Dreams to Flight

Dreams to Flight

Prologue

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

The steps of a figure resounded strongly along the concrete sidewalk of the large city. Rain poured for the midnight clouds above as street lamps wavered, the light flickering ominously. Anxiety fueled adrenaline pushing the person to flight. Why did they run so? Or perhaps, what were they running from?

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

Soft breaths escaped slightly dry lips. A tongue darted out to wet them; teeth instantly caught the bottom lip right after. The sharp, pearly white offenders began worrying the slightly peach colored flesh, turning it a slightly redder shade with blood rushing through burning veins. Their heart pounding a seeming double of the foot falls.

The person stopped and froze, as rain continued is steady pour. A black short-sleeved shirt clung to an hourglass figure that is unmistakably feminine. Black pants obviously weighed down her legs drastically as they appeared to be big enough to fit two people, and soaked.

The wind blew sharply, the bitter icy bite nipping at her bare arms, causing goose bumps to rise, and her red hair, darkened to crimson, flutter briefly. Her silhouette remained unmoving, all muscles taut and strained, as slate eyes, flecked with obsidian, darted around. Something bothered her, called to her. Its call was cause enough for her to freeze in her tracks, to hesitate from any action. Should she run on? Maybe it was a friend?

Time crawled by, seconds fading into minutes, the minutes becoming almost endless. She turned her head to the left, a large run-down apartment building sat there. The red bricks seemed to be appearing as a blood-coated wall that rose high towards the sky. Windows were black with the lack of light from within. Some were even boarded up in a faulty attempt to salvage the derelict building. To the right a dark asphalt paved road shimmered in the light, giving her a chill of foreboding.

Across the street lay a park. An acutely dilapidated park that seemed never in use anymore. Vines ruled over the swing-set; two chains, red with rust, were pooled by the tire swing. The wooden play equipment seemed to be growing branches. When it was merely more vines growing, and stretching out to trees that had grown nearby.

All chains were rusted, all life drained. It was empty, and desolate. Leaves were not green as they should be, but as autumn. Brown with death, and yellowed hideously. However no red blazed through. No beauty to be seen, save for the aberrant person, whom may find it heaven.

Her fiery eyes scanned it all; they ate up any detail they found. Abruptly, like a frightened rabbit, the girl again dashed off. It was 'calling' again. Something voiceless, and soundless, inanimate, but moving on its own, burying and gnawing within her chest. This was no friend, but a foe beyond nightmares. It was a foe that attacked and flocked to her, wishing immense damage on her. A slight pain started to grow, bleeding out to her limbs; with a constant tingling at all nerve endings.

The pain contracted, causing her to stumble, nearly fall, but she caught her balance. Then the 'calling' solidified into a single feeling, an emotion. Sinister and malevolent; it was dark, and coated in a malicious need. Her heart began a race with her steps. Panic edged its filthy way into the clutches of her rationality and slowly started to take control. Speed seemed not an issue as this emotion, as this anger burned her soul.

Hatred...

"No..." It was a flame burning her from within.

An unbelievable rage...

"Leave me alone," her words were breathy whispers drowned out by the pattering rain. Red liquid gathered to form along her lower eyelid; and tightness grew in her chest. Similar to the fear of an impending doom; the shadow of panic. She felt it gaining on her; whatever was after her may get its desire. The red liquid tumbled over, rolling down the wet, pale cheek, leaving a pink path instantly washed away as the down pour that had increased from the skies.

Ahead of her the road ended, but she knew better. This was her territory. The little thought alone brought a few of her scattered wits back. She was almost home. If only she could make it; something told her she would live if she could only get there! That safe sanctuary can only be found within her place of residence.

With hope new found, she pushed her legs harder. The rhythm of her steps picked up in tempo as her breath came in heavy pants. This stress sharpened her focus on how her body was fairing, and now she more strongly felt the tightness in her chest constrict. It grabbed her heart, causing its tempo to double, and held firm. It hurt, but the pain was not enough to stop her.

