• The following links are links to prior chpaters of this story:

    The Nightmare of Life-Ch. 1 http://www.gaiaonline.com/arena/writing/fiction/vote/?entry_id=101030791#title

    The Nightmare of Life-Ch. 2
    http://gaiaonline.com/arena/writing/fiction/vote/?entry_id=101033423#title


    The Nightmare of Life-Ch. 3
    http://gaiaonline.com/arena/writing/fiction/vote/?entry_id=101045121#title

    The Nightmare of Life-Ch. 4
    http://gaiaonline.com/arena/writing/fiction/vote/?entry_id=101058169#title







    "Snap OUT OF IT!"

    The abrupt outburst automatically labeled Jimmy as a Mentally Challenged guy to passer-bys.

    Questions spinned in Jimmy's head, like an unforgiving hurricane, twisting in relentless spirals and leaving behind a print of destruction. Could it be true? Was Caroline her sister? Did it matter, really? Why was he so upset? ...Why was he asking all these questions?

    It wasn't like him. But then again, who was him? He was cold before he met Caroline, filled with joy when he did, and unexplainably frustrated when he didn't understand what was going on.

    "You need help, sir?" a voice behind him bellowed. What was going on... Jimmy was facing a difficult puzzle...and puzzles were really something he wasn't good at...

    "Sir?" Jimmy turned his head, and a man in a spiffy suit repeated, once again,

    "Do you need help?" Jimmy looked at him darkly, and replied,

    "Yes. Lot's of it." With that, he sprinted off, weaving through hundreds of civilians, when he reached the apartment of Caroline. He hesitated as he lifted the knocker of the door, afraid to learn the truth. Afraid...why? What was the worst that could happen. Using that as his motive of confidense, he released the knocker, and a large crack sounded in the corridor. Steps were coming from the other side. Steps of, no doubt, her sister.

    The door swung open, and there she stood. Right before him.

    "Hel-- Wait, what are you doing back here?" Jimmy's mind blanked. It could be just coincidence, right? Two people can have the same last name, it's not uncommon. Yet, something was tugging inside Jimmy. Something wasn't right. He walked inside the apartment and glanced to the left. He saw the little kid that saved his life, Charlie, mesmerized in front of a T.V.

    "What's he doin' here?" Jimmy grumbled nervously.

    "He's back from school."

    "What's he watchin'?" Jimmy continued to interrogate as he looked thoughtfully at the screen.

    "Oliver Twist. A classic." But Jimmy wasn't listening. He was watching and listening intently as the poor little boy on the screen scrounged in garbage for food.

    Suddenly, an unwanted memory came back to haunt him.