Step into the Night chapter 8

Hello! This is my first time writing a fight scene. A comment will be highly appreciated.

Warning: This work has broken English. Approach with caution and a sense of dignity to correct me if I'm wrong so that I can improve my writing. Fyi, English is my second language



Synopsis:Henry Edgewhiteis a normal teenage boy with one disadvantage-he can't dream. Although it seemed an insignificant fact but that weakness is only a piece of the puzzle. There have been an outbreak in Malaysia. A disease called Acute Brain Activity Disorder (ABAD) kills people just by shuting down their brains. Little do the people of Malaysia know, that disease is not your ordinary disease. Rather, it was a tool to set up the stage for an evil plot. And Henry was right in the middle of it.





Chapter 8: Nightmare

         He was screwed.

         He was in his own classroom and for some reason; Michelle is flaring black auras and attacking him with her black claws materialized from the aura. To make matters worse, there are now 5 more students with black aura and claws at the front door of the classroom. He was surrounded. His back was at the wall. The gazes of Michelle and those random students literally pierced him, wanting to rip him off limb by limb.

         “But this is a dream...right?” Henry muttered to himself, trying to deny the matter at hand. His whole body was shivering of fear, as he could felt bloodlust from them. Such amount of bloodlust that made his legs feels like jelly. Michelle’s black aura flared slightly. Her eyes staring down at him, analyzing his body like a predator watching its prey.

         Those claws; black and sharp and looked very dangerous. Henry had a feeling that he won’t woke up the next morning if that claw slit his throat or pierce through his heart or chopped his head out. That thought and feeling sent more shivers down his spine.

         He needs to run away and he knew it.

         At the corner of his eyes, he saw the back door of the classroom. There was no sign of more vicious-looking student at the doorway so that will be his escape route. He watched Michelle and the other 5 students closing on him slowly, enjoying him shivered with every footstep. There was a desk and a chair in front of him, between him and his soon-to-be assailants. Maybe he could use that-

         “Now, will you be a good boy and let us claw you to death?” Michelle grinned maniacally, branding her claws. The students behind her followed her suit.

         Henry gritted his teeth. There is no time to think. He needs to act now or not, he is going to get clawed. Henry prayed silently that he will be okay. He gathered all the courage in his body.

         “You know what?” Henry looked directly at Michelle with a grin. All the courage he managed to muster was materialized into a confident grin on his face now. “You all can DIE IN HELL!”

         Michelle and the other students were shocked by his sudden outburst. Their shock were cut short when Henry kicked the desk as hard as he could, making the table flew right at Michelle and two other student. Henry then proceeded to grab the chair and threw it towards the remaining three students. He could careless to see if the chair hits or not as he quickly turned around and dash towards the back door. From the sound of it, it was a direct hit. Henry dashed out of the classroom and into the hallway. He could hear a cry of ‘Get him!’ as he left the classroom.

         Henry ran along the hallway as fast as he could. His confident grin was gone. He was really panicked and frightened. In his head was just a mantra of ‘I’m screwed, I’m screwed’ over and over again. He was also a little shocked that the desk flew when he kicked it. He never knew he was that strong. That matter aside, Henry was thinking which way is the best way to get out from the school building.

         “The stairs from the Chemistry lab is the best one I guess. The stairs leads to the field and I can sprint towards the gate.” Henry thought.  That particular stairs is also void of student life since it is at the end of the school block. The perfect place to lose them for his trail. He stopped on his tracks. The Chemistry lab was at the last turn to the other hallway. Henry cursed out his breath. He would need to backtrack towards the Chemistry lab.

         “This is sh-”

         Before he could complete his sentence, a claw broke through the classroom window beside him. The claw was just a few centimetres from his nose.

         “Damn it!” Henry moved away from the claw and continues running. “How can they be here?” Henry sprint towards the last turn to the other hallway. “Don’t tell me they are more.”

         As he took the turn, there was a student in front of him. To his horror, he also had claws. He had a weird grin on his face, wanting to kill him.

         Henry gritted his teeth. Its kill or be killed now. His self defence instinct is screaming to him.

         “Get out of my way!” He pulled back his fist and delivered a solid right hook at the student’s face which sent him down to the floor. Henry didn’t bother to see the damage he caused and continued his sprint. He didn’t want to encountered more students with black aura and dangerous-looking claws. He had never been in a fist fight before so his street fighting skills is next to trash. Henry just prayed that his time watching and observing street fighting in anime pays off a little now. But judging from his encounter just then, it was kind of effective. Nonetheless, he still would not stand a chance against a crowd of them.

