42

Connor and I talked for about an hour in the sand before heading back to the university. I wasn't all that worried about tomorrow. I was sure I could win. But I wasn't overconfident or egotistical about it. I just...had a bit of a mixed view about it. If it went one way, everyone was safe, but if it went the other way...yeah, no, I'm not going there.

********

Once I shut off my bikes engine, Connor slid his leg over the seat, and stood, hanging his helmet from the handlebar. I took mine off, and let it rest under my arm on my hip, then we walked into the dorms. Thankfully, Connor went to his room after handing me my bag, and left me alone in mine. I silently thanked God for it. Then, I changed into some fuzzy, black PJ'S, curled up in my bed, and tried to fall asleep.

******

There I stood, my eight year old self, alone, and lost in a crowd of people. I looked around, trying to catch sight of one of my older brothers, but didn't see them.

(A/N, she has older brothers, but they died during a monster attack, so they'll only be present in her nightmares and memories and stuffs. Their names were Jonathan and Trey)

I tried screaming out their names, but my lips were stitched shut, reducing my words to mumbles and barely audible humming. "No one escapes from me." Suddenly, the crowd of people disappeared, replaced by a strong and threatening hand on my shoulder. My fear paralyzed me, rooted me to the ground, took away my ability to speak and breath and think. "I'm coming for you, Shelby Lee, and then the world will know destruction. The whole universe will know destruction!"

*****

My eyes flew open instantly, and I sat forward so fast, I couldn't even process what had happened. One minute, my hand was at my side, and the next, it was in front of me, bloody and bruised. And one of my bed posts was now lightly broken in. I jumped out of my bed, and went to the bathroom, rensing my injured hand in could water, and then finding some bandages to wrap it up with. After that was done, I slid down the door, sat on the ground, and placed my head against the door, my eyes closed as I tried to calm myself. It wasn't real, nightmares aren't real, nothing of the sort will happen! And if it does, I'll put a stop to it. That's my job. Putting a stop to crime and saving the world from those who wanted to kill it. But, no matter what I told myself, it didn't do anything expect leave me feeling empty.