Chapter 3-What Happened Last Night?

December 4, 2027

            I woke up with a headache. That’s pretty much all I can say. From what I remember, I don’t have any evidence that it actually even happened other than the fact that I woke up in the alleyway. For all I know I could have been dreaming about where I was sleep walking, and then just dreamed up the rest of the stuff that happened. Maybe it was just a fever dream, because as far as I’m concerned, I didn’t wake up as some humongous blood thirsty animal, so that’s evidence enough for me. Yet, I have this doubt in the back of my mind.

           Not really even doubt, just a feeling, a tugging at the back of my mind that what I suspect I dreamed of actually happened. It also feels as if I don’t have full control of my body, as if someone else inside me is sharing the control. Then I realized what I was thinking and laughed, there is no way in all of the three realms of reality that what I dreamed actually happened, hence the word dream. Just as I was walking home I remembered that I probably didn’t go home, because of my strange mood and possibly fever. I’ll just tell Jesse that I was feeling ill so I decided to get a room so I wouldn’t infect her with what I had.

          The second I saw her in the window I knew I owed her an explanation, I told her about my fever and that I cared for her and didn’t want her getting sick. To risk suspicion I told her I was feeling a lot better and ready for my training. I decided to work hard today to get things off my mind, so I did. At first I couldn’t, but before I knew it I was doing flips, kicks, and punches. I was performing all kinds of crazy stunts working harder than I planned to so I knew Jesse was pleased. As it was getting dark I walked up to her and asked, “Is it okay if I finish my training for today and run to the market for dinner?” Jesse looked at me with a pleased expression and calmly said, “Yes Niana, you have done very well today now go and get food to nourish your empty body.” The moment she finished speaking I stepped out the door and my mind started wandering. What ever happened to that man? I mean it didn’t concern me too much but after that mauling, how does someone even stand up? I decided to not let it bother me. After all, it was a dream anyway, or so I convinced myself.

          You’d think training all day I’d be too tired to run, but actually training pumps me up and gives me more energy fro some reason. So I can run faster and get to the market without even breaking a sweat. I got to the market and went through the door and went up to the FMC. FMC stands for: Food Manufacturing Central. It’s a robot that you talk to and depending on your tone of voice it gives you what you’re in the mood for. Sure it’s kind of artificial but all the food is freshly made, its very healthy, and it taste delicious. Besides, it’s never screwed up before, whatever it gives me I always am in the mood for. Jesse doesn’t like it though so she still makes her own food. So I went up to it and asked “What food am I in the mood for?” and instantly it said, “You want a steak, medium rare, with a side of steamed carrots.” That sounded amazing to me so of course that’s what I got, sure things are all futuristic compared to what they used to be, but its not like robots run our lives. In fact we humans still do more than they do. We’ve made incredible advancements in technology, yet we don’t really use it much anymore. Life just seems a lot easier when you do it yourself instead of having a robot do it, first of all they usually don’t make it how you want it. Secondly, it was like that for a while but then everyone got sick of sitting at home and doing nothing, so we disabled them and got back to work, and we like it that way.

          I started back up to the house and then I felt that chilly air like I did in my dream. I turned around and looked to see if anyone was following me, nobody was though. “Must just be the wind blowing cold air at me.” I said to myself, but I knew that was a lie. I knew it was a lie, because their wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the wind hadn’t blown all night. I punched myself in the leg to see if I was dreaming. I felt it and it hurt pretty badly so I’m not dreaming. I started to worry but then laughed and told myself that I was just paranoid. I began walking back up to the house when behind me I saw a shadow move; instinctively I turned around and waited to see what was there. Now I was really worried, and I couldn’t just turn around and ignore the fact that someone was there. Before I knew it I was tackled to the ground, I started kicking and yelling out for help, but nobody seemed to hear me. I looked up just to see the person rise to their feet and take off their hood and I saw their face and to my surprise it was Amilia. Why was she here? Why did she tackle me? I stood up and looked at her and before I could stop myself I shouted out “What in the hell is wrong with you?!?!” She looked at me with sad eyes as if about to cry. I had to stop that from happening; I retaliated by saying, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was you. Why did you tackle me anyway?” The sad expression disappeared off her face and she looked into my eyes and said, “I’m really sorry about that, I just saw you walking and I wanted to say hi and see who you were but right before I got to you I tripped and fell on top of you.”

I blushed and looked at her “It’s all right, you just spooked me a little, what are you doing out this late at night anyway? You know its past curfew.” I said while still eyeing her down. “I know it is but I could ask you the same question.” I looked confident knowing my answer, “I was getting food at the FMC, but that still doesn’t answer why you’re out here.” I looked into her eyes questioningly waiting for an answer. She came back at me by saying, “Well if you want to know the truth. I’ve been sneaking out at night to try and investigate these weird occurrences that have people not wanting to leave their homes.” As soon as she said that my breath froze in my throat as I things raced through my head.

          Had anyone seen me last night? Did they recognize me? How could they have? I was a huge red demon, if anything they knew that it was someone in the town, but do they know who it was? I don’t know why I was even thinking about it, I ruled the possibility of that happening out of my mind when I woke up. She couldn’t be talking about the same thing I was thinking about, but I was wrong. She started and said “Their was this beast outside my window last night, it was dark so I didn’t get a good glimpse. He was red though and very tall, had wings that would strike fear into any sane person when they were spread out.” I started to panic, I know knew it wasn’t a dream and she was about to confirm the worst part. She continued, “The most awful part though was what I saw him do, he threw a man to the ground and ripped out his throat and devoured his insides.

I looked away for that part but when I looked back the man and the beast were gone, I assume the beast finished him off and flew away.” I had to make an excuse to get me out of their, I was sweating so much at the fact that what she just said was the sickening truth and it really happened and I had done it. What made me do it though? She looked at me and just quietly said “Please tell me if you see anything, I want more information about this beast as soon as possible.” She looked into my eyes one last time before leaving and I realized that looking into her eyes had calmed me and I was no longer nervous or fearful. Before I could stop myself from speaking my mouth came alive and the words that flew out I knew I’d regret. “Don’t worry, I’ll do all I can in my power to slay this beast!” I covered my mouth and then thought to myself. I was the beast! Was I going to kill myself to satisfy some beautiful, amazing, angel like girl? Maybe in the next life but not today! Angry at my mouth for having a mind of it’s own I stormed up to my house, stepped in the door and didn’t say anything to Jesse; I just went straight to bed. I knew that she would ask questions in the morning but I didn’t care right now, I just wanted to drift into my dreams.