Chapter Two

The alarm blasted through my ears. I groaned trying to turn this piece of junk off. Without a second thought, I threw it against the wall. The ear-tingling tone stopped. I sighed in relief.

How I despise school. I reluctantly pulled myself out of my comfortable covers. Eyes still drowsy with sleep I moved towards the bathroom. Now I stood face to face with the familiar features of myself. Same pale eyes and a dash of self diagnosed depression maybe a pinch of body dismorphia too. Bending over the sink, I patted water over my face just to ease away the drowsiness I still felt. The pads of my fingers grazed my skin. Wet, cold. The dream I had a day ago still bothered me but the fact that I remember nothing made the feeling worse. Just blips were clear to me. I scoffed. That wasn't a dream, more of a nightmare. It seemed so real. Did I actually travel into another dimension? The multiverse? Was that another life I lived? Or was that going to be my future. I shuddered. Death didn't bother me. I've always fantasized about it even. But witnessing how my death steered the life of people around me makes me realize how selfish it is to wish to die.

Damian......

His name still lingered in my minds eye but his face was still a blur. His caresses still rippled on my body. Was catapulting into reality a blessing or a curse? I miss him, for that I was certain of. It's absurd I know. A fiction of my imagination had so much control over me, over my emotions.

I laughed realizing the thoughts of this ‘Damian’ personality made me smile. I guess I was nearing insanity after all.

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The park was quite empty today. It was quiet, calm, serene. Even the wind blew with this graceful tranquility to it. I stared with focus at the blank sketch book in front of me. I felt there was so much within me that had to be poured out through my paintings but anytime the tip of the graphite hits the paper I turn rigid. I groaned in frustration.

Maybe I need a little break I thought to myself. Overwhelmed, I brought my sketch book closer to my chest, my head leaned behind on the tree trunk. The grass felt so warm beneath my palms. The sunlight fenced through the tree leaves, dodging the branches creating a marbling picturesque on the spiky grass. Mesmerizing.

I found myself standing in the middle of this pitch black clearing. It was dead silent. Not even the rustling of trees could be heard. What is this place?

"Hello?!!!" My voice echoed

"Is anyone here?!!!" I shouted even louder

I tried taking a daring step forward but I was glued in place. The floor immediately turned into goo. Swallowing me up like quick sad. My heart pumped hard at my chest.

"Help!! Someone!!! I'm sinking"

My breath's shortened, raspy.

"Please!!! Hel-...."

It was too late. I was totally submerged.

I was on a bridge now.In a storm. I looked down at myself. My drenched clothes hugged tightly to my skin. The bridge was empty, well just for the silloette that stood far ahead of me.

"Excuse me, sir?! Do you know what's happening?"

"Sir?!!!" I waved at him. I got no response. I peered through the storm but it was too dark to make out his face.

Something about him seemed very off. I shivered in the cold.

"I just want some help please!" I begged. My teeth clanked together as I spoke.

I moved forward. He did too but in an inhumane manner. I froze. At this point I was not only shaking because of the cold but because of the fact that I was scared shitless.

I took a step backwards. He advanced towards me.

Wtf!

I receded hastily, my eyes still glued to this figure. It let out an ear splitting shriek charging full force forward. I gasped. Like the wind, I took off fast on my heels. My heart was racing, thoughts crashing. The rain slashed my face. Fog surrounded me. I could barely see where I was going.

"Help!!" I screamed over my worn out lungs.

That thing was right behind me. I could feel it. I was just too scared to turn around. A force hit me from the side sending me toppling off the bridge. I was plunged into water. Deeper I sank. My limbs felt heavy. I couldn't swim to the surface. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. This is the end. Just then a hand reached out...

Tylor?

"Sky wake up!"

I jolted awake, eyes jagged around. I was back. My arms instinctively moved around Tylor's shoulders engulfing him in a hug.

"Are you alright?" His eyebrows laced with concern. The purest kind.

I nodded.

"Where have you been? I waited for you for so long Tylor."

Tylor rubbed the back of his neck. His broad arms popping out of his shirt.

"Yeah, sorry. I got caught with something…’

‘…C'mon don't look at me like that. I apologized already"

"Fine. Whatever" I scowled.

"But I see you kept yourself busy." He reached out and snatched the sketch canvas from my arms playfully.

I chuckled. " I haven't drawn anything in that yet. Call it artist block"

I watched as all the color drained from Tylor's face. His gaze never wavered from the canvas.

"Tylor? You okay?"

I slowly pryed it from his grasp.

Shocked. Utter shock.

"Did you sketch that?" He asked.

"No. I don't know.....I think I did. But I don't remember doing so...."

I looked up at him. He didn't look anywhere shocked. Anger. That was all I could see in his eyes. But why was he furious.

"Believe me. I took a nap cuz I was demotivated to draw and now I wake up to this. I don't know how that got there..."

"Do you know him?" Tylor's voice was cold. Nothing like before.

I stared down in disbelief at the detailed drawing of a man.

"No. I swear.”

"Do you?" I asked back. He froze. Jaw clenching and unclenching.

"I don-...."

Before Tylor could finish answering, an excruciating pain spiraled through my right shoulder.

I winched in pain as I brought my hand towards that area.

"Sky? What's wrong?" Tylor moved in to check it out. I moved my hand away.

"Fuck, you are bleeding" He immediately removed his shirt and pressed it against the wound.

"What happened?"

"I - I really don't know. Does it look that bad?"

"It looks like claw marks"

I gasped.

The creature from my dream. It attacked me at the same area before sending me off the bridge.

No, but that was just a bad dream. It can't be.

"We need to get you to the hospital"

"Tylor no. I'm fine. I'm sure a raccoon did that when I was asleep."

"You sure? A raccoon can't get that deep and these look way bigger than the ones a raccoon makes"

"Forget about it. I'll be fine."

"Let's get you checked at the hospital at least."

"Just take me home."

"Agrhh you are so stubborn sky"