In Dreams

The young boy tossed and turned in his bed as the creeping, tentative fingers of slumber claimed and brought him deeper and deeper into dream land. A nightmare, really. At least three times a week he would have the same dream and every time he did so, he awoke screaming and crying for his father. Tears would be streaming down his face and he'd have his blankets clutched up tight to his neck, while his body was racked with deep sobs, just wishing for the after-images of the horrid dream to leave his head. It was something a little boy, much less any child, shouldn't have to go through. Frightfully shaken and drenched within his own sweat, he had come to dread having to go to sleep. Tonight would be no different...
A moan pushed from the the boy's mouth as the scene unfolded in his mind, a part of him knowing what was to come. Within his sleep, he gave a turn in his bed and fists clenched tightly at his sides as he gained a hazy glimpse of the same darkened place that has haunted him over the years. A scary place for a child. Dilapidated stone structures that had been destroyed hundreds of years ago. Their silhouettes outlined by the moon that hung high in the sky. Large, long shadows casted by the broken features of these many buildings and adding more to the gloom and nightmarish environment. Moss and ivy grew over these dark grey stones; the death of some civilization giving life to insects and creatures that thrived on the undergrowth and fungi. But the real focus was not on these ravaged ruins themselves, but the persons inside.
Perspiration dotted his brow and caused those beautiful, auburn locks to curl on their ends. That was what made this dream different from other normal dreams. He knew he was sleeping. He knew this was only a dream. Yet no matter how hard he tried to wake up from it, he couldn't. All he could do was stay until the end. Well, it was never the final ending to story. Deep down inside, he knew more things happened, but he always awoke during the same part. A tragic dilemma. He feared the dream, but still wanted to know what happened after he opened his eyes...

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A sudden shroud of darkness fell over to the two women, whom had been stalwart, yet discreet companions for the last two years. It covered everything in a black blanket, the women barely being able to see more than a couple feet infront of them. Their friendship had been kept a secret, for they both came from opposite ends of the world it seemed. Born to hate each other so fiercely, that many fights had been fought over the years, for no other reason than a bitter, ambiguous resentment that no one could explain more than the other. Yet here they were, defying that age-old rivalry and clinging to each other as though death could not separate them. Best friends. Best friends about to die...

"Vayanna, what is going to happen to us?" Feeling very blind and vulnerable, fingers crept down her friend's arms until she was holding her hands tightly. A tight squeeze given to the warm flesh that sought to comfort her. Kilantha had never had the steely nerves of her companion, Vayanna. Always the more emotional and more tenacious of the two. Opposite to the very bone, when comparing them physically and mentally. Black, glossy locks were plastered to the woman's face and neck, due to the strenuous run they had both endured. A pale face boasting of large brown, doe-like eyes, which were now staring fearfully into the other's bright green ones.

Feeling those hands inside her own, Vayanna turned away from the darkness that had come out of nowhere and looked at her friend through a tangle of auburn curls. A comforting squeeze was given and she quickly removed her hands from her, throwing her arms around her for an enveloping hug. She hadn't been surprised to feel the woman trembling softly, nor the soft cry that soon tore from her throat. In fact, she would have done the same, save that would only prove to upset her friend even more so. "Shh...everything is going to be fine. You'll see." But she really didn't believe her own words, only trying to hastily soothe her friend, so that she could plan an escape from this horrible place.

If only she had listened to Kilantha when she tried hard in earnest to have them turn away from the ruins. Perhaps they wouldn't be in this mess and well, perhaps they might have. Ever since the second day, when they had started this journey into the unknown, Vayanna had always felt there had been someone following them. Some thing following them. Yet despite her Kilantha's fears and worries, Vayanna had laughed in her face and told her that they must continue. That was the only way they were to find out about the reoccuring dreams they both shared.