1 Dark Dreams

Another dream that was all too familiar, I was stuck in the darkness. The blackness washed over me like an ocean and seemed to go on forever. I tried to move my legs, but they were weighted down by a thick, black tar that had engulfed them up to my knees. My heart racing, I looked around for something to grab onto so I could pull myself free, yet there was nothing but the abyss of darkness.

 I opened my mouth to scream, but the tar in the air dampened the sound. My chest heaved as the density of it weighed me down, burning my lungs and leaving me gasping for air. I felt like I was being buried alive; the thick tar clogging my throat and smothering any chance of escape.

I gasped, my eyes snapping open and my body jerking in shock. Will was crouched over me, his hands like iron clamps on my shoulders as he leaned close. His dark gaze widened with worry, and his forehead creased in concern.

"Sam!" he exclaimed.

My head spinning, I looked around the room, feeling completely lost. Was I still dreaming?

"Will?" I whispered, my voice quivering. "What happened?"

"You were having a nightmare," he said in a soothing voice, his grip on my shoulders still tight as if he thought I might disappear again. "You were screaming and thrashing around on the bed."

I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the remnants of the nightmare. It was just a dream, I reminded myself—just a dream. "Yeah," I said weakly, my voice hoarse from gasping for air.

"Sorry about that."

"Don't apologize," Will said firmly, his hands gentle now as he rubbed small circles on my shoulders. "Nightmares are no joke." His eyes searched mine, and I felt a flutter in my chest at the intensity of his gaze. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I hesitated, unsure if I wanted to relive the nightmare again. Yet something in the dark pools of his eyes made me feel safe, "It was...a lot of darkness," I said slowly. "And I was stuck in it like I couldn't move or breathe."

Will brows furrowed in concern, and he leaned in closer. "That sounds intense," he murmured. "Anything else?"

I shook my head, feeling embarrassed at how vulnerable I was being. "No," I whispered.

Will didn't push it any further, instead giving me a small smile. "Well," he said lightly, standing up and holding out a hand to help me up as well. "Let's get some fresh air, yeah? Maybe take a walk outside."

I nodded gratefully, taking his hand and feeling the warmth of his skin against mine. As we walked outside into the cool night air, I felt myself relaxing under the starry sky and Will's steady presence at my side. The nightmare was still there, lurking at the back of my mind like a specter, but for now, I was content to push it away and enjoy the peace of the moment.

We walked in silence for a while, our footsteps crunching softly on the gravel path. I felt Will's hand brush against mine every so often as if he was checking to see if I was still there. It was a comforting gesture, and I found myself leaning into him as we walked.

Eventually, we came to a small bench that overlooked a pond. There were a few ducks swimming lazily in the water, and I watched them with a sense of detachment. Everything seemed so peaceful here - it was hard to imagine that just moments ago, I had been trapped in a nightmare.

Will sat down on the bench. He looked at me with concern etched on his face. "Are you feeling better?" he asked.

I nodded, unable to find my voice.

Will rubbed circles on the back of my hand with his thumb. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"

I sighed and shook my head. "It's just...I don't know," I said finally. "Sometimes it feels like the darkness is going to swallow me whole."

Tears burn in my eyes as I struggle to find the words to explain why I'm so lost. "I think it's because of moving. I miss my parents and friends back in my hometown, but maybe deep down I wish I had never left. The guilt is a heavy weight dragging me down, even though I know I made the right choice by coming here and living with you. You are my rock, my shelter from the storm," I say, forcing a smile onto my lips.

Will's eyes softened with understanding, and he gently squeezed my hand. "It's understandable," he said softly. "Moving can be a stressful experience, especially when you're starting a new chapter of your life."

I nodded, feeling grateful for his words of comfort. "Thank you," I whispered.

Will leaned in closer, his breath warm against my cheek. "I'm here for you, Sam," he murmured. "Whenever you need me."

I turned to look at him, his face only inches away from mine. His eyes were dark and intense, and I felt myself getting lost in them. Without thinking, I leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips.

At first, he seemed surprised, but then he responded with equal intensity. Our lips moved together in a slow dance, and I felt the warmth of his body pressed against mine. It was like all of the anxiety and fear from my nightmare had melted away in that one kiss.

Eventually, we pulled apart, our breathing heavy and ragged. Will smiled at me, his eyes shining with affection. "I think that's the best way to chase away nightmares," he said teasingly.

I couldn't help but laugh, feeling lighter than I had in weeks.

Will's hand slipped into mine, and we sat together in silence for a few minutes, watching the ducks swim in the pond. There was something so comforting about being with him; he made everything feel a little bit easier.

A violent, explosive smash echoed off the walls of the buildings around us, and Will and I spun around in a panic. Just a few feet away, a man was standing with one arm thrust toward the sky, clenching an unconscious figure tightly against his neck. Broken shards of glass twinkled against the darkness like stars on the pavement below him, while his mouth moved silently in a state of wild delirium.

 Will stepped forward before I had a chance to react, instinctively placing himself between us and the man as if ready to deflect whatever might come our way. His voice was just above a whisper as he addressed me: "Stay back." 

The man's gaze fell upon us and he screamed again, this time louder than ever before: "I hate all of you humans!"

I felt a shiver run down my spine as the man's words hit me like a ton of bricks. His eyes were wild with rage and hate, and his jaw clenched tightly as he tightened his grip around the unconscious figure in his arms. He must have been strong because even from several feet away, I could see his biceps flexing beneath his shirt. 

Will held up both hands in front of him, trying to calm the man down. "Look," he said calmly, "We don't want any trouble. We're just here minding our own business."

But it was too late; the man had already made up his mind. Without warning, he charged towards us with such ferocity that I stumbled back in fear. The air seemed to freeze around me as I watched him approach, and then suddenly there was nothing but chaos.

Instinctively, Will stepped forward to protect me again, but this time the attack was swift and unexpected. The man moved like lightning and grabbed Will by the throat. I let out a blood-curdling scream as Will thrashed around, trying to break free from his grip. With inhuman strength, the man lifted Will off the ground and threw him against a nearby building with a loud thud.

My heart pounded inside my chest as I watched the scene unfold, paralyzed with fear. Will lay motionless on the ground, unable to move. Blood oozed from his forehead and his body shook involuntarily. The man towered above him like an angry god, his face contorted with unspeakable rage and vengeance in his eyes.

I knew that we were in mortal danger and my mind raced through all of our options - run away? Call for help? But it was clear to me that this deranged individual would stop at nothing to hurt us. Without thinking twice, I lunged towards Will's attacker and delivered a hard kick between his legs. He yelped in pain but quickly recovered.

 He abruptly spun around, a manic laughter bubbling from his throat. His hand shot out and clamped down on my neck, lifting me off the ground as if I weighed nothing. I frantically scratched at his forearm but he didn't flinch. His gaze fixed on my golden necklace — a family heirloom — and with one swift yank, it was gone. 

"Humans don't deserve such gold," he sneered.

My vision spun as my lungs screamed for air and I tried to form words, only managing to weakly gasp. As my eyesight began to clear, what was once the shape of a man in front of me had morphed into something else entirely. 

It was tall, standing almost twice my height, with pale gray skin and two long horns protruding from its forehead. Its mouth gaped open revealing a razor-sharp row of teeth like knives. Rage and hatred filled its obsidian eyes as it glared at me in disgust.

"You can see me," it uttered in a raspy voice.

Before I could react in any way or comprehend what I was seeing, everything went dark.