured face monster saved me... then I woke up."

*********

As Eve recounted this part, Otto remained lost in thought.

'How could Eve see him in the dream... and within a week... and how did she see the wooden door... and what's strange about that...'

"Otto, did you hear me? Otto?"

"Oh... I was lost in thought... please repeat what you said."

"I said he saved me from those monsters," Eve said angrily.

"Who?" Otto asked.

"The man with the dangling face."

Upon hearing this, Otto's pupils contracted for a moment, then he replied to Eve, "He saved you?"

"Yes... why?" Eve asked anxiously.

"Please... draw the creature with the long hands."

"You mean the one who can elongate its hands?"

"Yes... yes."

******

"I'm done, Otto," Eve said calmly.

Otto took the notebook and headed to his desk. Upon reaching there, he found the receptionist waiting for him, seated on a chair.

"So... how did the session go?" the receptionist asked.

"My friend... I don't understand... you told me her condition is similar to Ethan and Noon's," Otto said angrily.

"I've confirmed... her condition matches theirs... you told me the child should fear dark passages and feel watched... and Eve has been like this for a whole week."

Otto sat on his office chair, placing his hand on his head as he pondered.

"Otto... I'll leave now... see you tomorrow."

"Goodbye."

After the receptionist left and closed the door, Otto took out papers from his desk drawer, including two brain radiographs and some notes. Otto began reading those notes, but he couldn't find what he was looking for.

"This makes no sense at all... my mentor didn't mention crossing the threshold from the first nightmare... and also... her body didn't disappear... why... hmm."

Otto searched through the papers. By chance, he found a file labeled 'First Nightmare'.

"I didn't notice this file."

Otto opened the file, finding several drawings and a paper with text written in childlike handwriting.

"Written by a child... I'll read it tomorrow... hmm."

Otto fell asleep, but someone knocked on the door. They called out to Otto, and it was Eve who entered the room, covering herself with a blanket.

"Otto... I wanted to ask you about... oh... he's asleep."

Eve put the blanket on Otto.

'Goodnight.' When Eve turned around, she saw the note written in childlike handwriting.

'What's this... it seems like a thank you note from a child.'

Eve took the paper and started reading. As she progressed, her facial expressions began to change, shrinking in shock.

'Impossible.'

*****

Otto woke up when he heard someone opening the door.

"Is... is anyone here... seems like I'm imagining... oh, a blanket... I see."

Otto entered Eve's room, finding her asleep. He placed the blanket over her, then left. However, Eve was awake, with signs of fear and shock evident on her face.

'Impossible... Otto... is this what you're hiding from me.'