Uninvited

Raven's head hurt. He slowly pulled himself out from behind the dumpsters. "Ughhh, my head." He groaned, and stumbled towards the road. His head pounding with each step, the light stinging his eyes. "Hey, are you okay?" Raven glanced over his shoulder. A boy jumped off the fire escape and landed a few feet away. "Uhmmmm. I'm fine. Thanks I just gotta get home. I kinda don't remember what happened." The boy's eyes dart back and forth over Raven. "Alley." Raven blinks. "What?" "My name, It's Alley, whats yours?" The boy looks up at him with a smile, pushing his dirty blonde hair out of his face with one hand. "It's Raven." The boy thought for a moment tossing it around in his head. "I like you Mr.Raven." The boy said in mock respect. "Well um thanks I guess. Do you know where I am?" He asks. Alley pauses. "You're here!" Raven rolls his eyes. "Must have been some party." He mumbles. "I'm looking for someone." The boy stands up straight, a fire burning in his eyes. "Do you believe in the supernatural?"

I walked out of Gram's room with more questions than answers. No one was making sense anymore. Willow came around the corner. "Hey, how is she?" I sigh and cup my face in my hands. "They have her doped up or something. She's not making any sense." The lights above Willow flicker, as we walk down the hall. "Do you want to come back to..." her voice trails off. A shiver runs up my spine. A whisper chills the air. "Closer." I pull Willow close. The stairwell door creaks open. "Willow, it's him." Shadow steps into the hallway, his eyes burning. I close my mine. What is happening to me. Take a deep breath, I tell myself. Shadow's steps echo in my head. Click. Clack. Its just a dream. Click. Clack. Think of where you want to be. Click. Clack. I open my eyes. Click. Clack. Shadow passes by me. Click. Clack. His presence chilling the air. He turns down the next hall and disappears from view. Willow looks up to me. "Who was that guy? You know him?" My hands shake as I try and compose myself. "It was Shadow! The transfer student in Mr.Brightinger's class." She looks at me with blank eyes. "What are you talking about?" "You didn't see him in class?" Willow grabs my hand. "Are you sure you aren't the one thats doped up?" "Look." I say as I pull the crumpled paper from my pocket. "He drew this." I pull my locket off and click it open. Inside rests a pendant. "It's a Luna Trifecta" I say. "Mom made it. I've never let anyone else see it. She gave it to me before she died." Willow lays the pendant over the drawing of the half moon resting in a triangle."Well they do match. I'll give you that." I put the necklace back on. "I think that guy is connected to my nightmares somehow." Willow pushes the paper back into my hand. "Yeaaa you lost me at creepy guy that doesn't exist but just walked by us." She holds up her car key. "C'mon lets get you home."

Willow dropped me off at the house. I kissed her cheek. She said she would pick me up in the morning. The trip had been mostly silent. I wasn't in the mood for talking. I was in the mood for answers. I dropped all of my things at the door, and took the stairs two at a time. Mom and Dad's room was at the end of the hall. My heart beat faster. I slowly turned the doorknob, releasing my breath as I pushed it open. A thin layer of dust covered the room. It hadn't been touched since that day; but I wasn't here to be reminded of that. I kneel beside the bedside table and reach under the bottom shelf. My fingers brush against the worn wood; where Mom's hand had traveled so many times. I find the cold metal latch and pull, it rewards me with a satisfying click. I stand to my feet, hesitant to continue. Mom had made me promise never to open this drawer; but I need to know what Gram was talking about. I'm done with my family lying to me. The drawer slid open easily. The contents are mostly family pictures, and a few pieces of jewelry. Only one item catches my eye. A leather bound journal with a single word across the top. �'ύγουστος. 

Shadow closed his eyes. Searching for the right words. The darkness surrounding him asked again. "Tell me, how is it that this child has evaded you, the very god of dreams, for so long." Shadow straightened his collar and stepped forward. "I beg pardon my Lord. I have underestimated this one. She seems... Gifted. Exceptionally gifted. She has the power to shape her dreams, almost to the level of a god." The darkness closes around Shadow. "How is that possible?" "My Lord, I believe she does not possess full knowledge of her abilities. Normally I would have no issue finding a human through their dreams. August Quinn is not human. With the aid of the Luna Trifecta, it may take some time to retreive her." The darkness smiles. "You have till the end of the lunar cycle, I suggest you not waste time."