         Henry could see the end of the hallway. It was a split junction. To the left is the Physics lab. His destination is the Chemistry lab which is to the right. “Just a little bit more.”

         When he reached the junction, he was frozen at his place. There to his left were tens of students with black claws and aura. The difference is they are now a little hunched and most of their skins were ripped out to reveal a black flesh with black liquid oozing out at some places. He wouldn’t call them students anymore as their appearance had been altered so much that they are now resembled a hunch-back zombie-like creatures with sharp claws from a B-gred horror movies.

Leading the pack was none other than Michelle herself. She didn’t transform into a hunchback zombie creature unlike the others. She now has longer sets of claws and a fang seen at her mouth. She had some kind of tentacles sprouting from her back and waving around like enchanted snake. The blood lusting eyes still there, now only wants his blood more than ever.

“So, you think you can escape huh?” Michelle said. Her voice has been somehow distorted into a demonic sounding voice that will make babies cry for hours.

A cold sweat dropped from his forehead. “This can’t be...it is impossible to reach here in a short time...” Henry muttered, frightened and baffled by the sight of now-monsters in front of him. His mind was blank. Run. Run. Run. That is the only viable option.

Henry turned around and sprint. The world was in slow motion as the roars from those monsters echoes down the hallway. Henry pushed all his energy and adrenaline into his legs, hoping to reach the stairs. Footsteps echoes behind him from him pursier.

It was only around 60 metres more. He can do it. Just one more turn and a quick dash. He is getting short on breath already. His legs were going numb. Henry was not the athletic one and he regretted it so much now.

Henry did a quick turn around the corner only to be greeted by a claw from the lab’s window. The claw grabbed his shoulder. By instinct, he pushed the claw away. The claw ripped a part of his shirt and his flesh with it. Henry watched in horror as blood spurted from the wound. Pain registered in his mind. Henry gritted his teeth to bear the pain. The pain was making his visions a blur. Henry groaned as he pushed himself for the final stretch to the stairs while clutching his wound. The exit is near. Henry cheered a little inside his heart. Down this stairs, he can lose them for sure. All it takes is to down out this-

“-stairs?” Henry was dumbfounded. There was suppose to be a stair case here but in front of him was a wall. He could have sworn that there was supposed to be a staircase here. He went to this school for 4 years already, his experience going down the stairs here exist. How could it be? Henry was shocked; this is something he didn’t want to accept.

“No...no...no...NO!” Henry knocked on the wall, hoping it to magically flip into a stair case to his freedom. “Shit of all things!” Henry knocked on the wall one last time, absolutely frustrated.

The footsteps grew louder. The footsteps that belongs to the ones who will seal his fate. He knew this was a dream but his feelings told him this was not your ordinary dream. The pain is too real. If it is a dream, he would have woken up, right? His lack of experience with dreams is coming back at him. This is truly the end. He fell down on his butt, strength disappearing from his legs.

Henry faced his pursier. They stopped a few metres from him. Michelle laughed.

“Give up already little boy? You had the balls to resist you know that?” Michelle licked her claws. “And now you are going to pay!” She raised her claw and charged towards him. Henry watched helplessly as the Michelle getting closer at him. The darkness of the black aura reminded him of the oblivion he once been to when he was asleep. The same shade of  darkness is going to take his life.

“You are just pathetic aren’t you?”

Time froze.

Time literally froze.

In front of him was Monster-Michelle with her claw in mid-swing, not moving an inch. The surrounding was grey. Dull and lifeless. He noticed that he still retained his colours and was not frozen in time.

“You are just too pathetic for your own good.”

         Henry recognized that voice. The voice that sends many cryptic messages that doesn’t make sense to him. The voice that remained him the circle of torches. The voice that reminded him of the pain from being thrown across a room. The voice of a mysterious guy named Horus. He mysteriously appeared from the wall with his trademark red hair and black red striped tuxedo.

         Henry backed away a little. “Why are you here?” He still is uncomfortable with this person.

         “I just saved your pathetic life so grateful.” Horus replied coolly.

         “What?” Henry couldn’t believe his ears.

         “Yes, I saved you from your impending doom.” Horus walked in front of him.

         “Bu..But why?” Henry asked.

         “Because I think there is still a chance to save your loser self.” Horus walked in front of him.

         “What do you mean?”

         Horus came down in front of his face. “This is not your world kid. This is Dream Land. The place so great and yet be so twisted and filled with evil. Consciously being here means you technically live here. Dying here means dying for real.” Horus said seriously.

