Faulty Familiarity

*Drip*

*Drip*

*Drip*

Droplets of water sunk themselves into a murky black pool. Their movement coming from some source that could not be seen. The only thing distinguishing the drops and the dark void, were the white highlights that seemed so out of place in this dark void. I don't know how long it had been since I arrived in this place, that could only be described as hell. And I didn't know how much longer I would stay.

Looking down to the puddle, I couldn't see a thing. Not even my own reflection. I crouched down to the pool that resembled a sort of portal. An ominous, eerie portal, one that would trap you in its grasp without ever letting go. Not that I wasn't already trapped in the first place.

Yet there was a certain warmth that drew me in, an allure, that I craved. And so I pushed my arm in, somehow already realising and awaiting the result. A tremendous suction force pulled me from the confines of the black prison. My whole body disappearing.

*Plop*

I fell back, onto the coarse dirt of a path that I had tread on, so many times before. I looked up to the pink sky, and a woman I had thought was gone forever. Then to my hands, to my feet, to the wounds I once had.

"I'm alive", I muttered beneath my breath, tears pouring out my eyes.

"Ford, what happened?", a voice spoke in surprise as they rushed to my side.

My eyes widened further as I looked at the woman in front of me, "Mother... Mother!", my arms wrapped around her back as I gripped on as tight as I could.

"Are you ok?", she asked worriedly.

"Yes, I'm fine", I muttered. "I'm never letting go again".

"Well that's a bit problematic, isn't it", she laughed, wrapping her arms around me too. "How are we getting back?"

I smiled. Her happiness was as contagious as ever, "I guess we'll have to just go back like this".

"It's ok if you want to go with your father, I know it's been hard on you", she added.

I didn't say anything, I knew she was just being kind. I didn't want to go anymore and I knew father wasn't inclined to have me go with him, either.. I just sunk myself deeper into her shoulder.

After a few more seconds, I finally set her free of my confines.

Playing off my sudden burst of emotions, I joked about our days until we finally returned home to a sun set beyond the horizon. My sleep had never been more peaceful.

- - - - -

It was noon, I was about to see Brad. I was nervous, but I knew he was also alive. After all, I had seen mother-

"Br... ad?", I gasped as the air seemed to deny my call for breath.

"What?", he looked at me weird.

"Um, nothing", I assured him. However for a second, Brad looked like he had a hole in his chest. But that was impossible, he looks fine now. Must've just been some stress from that dream or whatever.

Walking up to him, I pulled him in for a hug.

"Life wouldn't be the same without you Brad", I buried my face in his shirt.

Brad's mouth opened wide for a second, completely caught off guard. He rested his hand on my head. He smiled, but the moment was short lived.

"Get off me brat, what's gotten into you, if this is how you're gonna suck up to me for the other day's nagging, then it ain't working", he threw me to the side. "Now get ready for a thorough beating".

I ran.

"You're not getting away kid", he ran after me.

"PLEASE SPARE ME!", I cried as I recalled my blue and bruised body after that day of training.

- - - - -

The curtains of my room flung open, a maid ushered me awake. Her figure seemingly glistening from the bright morning sun.

Being not much of a morning person, I simply could not part from the soft cushiony pillows of my bed. It's desire to keep me captive, unrelenting and disapproving my need to start the day.

Though that wasn't a problem as I was flung off the bed by one of the butlers. Cruel bastard, I will have my revenge. Sleep is a sacred thing that must-

"Master Ford, your father is awaiting you in the dining room", the same cruel butler told me.

The same exact scene as that day huh? It really played back word for word.

I walked down the hallway as I-

I gasped for breath, the same sense of dread overwhelming me. What is going on? I looked at the words [IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT] written in blood on the doors leading to the dining room. My eyes shut, trying to focus on breathing. And when I opened them again... gone. There was nothing there.

Ignoring it again, I entered the room. Same as before, my mother looked guilty of something while my father replayed the whole, you're not ready. Which thinking back on it, he was very right. But also why'd he even mention it in the first place? How could a 15 year old deal with those things?

I'm going to have to have a discussion with him on how much of a dick he is, but we have plenty of time. I have so much longer to live as Brad said. I'll just talk to him after he comes back or something.

Walking back through the intertwining corridors, I walked to my room. A little power nap was necessary to help me recover from my sudden loss of energy. Though that only helped slightly. I ran outside trying to catch some fresh air after the gruelling stuffy feeling of being inside the entire morning.

"Oh Simon, there you are buddy always turning invisible. I wish I could do that too, that would be so cool, right?", the lizard didn't really say anything, not that it even could. Though just because I can't hear him doesn't mean I can't understand him. He's a surprisingly good listener you know.

Like right now he's saying, "shut up and give me food".

Yeah he's not one for small talk. Alas the life of a pet lizard is simply leagues better than a man. How envious.

For some reason, Simon now looked to have a somewhat lost expression on his face. I'm not making this up ok, we just have that kind of bond.

"Where are you going?", the lizard scratched it's way to the garden. "Wait up".

I almost convulsed, the figure of my mother's charred corpse flashed before my eyes, but the next moment, she looked as beautiful as ever.

What is happening to me.

The day seemed to pass faster than usual. I felt like I barely did anything yet it's already about time father is about to leave.

I'll just go to sleep in the meantime. Wait, wait, wait, wait- there was an explosion in the house. No, no, no, no. How could I be this stupid. I seriously forgot such an important thing? Everything seemed so safe now and yet- ugh, I need to tell mother. We have to escape. Crashing open my bedroom doors, I ran down the hallways. I need to tell her, I need to tell her, I need to-

- - - - -

Cold winds and numb limbs. No, this- this can't be. I was in the house a moment ago. Why? Why am I out here? This doesn't make any sense.

A familiar growl and cold eyes that glowed in the dark. A massive beast that could claw you apart in a single slice. Not again, I can't.

"No! Get away from me!", I screamed, running through the snow. Crunching sounds like bones cracking, were all that I could hear aside from its deafening howl.

The beast chased after me, it's mouth opening wide, chomping down on my right leg.

*Crack*

My bones snapped like twigs.

I tried to break free, yet the monster would simply not let up. It's claws dug into my abdomen, pressing me into the snow.

I cried for help, yet this time none came. The werewolf continued to scratch and tear through my skin like paper. Till finally, my head was inside the jaws of the beast.

*Crunch*

"Ugh, where am... I?", my lungs gasped for air.

"You're ok now, you're ok", a man in a familiar mask and hood, looked at me, pressing on my shoulders.

"Brad?", I looked at him for a moment before I lunged into his arms, yet when I did, I was met with nothing. Looking up to see where he had gone. Standing up, I noticed him looking away from me.

An arm protruded out his back, blood dripping from it. My mouth wide and eyes wider, I looked at the familiar scene of Brad's death. As his body flopped to the ground, my eyes met with a certain vampire. A grin from ear to ear, plastered across his face.

In the next moment our background changed to that of a burning and collapsed mansion. My father and his group were laid in a bloody pile. Their faces constricted in terrified agony, almost as if they were still suffering after death. My mother had also been killed, yet her corpse was far more gruesome than the others. Charred limbs and a black distortion in place of her beautiful face. The kind and cheerful woman I knew was no more.

Simon, our pet lizard, was stuck to the wall, it's body hung on by its hind legs. Burnt and bruised, I recalled the times I had spent venting my worries to him. The maids, butlers and chefs that were so kind to me, looked like mere husks of their former selves.

The collapsed walls, broken doors, and bloody floors all spelled out one thing.

[IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT]

[IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT]

[IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT]

And then? I woke up.