The Beginning

            I stumbled through the darkness, running as fast as my body would allow. The only light I had to guide me came in the form of silver moonbeams that were cast down through the tall trees overhead.

            I have to admit I was scared; no, terrified was more like it. I knew that no matter what I couldn’t stop because if I stopped then it would catch me.  Just thinking about it and how it wanted to devour my flesh made me shudder and force my burning muscles to continue moving.

            I kept on running and I didn’t dare look back over my shoulder. I could feel my heart racing in my chest and a burning sensation seared through my legs.  The tree branches sliced my bare arms open releasing the scent of blood into the air.

Regardless of my exhaustion, I raced onwards, dodging trees and flying over fallen logs.  Suddenly, the ground disappeared beneath me. In my haste to escape I hadn’t seen the edge of the cliff. The next thing I knew, I was tumbling down into the darkness, only to hit the ground with a loud sickening smash; which was undeniably the sound of my bones breaking. I began coughing and the metallic taste of my own blood filled my mouth. 

I could hear it crashing through the forest behind me and my heart stopped beating.  I wanted to move-I needed to move but I couldn’t. My body was limp and useless. Desperately, I tried to force my body to make any motion at all. Was this how it was going to end for me? It couldn’t be. It just couldn’t end like this. I should be fighting to the death, not lying here waiting to die. It was closer now, so close that I could feel its breath on the back of my neck. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the searing pain that was about to come.

 “Ahhhhh!”

I jolted awake to the sound of my alarm clock. Sweat dripped down my forehead.

“Another nightmare.” I sighed. “I’ve had one every night for a year now. Maybe something’s wrong with me?”

“Oww” my legs were numb and throbbing “what kind of dream does this?” I asked myself, annoyed as yet another bleeding cut appeared on my arm.

I lay back down and stared at the white ceiling that glowed silver from the light of the moon that shone through my window. I’ve had so many dreams like this lately; so vivid as if they are not dreams at all. I’ve never had a dream like this one before. I was actually terrified that I would never wake up.

I turned on my side to look at my alarm clock, which read 3:00 am. “Hmmm….wrong time again.” I mumbled softly to the walls.

My room was empty except for my bed which was in the center of the room and pushed up against a wall.  I also had a dark cherry wood dresser and matching nightstand next to my bed which were against the wall beneath my open window.  I had a long mirror that almost reached my floor that was located beside my door and a large walk in closet across the room from my bed.

I kept tossing and turning in my bed. I just couldn’t shake the feeling that if I went to sleep, I might not see my room again.

“Merril! Honey, come down and eat!” A distant voice called to me.  

“Yeah….yeah….in a min.” I replied groggily.

The door banged open and into my room cam a screaming kid.

“Merril, mom’s yelling at you!” Kenai screamed into my ear.”

“Alright, I’m up.” I sat up, pulling the dolphin pattered sheets off of my body. I stood up and saw Kyle standing at the door looking at the numerous gashes on my arms.

“Late night out, I see.” He joked, but I saw the concern in his eyes. Kyle is my older brother. He looks exactly like the older male version of me except that he has green eyes and no one knows why; both of our parents have brown eyes.

“Ha! Ha! Very funny! It was just a bad dream. I must have fallen off of the bed and cut myself.” I grabbed my younger sister off of my bed.

“You’re no fun! Mommy will be mad if you don’t get ready for school!” She screamed as she pushed past Kyle and out the door.

“Do you mind?” I looked at him a little annoyed.

He shrugged and turned away to leave. “You know, you can tell me anything right?”  He smiled and left me alone.

I ran to the door, shutting it quietly and I leaned against the door. It seemed like he knew something; something I didn’t know. I didn’t have time to think about it right now or I was going to be late. I grabbed a maroon sweater and black jeans form my closet and slipped them on quickly. I looked into the mirror and I saw myself, but at the same time I hardly recognized the person staring back at me.

 I combed my reddish brown hair and carefully put my contacts on.

“One day I’ll get colored contacts.” I frowned at my dark brown eyes; so plain and boring.

My hair fell to my shoulders; curly and unmanageable as always but I was too tired to deal with it this morning. Besides, I didn’t care how I looked anyways. I ran out of my room taking one last glance at my clock, which informed me that it was 8:30.

 

Author's Note

Something that I'm helping a friend write. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Reviews

[Wolfwind Words]

Feed back...hmmm... I like it. For an opening into something more, It really catches the readers attention with detail and flows quickly, making the reader want more.

If I would add anything it would be to a little more physical discriptiong of the siblings.
Other then that I really enjoyed it and hope to read more soon!

Aaron Maycroft