1 Chapter 1: Nightmare

The same grotesque dream appears again for the third time. It seems more like a nightmare than a dream. What does it mean? The world feels so cold. The sky is crimson, millions of crows everywhere, and then there I am. All alone. My vision always cuts at the part where I am just standing in the house looking out the window. Afterward, my nightmare turns to blackness. I wake up feeling as if I am sinking into my bed. I feel paralyzed like an evil force is holding me down.

Shaken by the bumpiness of the train ride, I woke up to a ray of sunlight beaming brightly through the window. Using my left hand to shield the light and my right to tighten my belt, I took a deep breath and straightened my back in the seat. Thankfully, the sun slipped behind the trees in the distant land. I instinctively picked up my phone to check for messages. I click the top button three messages appeared from my father.

"Where are you?" "Dinner will be on the table when you get here." "Please be safe." His voice echoed through my mind, as I mutter a simple, "Okay, I'm fine."

At this moment, I had no worries in the world, as if nothing dangerous could ever happen to me. I placed the phone back on the table and grabbed my backpack in the next seat. As I searched through it, I had the strange feeling that someone was watching me. It sent a serious chill down my spine. I glanced up to look around, but no one was there. "I guess I'm just terrified." After all, this is my first time traveling alone. After viewing my mother's grave for the second time, I thought it would be tougher making this trip by myself. Father and I would always go see mother together – every three years or so. Now, I can't even remember what she looked like or what had happened to her. There are not many photos of her at home, either. It's like my father does not want to hold on to any memories of her. Dad was too busy to come along this time, so I decided to go by myself after school.

I closed my eyes and pictured myself at my mother's grave one last time. I started to cry just thinking about that empty sight. I felt that a part of me was broken. I shuddered as I pictured my cute lunch box in front of her grave. It was old, and the hinges were rusted. All the colorful pictures of the unicorn design started to chip away. I was seven years old when I placed it there. I laugh at the thought; I figure she might come back alive and eat the food I had packed inside. The white daisies grew around her grave. I picked up a nearby stick and started twirling it around. "Mother, what were you like?" I kept repeating the same question, repeatedly. "Dad is being an a-hole and can't do anything right. I bet you kept him on his Ps and Qs. Always in his little lab, writing nonsense..."

The train attendant tapped my shoulder. "Excuse me, ma'am...this is the last stop back to Ashvon", she said. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Thank you," I replied, as I grabbed my bag. I quickly jumped off the train and scurried through the crowd of people into the huge city. Ashvon was the capital of Nabito, the central inner-city surrounding Carrington, a hub bustling with ceremonies and events.

Vendors yelled out to the crowd at the top of their lungs, urging them to buy their products. I gradually make my way to the fruit stand. A small child fights to be free of his mother's grip as she drags him to the car. Her face was red from the accident the child must have caused at the fruit stand. Apples, oranges, and other fruits were scattered across the ground. Some of it even rolled into the street and was smashed by passing cars. I ran to the stand and pick up as many fruits as I could.

"You idiot, get up!" the old man said, hitting the teenager's head.

"Pa..." the boy rubbed his head and began picking up the fruit. "It's the kid's fault."

"You fool, I leave for one second and you can't even do one simple task!"

I did not want to interrupt, so I slipped the fruits into a nearby basket. "Grab it. Take one. Now is your chance!" I thought.

Without hesitating, I grabbed the smallest peach that could fit into my palm. I bent down pretending my knee was hurting and threw my backpack to the ground. I tried to stop my hands from shaking, as the sweat began rolling down my face. I don't know what came over me to steal. My heart thumped in my chest. It was beating so fast I almost felt like I was about to faint.

"Are you okay?"

The teenager looked at me. He was rather pale, eyes resembling the color of the ocean, and his hair brown pulled back into pigtails.

"What?" I stuttered.

"I said are you okay."

"Uhh...maybe... I'm... I'm good. Yeah, totally fine." I choked on my own words, slowly getting up and walking away.

"You have beautiful golden skin!"

My back still facing forward, I made a letter O with my thumb and index finger, trembling with the fear of getting caught. I went down the back alley to take the shortest route home. The neighborhood wasn't a pretty view, but it was decent. It was like an urban area, most of the houses in the neighborhood were like a community stuck together. It is quite a well-hidden small place away from the city and rowdy highways. No one is a stranger in the area, everyone approaches one another with a nice chat.

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The lemonade was sweet and cold as it slipped down my throat. I pulled out the peach, tossing it around as I headed to the coffee table in the living room. Placing the fruit on the table, I threw myself backward onto the couch. Silence ruled the house. It was so quiet you could hear nothing but your thoughts. I knew my father wasn't here. As always, the man would stay out all night and return in the morning with dark circles under his eyes.

The shrill sound of a bell suddenly caught my attention. I gained full awareness as I turned toward the sound.

"Father!?"

There was no response.

Ding ding.

My head began pounding, as the sound grew louder. I could have sworn I felt something running down the side of my face, like someone's cold finger. I jumped up from the couch, touching my face all around. It was only my imagination.

It occurred to me that I had been feeling somewhat paranoid ever since the train ride. I made my way carefully to the dark hallway, looking toward my room and the empty guest room. My parents' bedroom is the last door to the left across from the attic door. My body pulls towards dad's room, turning the doorknob counterclockwise. It was unlocked. I quickly slid into the room without turning on the light. I felt like I knew what I was doing. I went straight for the nightstand and pulled it open. A couple of work documents, a small golden key, a half-torn sheet of paper, and a small box. I grabbed the box and placed it in my palm. The box flew open. Inside was an amethyst jewel; a golden necklace with beautiful swirls of lines embedded on top. I was enchanted by the exquisite beauty of this extraordinary piece. I felt constrained, the way a person would feel if put under a spell. While I studied the jewel, I wondered if someone was lurking in the shadows waiting to take it from my grasp. Although I knew that my imagination was getting the best of me, I couldn't help thinking that this type of thing could happen.

I do not like jewelry. Well, I mean...maybe a little. Here or there, I like to accent an outfit with cute earrings. Necklaces pinch the hell out of my neck, which is why I don't wear them as often. I took the necklace out of the box and flipped it between my fingers. The color of it burned red from within as cracks started to form.

"What the hell?" The jewel started to take the form of a red ball, slowly lifting itself into the air. It was then that I noticed a drop of blood on my middle finger from an unknown small cut. I backed up from the necklace. The glowing orb began distorting itself as if something was inside and trying to break out. I backed up until I hit the wall, knocking a frame from the wall.

THUNK!!!!

"Hauu..." My body was burning hot. Tears were rolling down my face. I looked down to see a deformed sword struck through my chest. Blood poured out from the jagged wound, staining my clothes. Everything was happening so fast. My body was shaking all over. The room was spinning; my head felt woozy.

No. Wait. "Was I going to die here?"