However, this grip on her heart brusquely became more. It squeezed, sending knives throughout her body, and causing her heart to momentarily stop. She doubled over. Her steps staggered to prevent a face implant into the ground. Although, she was forced to reduce her speed to a mere walk as well, and stop all together when another constriction sent a new wave of knives through her nerves. She felt her fingers and toes beginning to numb.

The grip lessened, but did not go away. No, it was still there, but it let a burning sting set in as she started running again. There was not rhythm now. There was no straight path. No, she swayed sideways, then to the other side. Her breaths were harsh and jerky. One quick and short, the next long and choked, and the next yet frozen somewhere between her lungs and mouth.

The stinging sensation barely began to subside as her heart, the poor pattering and abused organ was again harshly clutched. Only this time the blow took the girl down, and pain forced tears out of her eyes. It was not knives this time; oh no, it was more than just knives; there was the pinpricks of needles tearing at her lungs as well. Pain was the only thing existing for her now. Her tears proved that.

Though, there was an oddity with her tears. They stood out from the clear rain, and contrasted to her pale skin in an appealingly horrific way. Her tears were not tears at all. Rather, they were red, deep red... Blood.

Another, final clench on her heart and it was released. By now the girl lay on her side in the fetal position with her arms, crossed at the wrist, trapped between her trembling chest and her thighs. Rivers of red spilled from her closed eyes; her lips were parted slightly drawing in air and rain droplets in attempt to regain physical control.

Finally she felt she could trust herself. She opened her eyes, still their obsidian speckled slate color, only more drained appearing. They were dull and lifeless even, as they scanned around, red still slowly leaking, drop-by-drop, out. She scanned not only with her eyes, but her ears as well. However they only sound picked up was the constant pattering of rain. From what she could tell, there was no more danger.

So she clamored to her feet. Her body hunched over slightly. The rain washed the tracks of crimson from her face when she looked up. The girl pleaded to the heavens, hoping the worst was over as she began, again, home.

But she was far from done.

There was no notice at all, but she suddenly found herself streaking forward again. Past the end of the road and around a corner, she ran. Red and grey buildings to her left whooshed by in beat up blurs. Where as to her right, a lush forest glittered in rain.
However this new flight was for naught, as she found, presently, she couldn't move. Her body stiff in mid-stride; one foot was on the ground holding her weight balanced, her other was kicked out behind her. Time felt frozen again, but it wasn't. Something invisible stroked her cheek; she tried to jerk away. It slid its hand down her neck. The palm on her shoulder, fingers unmoving above her shoulder blade, and a thumb lazily circling over her collarbone. The movements like a lover's caress, but she did not like it. She tried to pull away, tried to move; but nothing worked. She could not move.

Then the hand slid lower. A pressure swelled deep in her chest. So would NOT go out like this. It was not her way, and struggles began anew. Then the 'hand' was caressing the skin on her flat stomach gently. She snapped.

Next she found herself moving again, falling to the ground once more. This pain did not stop her. No, she was on her feet again and gone. She ran desperately, and this time she made it. Her apartment was in front of her. A key seemed to appear in her hand, the key to get in. Hastily she worked the lock, it came undone, and she was in the door. The instant she crossed into the threshold, somewhere in the back of the apartment, a lean woman in her mid-twenties shot up from her bed panting.

"It was...just a dream. Just a dream, Ryl. A dream." She ran her hand threw her wet red hair.

A prickle of fear poked at her mind as she slowly got out of the bed, and began creeping towards the dark oak bedroom door. Opening it a crack, she saw the shadowy hallway, but there was it was ever so slightly lighter than it should be. It brought another flutter of fear. She still opened it farther and stepped out. Looking to the right, where the living room and the door to her apartment lay, she saw even more light. Now she began walking at a hesitant pace; rounding the corner, all fear disappeared. Panic lay in its wake.

That was no... Dream...