Awakening
To Dream Or Not To Dream
Kimberly stood on the roof of the school, clinging to the chain-linked
fence that encircled the roof. Her heart hurt so much and she felt so
confused that she could no longer bear it and finally gave in, allowing
the tears to flow from her eyes. She felt like she was walking with one
foot in reality and another in dream. The doctors told her that it was
all in her head -- that there were no monsters in the night -- but just
now when she touched that other girl she felt something. It was almost
like she was pulled into a dream. Or was she being pulled out of a
Dream? She couldn't figure it out anymore, and instead of thinking about
it she just let herself cry.
"So this is where you've been hiding yourself." A soft voice spoke from
behind Kimberly.
Kim was sure she recognized the voice, but was frightened to turn around
for fear that she was right.
"You're a hard girl to track down, you know...” The voice continued.
Kimberly spun around to see a rather tall boy standing before her. Mousy
grey hair parted to either side of his smooth pale face. He was wearing
an odd looking grey uniform with a tight collar, a thick belt and
slacks, "Long time no see." He remarked while smiling at the girl.
Kimberly felt more tears fall from her eyes and she broke into a run
towards the boy, "LAUREN!!" She cried out, but stopped just before
reaching him, "Is it really you?" She inquired wearily.
"Of course." He returned, taking a step closer to the girl, "Who else
would it be?"
Kimberly gently reached out a shaky hand to touch the boys cream white
skin. She was terrified that the same thing that happened with Natalie
would occur again. She felt her fingers touch soft flesh and more tears
rolled down her cheeks, this time tears of joy, "It really is you!" She
flung her arms around the boy’s neck.
"Hey there, no strangling me." He laughed and wrapped an arm around
Kimberly's waist tightly. "I thought I'd never find you again." He
whispered into her ear.
Kimberly pulled back and looked into the boy's eyes. "You told me that
you'd never leave me!" She lightly hit his chest.
"I tried to follow you," Lauren gazed down at Kimberly, his face
serious, "I really did, but when I got to the bottom of the cliff you
were..." He closed his eyes.
"It's alright." Kimberly set her head on his shoulder, "You're here
now." She smiled to herself.
Lauren reached out, taking Kim's chin softly in his hand, forcing her to
look into his dark black eyes.
Kimberly didn't seem to notice the depth of the darkness as she found
herself falling into them. She wished every night that she would be able
to look into those eyes again.
"Listen," He spoke softly, "I promise to never leave you again. No
matter what."
Kimberly felt herself being drawn to Lauren, "Promise?" She whispered.
"Promise." Lauren softly placed a kiss upon Kim’s lips.
"KIMBERLY!! DON'T TRUST THAT BOY!!!" A voice called out from behind
them.
Kimberly glanced over Lauren’s shoulder to see Jenn standing at the door
to the roof, clenching her chest, "What 'boy'?" She asked in confusion.
Lauren's face shifted from her usual cute soft features to something
that looked more demonic than human. His eyes sunk in creating dark
shadows that swallowed his eyes away. The skin around his mouth
tightened giving him more of a skeletal look, "I think she is talking
about me!" He remarked with a sinister grin. His gentle voice now
sounded more like a low growl as he bared his, now fanged, teeth.
"Get away from me!!" Kimberly tried to push Lauren away, but the boy had
a hand around Kimberly's arm and would not let her go.
"LET GO OF HER!!" Jenn snarled as she threw her school bag at the
creature. Lauren batted the bag out of the air with a swift blow,
letting his grip on Kim loosen, which allowed Kimberly to slip out of
his grasp.
Lauren slowly turned to face Jenn, "Are you really willing to die for a
girl you just met?" He asked with a grin.
"Yes." Jenn replied sternly as she took her stance and prepared
herself, she had several years of Martial arts under her belt and was
not one to back down from a fight. She had taken down many boys in the
neighbourhood who had tried to harass her friends and got quite a
reputation for being the prince of the playground in elementary school.
She was not going to let some weird kid scare her away.
"Well then," Lauren raised one of his hands to eye level and it started
to shift in form. A dark slick substance appeared to drip from his
fingertips and run down the length of his arm, coating it entirely.
Bones began to crack beneath the shiny black layer as the fingers grew
longer and became more claw like. Lauren's grin only broadened as his
fingers took the form of long curved knives, the same as the man from
the alleyway Jenn recalled. "Tell Angelina I said hello." He remarked as
he lunged at the little girl. Jenn quickly regained her sensed and slid
forward, ducking under Lauren's swing. She set a hand firmly upon the
ground, and brought her foot up high in a swift kick only to have it
blocked by Lauren's other arm.
Kimberly watched the two fights, in awe of both their grace. She was
confused as to why Jenn would try to protect her and why Lauren was
acting the way he was. None of this made any sense at all. Lauren was
supposed to be a figment of her imagination, so how was it possible that
Jenn could be fighting him? Kimberly's thoughts circled around and
around always coming back to the same question: 'Why is this girl trying
to help me?' She fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around herself.
'None of this should be happening. It was all a dream. Wasn't it?'
Kimberly glanced up and watched as claws came closer and closer to Jenn,
shedding small bits of her uniform, almost as if Lauren was toying with
the girl. That wasn't the Lauren she knew. 'No.' Her Lauren was sweet
and kind. He would never hurt a living soul. So who was this person
standing before her? Kim grabbed the side of her head. Nothing made
sense anymore. But if this was really happening -- If Lauren was really
there and this was not some weird dream -- then Jenn would certainly be
killed for sure' Kimberly suddenly stood up. She could not let that
happen. Dream or not she would not allow anyone to be hurt because of
her.
Lauren began to tire of their dance as he tore another piece of the
girl’s blazer, "Time to finish this. Goodbye, little one." He lunged
forward striking out at Jenn, when unexpectedly Kimberly flung herself
between the two of them. Lauren had no time to stop his attack as his
fingers bit into Kim’s soft flesh. Kim clenched her teeth as Lauren's
claws ripped through her shoulder.
"Kim???" Lauren's face shifted back to normal and gazed at Kimberly in
shock.
Kimberly hid the pain she was feeling and looked into Lauren's eyes,
"Please," She pleaded, "Just go."
Lauren pulled his hand out from Kimberly's shoulder; his fingers had
already softened back to their original form. Kimberly fell backwards
into Jenn's arms as Lauren staggered back staring at the blood, Kim's
blood on his hands. Lauren glanced back at Kim as Jenn held her tightly.
Without a word Lauren turn away from the two girls and began to leave.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?!?" Jenn yelled, not hiding her
hatred for Lauren.
"Watch over her for me." Lauren requested then faded out of existence.
Jenn stared in disbelief. Where Lauren once stood was nothing, but a
small swirl of dirt and leaves. The only sign of the boy’s existence was
Jenn’s tattered clothes and the gapping holes in Kim’s shoulder. Jenn
was not sure she understood what was going on, but she knew in her heart
that she needed to protect Kimberly no matter what happened.
*****
To be Continued...
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