         “Wait, what? What do you mean dying here means dying for real? This is just a too realistic dream...isn’t it?”

         Horus gave a chuckle. “This is a dream.” Horus changed back to his serious tone. “But you are here. Your conscious is 100% aware of being here. Because of that, if your conscious was killed here, it means 100% of your conscious is dead which means you will never wake up the next morning.”

         He knew it. This is not your everyday dream. “Wha...What.....But why am I here? Why is this happening?” Henry asked again.          

“Why are you here? Why is this happening? I don’t know but I had warned you before. A great adversary will be upon you. This-” Horus pointed at the Monster-Michelle. “-is your adversary. And unfortunately, she is just the beginning. Your life will be on the line starting from now. Challenges after challenges will test you of your worth. Failing these challenges means you die with your friends, family and many other random people.” Horus glared into Henry’s eyes. An awkward silence filled the place. This person is spouting nonsense and cryptic messages again. But somehow, Henry could feel the truth and logic behind his words.

         “You are weak don’t you know? You will die if I didn’t interfere. And you think you can love your girl. You couldn’t protect yourself to protect the girl you love. You will die before her. You even made your mother worried sick about you. Why? Because you are too weak. You are too pitiful and hopes for other people compassion and care while you spout random lamentations and complains. You can’t even survive without your girl. Ironically, her look alike is going to kill you.” Horus said right into his face.

         Henry gritted his teeth. He was angry. Angry that Horus insulted him too many times to count. He insulted him when he was down and wounded. Such disgrace and humiliation to him. But he could not help to agree with him. When Henry looked back, he always depends on Michelle. He depends on her too much. He depends on her until he was disillusioned that he loved her. He couldn’t do anything by himself without her. Henry was silenced. He didn’t know what to say. This sudden realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

         Horus stood up. “Now, did you realize your own worth? How pathetic you are now?”

         “Y...Yes...” Henry answered weakly. “I...I was really pathetic...Too pathetic to be exact.” Henry gritted his teeth. “But what can I do? I am weak and there is nothing that I could do about that fact!” He said. Admitting his weakness was really hard for him.

         Horus smiled. “That’s why I’m here.” He extended his arm towards Henry. “You need power. The power to overcome every challenges. The power to protect. The power to push away one who blocks your way. The power to become stronger. The power to save yourself.”

         Henry looked up. The red-haired teen is offering him ‘power’. The same offer he rejected a week back. Henry couldn’t afford to be this pathetic anymore. He won’t depend everything on someone anymore. He will become stronger. He will try to live as himself. He needed that power. It was a need for him after all.

         Henry stood up. The pain from his wounded shoulder felt non-existent. He looked at Horus’ face, a grin on his face. This was his decision. Henry was going to accept power from Horus.

         “I wanted power. The power to make myself a better person. The power to make me stronger. The power to save myself and the people around me. I want it.” Henry took Horus hand into a hand shake.

         “I see, I was expecting you to say that. Well then...” Horus’ hand started to glow. Henry felt warmth and energy surging through him. It was...nice.

         “I, Horus shall form a contract with Henry Edgewhite and will promise myself to serve him as an Avatar. Henry Edgewhite, do you accept?” Horus’ said in knightly way.

         “I accept.” Henry answered.

         The glow subsided. Horus grinned. “It’s done.” He started to fade away. Henry felt something is building up inside of him.

         “Horus, wait!” Henry called out for him by his only reply was...

         “Go kick their ass.” “

         In an instant, massive energy built up inside of him. He gasped of the sudden energy rush. Suddenly, red energy exploded from him.   

         “What?” exclaimed Monster-Michelle as she was pushed bagck by the force of the explosion. The monsters behind her also staggered backwards. Time seemed to move again.

         Henry was panting. The explosion took him by surprise. He looked at his body. Strange red aura is flaring around his body. This red aura is giving him energy and strength. He was rejuvenated.

         Then, he panicked. “What am I supposed to do?” He did get the power but now what?

         “Relax kid, since this is your first time, I’ll guide you for a little while through the basics.” It was Horus. Henry looked around; there was no sign of Horus.

         “Wa? Where are you?”

         “Don’t panic kid; I’m speaking through your mind. I’ll explain it later. First, we need to clear up the mess you had created.” Horus’ voice rang throughout his mind.

         Henry calmed down slightly. He looked at Monster-Michelle and her army of monsters. Their eyes were glaring at him suspiciously, wary of anymore aura explosion from him.

         “Fine, so what should I do?” Henry asked Horus. He muttered his question as he still wondering how to speak telepathically with Horus. Fortunately, that seemed to work.

