Lost in Nightmares

It's been some time since I shared another instalment in the horror series, so I hope this one is worth waiting for.

With so many iconic horror characters to choose from, deciding on a starting point was challenging. I ultimately chose another timeless franchise that is instantly recognizable. His terrifying escapades haunt anyone who remembers his name. They aren't even safe in their dreams.

Deciding where to concentrate was somewhat exhausting; I aimed to provide a broad overview of the franchise without going into too much detail about any particular event. I hope this does it justice.

Guilty of taking away youth,

The parent found a way to the truth.

Innocent, he called and plead,

No! You end right here, Fred.

Trapped in the basement, a concrete encasement,

Burned alive until dead.

Through the embers, he screams,

You can’t protect their dreams.

One, two, he’s always watching you.

A decade since that day,

No one may ever speak or say,

For fear of the sins they must pay,

His name, the devastation, or dismay.

The fall of their thinly veiled guise,

The Springfield Slasher’s curse may rise.

Three, four, you’ll be rocked to the core.

Teens expire while they sleep,

No chance of counting sheep.

Slashing wounds across their skin,

Seemingly coming from within.

Unexplained deaths with none to blame,

How will the truth come into frame? A masterpiece of blood and gore, Elm Street rocked to the core.

Has his name been spoken?

Has the silence truly been broken?

Five, six, a one-way trip to the river Styx.

Rumours of the deadly sleep spread,

Fears grow about going to bed.

Will they wake? Or will they break?

Their lives are his for the take.

Spreading like a virus in the brain,

Transmitting his malice to maim.

The more they talk, the more his influence grows,

Feeding on the frenzy, reaping what he sows.

Seven, eight, his will is to be your fate.

Frantically searching for a weakness or flaw,

To end the cycle of killing and maw.

Someone must venture into the unknown,

And be sure not to sleep alone.

A confrontation face to face,

A head-on clash to end the chase.

Woken at the precise ideal,

Dragging a piece of him into the real.

A black and red striped tear,

An answer to the prayer?

Can they pull him through the dream portal,

Into the world and make him mortal?

Nine, ten, sleep will never be safe again.