The yellow pages crinkle in my hands. A note slips from between the cover and the first page. I gingerly pick it up and unfold the well worn creases. "August, if you're reading this then we have failed you. I just wanted us to be a normal family. Everything you need to know is enclosed in this journal. It is the history of your birth and the history of the world as only the gifted know. To read this journal you need the necklace I gave you. Don't worry. Things will make sense soon. Forgive me. Love eternal, Mom." I turn the note over to find an address scribbled on the back. "14300 Ring Fountain Rd Suite 10" I lay my head against the bedside table and sigh. The journal was full of blank pages. My head pounded. Why can't anyone just magically tell me all the answers. Maybe I wouldn't feel so helpless all the time. I pull out my phone. The screen flashes. *New Txt Msg* 

Raven blinked before speaking. "You mean like God and stuff?" Alley laughed. "I guess you could say that." Alley and Raven walked out of the alley. The sun had set and the streetlights were coming on. "You said you needed to get home?" Raven nodded and kept walking. "Yea, do you have a place to go?" The boy shuffled awkwardly. "Yea, I just wander around alot." Raven paused. "Well good luck finding your person." "Thanks, I'll see you around Raven." "See you around." Raven sighed. His head still hurt, and Alley hadn't exactly helped it. He pulled out his phone and hit send on Willow's number. She had one of those super annoying ring back tones. Seriously, who wants to listen to half of an awful Katy Perry song anyway? Finally after his ears were ready to bleed she picked up. "Hello?" He took a breath. "Hey its me." 

Willow layed on her on bed. "Raven? Where have you been? We've been trying to call you all day." The voice on the other end sounded tired. "Um, I don't really know how to say this but.." he paused then continued. "I think I got beat up at school, I just woke up in an alley..." Willow sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. "Oh my god! Are you alright?" A sigh came through the phone. "I'm fine, is August there?" Willow shook her head as she replied. "No, I just dropped her off at her house. Her Grandmother was in an accident. Where are you?" Raven's voice cracked. "I don't know, somewhere in downtown. Willow? Can I ask you something?" She rubbed the fatigue out of her eyes. "Sure." "Does something feel wrong? I can't explain it but just, everything has been so weird lately... I can't tell if its just me, but I feel like we're being watched. Nothing makes sense." She thought a moment, things had been strange lately, but she had blamed that on her period. She hated being a girl. Everything seemed out of proportion. F**k you too mother nature. "Yea, now that you mention it." Raven breathed, he wasn't crazy. Yet. "Willow can I ask one more thing?" "What is it?" She sighed. "Come pick me up?"

*New Txt Msg* I click it open and read. *August, it's Uncle Tom. I have to work tonight. I talked to Gram earlier, I'll stop to see her tonight if I can. I'll see you tomorrow. Get a good nights rest.* I rest my head in my hands. "Great, now I'm stuck here." I grab the notebook off the floor and head down to the kitchen. I lay the worn leather book on the table and make a pot of coffee. There would be no sleep tonight. 

Raven pulled his jacket tighter around him, his mind was in a haze. He knew he should remember what happened but he couldn't remember a thing. He pulled out his phone. *12:59* Thank god his parents were out of town. Headlights appear around the corner; Raven shields his eyes, blinded by the light. "Well are you gonna get in or not?" He pauses. "Willow?" She leans out the window. "Who else would it be dumbass?" Raven climbs in the passenger seat. "My head is pounding, do you have any Advil?" She shakes her head. "Sorry" He sighs and slumps back in his seat. "Please don't tell August." She pulls onto the street. "I won't"

Alley watched as the car disappeared into the distance. "They just left." The voice that came through the phone was sharp. "Observe them. Find out their relationship to the Bridge. We might be able to use them to our advantage." He stood up from the ledge he had been laying on. The moon lit up the roof. He gathered his bow and chose an arrow from his bag. With a smirk he mock aimed it into the sky. "Consider it done, my Lord." 

The clock on the stove glows. *3:56 a.m.* my head rests on the leather journal. Mom. Where did you go? Where do I go? Two pots of coffee wasn't enough. The tiredness crept up slowly like ivy. I braced myself. My eyes fluttering between open and closed. "Help me." I whisper to Mom and Gram. "Find me in my dreams."