         “I’m going to download the basic of fighting into your brain. Since this is an emergency, that option is not a wise one. So, I shall use my remaining energy to take control of your body while the basic is downloaded into your brain.”

         “Wait, what? You are going to download fighting basic into my brain?” Henry spoke a bit louder than he expected.

         “Of course, that is what Avatars do when they first formed a contract with their Ego to the status of Avatar-Users.” Horus said in a matter of fact.

         “What?”

         “Too late kid, we talk later. This is going to distort you a little.”

         “Hah? Wait-” Henry said out loud but before he could continue, images flashed in his mind. Images of swords, stances and texts flashed like a fast-forwarded movie. His vision blurred and he stumbled forward.

         Then, he heard Michelle laughed. “The boy is down! Kill him!” Henry’s eyes widen as three monster dashed towards him. He tried to move his body but no avail. His body won’t listen to him. The images kept on flashing through.

         Suddenly, he jumped back. Henry was shocked, his body moved on his own. One monster thrusts his claws towards Henry. Henry expertly side stepped the thrust and elbowed the monster’s stomach, making his fall backwards. He then spun his body towards the second monster and delivered a kick at his legs, sweeping him of the floor. The third monster lunged towards him but he jumped to the side and grabbed the monster’s collar. Henry then threw the monster towards the wall.

         “What the?” Henry said dumbfounded as he witnessed the damage he cause.

         “I’m in control of your body now while waiting the basic to be downloaded.” Horus spoke. Horus controlled his body now. No wonder he could perform those kick-ass moves.

         “Now kid, watch and learn as you will witness the power of Horus!” Horus said as red aura flared around Henry’s body.

         Henry held his right arm to his side. He clenched his fist as a reddish glow came from it. When he opened his fist, the red aura swirled around his fist and a sword materialized from the red aura.

         The sword was an elegant long sword. The blade was wider than an average long sword but not to an extent of a broad sword. The blade itself was red with orange fuller down the middle. The cross guard was shaped like a flame burning vigorously. The same red aura glowed around the sword.

         Henry was surprised to see such beauty of a sword materialize in his hands. He was awed with the elegance of the blade and its unique flame cross guard. His fascination of it was cut short when he heard the roars of the monsters in front of him.

         “Kill him before he could unleash it further!” Monster-Michelle commanded her monsters. The monster lunged forwards, claws ready to rip off his body. As expected, his body moved on his own.

         He moved his sword hand in a sweeping motion in front of his body. Arcs of fire burst out of the sword magically, burning the monsters. The burnt monster fell down and evaporate into black mist. Some of the lucky ones were knocked back from the force. Henry dropped into a stance and charged forwards towards Michelle. A monster appeared in front of him, ready to intercept his charge.

         Henry spun 360 degrees around, avoiding the claw and beheading the monster in one fluid motion. He then slashed across another monster’s chest, spilling black liquid on to the floor which evaporated into black mist.

         “RAAAAWWWRRRR!!!” A female monster roared beside him, claw rose. Henry parried the blow with his sword. The force of the parry knocked away her claw. Henry quickly stabbed the monster in the abdomen. The monster gave a final roar before its body evaporated.

         Another one was already behind him. Henry ducked at the claw aiming at his head and held out his left, unarmed hand. A strong jet of flame burst from his left palm, burning the monster into crisp.

         Henry was experiencing such fluid movement himself. Horus was an expert. His every move didn’t have any unnecessary movement. It was like a well choreographed dance of death, killing his opponents gracefully and deathly. He didn’t knew that it was this powerful.

         “Urgh...” Horus groaned just after another monster was slashed. Henry could feel his body again.

         “Hey, what happened?” Henry asked.

         “The download is done kid. I’m running out of energy to sustain this take over.”

         “What? No! I can’t survive this.”

         “Don’t worry kid. The download is finished, you should do fine.” Horus said as Henry regained control of his body.

         “Hey Horus....Horus!” Henry called out from the red-haired teen in his mind but there was no reply. Henry cursed underneath his breath. Just then, the sword disappeared.

         “What, where the heck is that sword?” Henry looked around and felt around his hands for the sword. The remaining monster that were knocked down before had just recovered.

         Henry panicked. “Okay, just imagine the sword back.” Henry closed his eyes to get a clearer view. Surprisingly, the image of the sword in his mind as crystal clear. As if he had knew the swords for years. Henry imitated what Horus had done. He clenched his fist, imagining the sword.

