Charlotte was in one of her states again when the world twisted and folded into something horrible as it poured into her mind. Voices were shrieks of terror in her ears or whispers of terrible things about to happen. Every person was her enemy. She saw it in the way they looked at her with cautious but confident eyes. Everything became a weapon to be used against her. Her skin tingled in anticipation. Her muscles tensed.
Charlotte walked down the sidewalk and avoided eye contact with every person she passed. If even one of them saw her, they might know. Even the dogs wouldn't look at her. They could sense something was wrong with her, something that couldn't be fixed.
Buses and cars blurred in front of her, each one a threat to her safety. The black and yellow taxi at the corner transformed into a monster in her vision. The hood snapped open to reveal massive jaws. The low rumble of the engine became a roar as it lurched forward to devour her, to make her disappear forever.
Charlotte blinked and the monster was a taxi again. She knew the dangers she saw were hallucinations but when she was experiencing them, they felt too real. The traffic wouldn't harm her and neither would people, but Charlotte could see what was coming and that...that was something to fear.
She turned the corner and walked in the light from the street lamps. Everything was lit here. Street lamps, business signs, and store windows--everything was light except for the darkening sky.
The nightmares were rushing in.