         He opened his eyes and opened his fist and the sword materialize in a burst of red aura. Henry smiled. That was perfect.

         Henry was interrupted when a monster thrust its claw towards him. Out of instinct, he side stepped it. The monster went passed him. Then Henry gave a downward slash across the monster’s back.

         “What the?” Henry was surprised. His movement were smoother than last time he controlled his body. He also felt much more agile and fast. He also realized that the sword was very light in his hand, despite its looks.

         Henry watched as two last monster charged at him. Henry’s mind flashed through a series of images before he slid into a stance he didn’t even know. Even so, he felt he had known this stance for so long. Henry anticipated the attacks of the two remaining monsters.

         When the two of them raised their claws to attack Henry jumped to the right. The attack missed. Henry raised his sword and delivered a downward slash at a monster. The monster fell down in a heap of black liquid before evaporating. Henry didn’t stop there. He moved forward and stabbed the last monster at the side, effectively turning it into black mist.

         Henry was confident. The basic, Horus told him about was actually a fighting manual. When Horus said the basic is downloaded into his brain meaning that he transferred all the things he need to know to fight into his brains like stances, positioning and timing. It all made sense now. This is the power he needed all along.

         Henry looked at Monster-Michelle. Their eyes locked on each other. Henry hated her. How could she disguise as Michelle and played with his emotions like that. It was sick and lowly. He gripped the hilt of his sword tighter.

         “Oh? The brat had earned himself enough power to clear my friends. How cute.” Monster-Michelle said mockingly.

         “Shut up. You are going to join them afterwards. You are going to pay for playing my emotions like this.” Henry pointed his sword towards her.

         “Oh? How brave of you to say that.” Monster-Michelle walked towards him. “But you forgot. I’m the boss here. I rule over those weaklings. I’m the ruler. I’m far stronger than those weaklings you killed.” Monster-Michelle flared her black aura.

         Henry slid into a stance. This one is dangerous. She is emitting a very dangerous presence. The aura was haunting. It screamed ‘I’ll kill you’ to every fibre of his body. His confidence from just now vanished. He was slightly shaking from fear.

         Monster-Michelle laughed. “See? You are shaking brat. You fear me and yet you act all mighty and powerful. How pathetic.”

         Henry gritted his teeth. He was not afraid. He won’t be pathetic this time.

         “AHHHHH!!!!” Henry charged towards Monster-Michelle, his sword ready. Suddenly  in mid charge, energy disappeared from every part from his body. His legs gave away and he fell on to the ground. The sword disappeared. “What?” Henry said disbelieved.

         Monster-Michelle laughed. “You should know your limit brat. Your first time harnessing that power won’t be a long one.” Monster-Michelle walked in front of his fallen figure. “That’s way I stalled until the moment you reached your limit.”

         Henry gritted his teeth. “Damn it...” He made a blunder. It was a stupid mistake. How can he reach his limit now? All of the effort until now, wasted.

         Henry felt himself wrapped in her tentacles. His body left the ground and is now daggling in mid-air by her tentacles.

         “You know, you are one hell of a boy. To think you activated your Avatar now of all the places. I thought I had full control of your Surreality place, well I need to work on my techniques later.” Monster-Michelle said.

         “You destroyed my minions! You put up a fight! My, my you are a tough one. I’ll have fun torturing you before you die.” Monster-Michelle smiled slyly as her eyes turned red. Henry’s eyes made contact with her red orbs.

          Images of Michelle flashed through his mind. Her voice echoes as random images of her flashed.

“Because I love Maths and it is my true forte!"

"The thing is so,so,so GOOD!"

“Heh? Of course I’m okay!”

“Hey, can we stop at the Video Store?”

“This is stupid right? Crying like baby over something so stupid and irrelevant. I’m so useless and pathetic aren’t I?”

“Henry, I’m sorry...Can you....please leave?”

“LEAVE!”

Henry screamed. The mental torture is too much for him. The random images and voices of her are too overwhelming for his brain. Gigantic invisible hammer is pummelling his brains. The pain...it is too much. While he was screaming, he could felt the tentacles wrapping around his neck tighter and tighter to the extent he couldn’t scream anymore.

         The mental torture stopped but he couldn’t take his breath. The tentacles were constricting his wind. Henry wheezed in a desperate attempt to breath but it was too little. Air...he needed air. His vision blurred. His head is light. There is no hope for him. His body is getting limper.

         All he heard is just Monster-Michelle maniac laughter.

         “So long...BRAT!”

         And there was a sound of rumbling earth...

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Yes, It was a cliffhanger...Please read and review!