Lightning Skies

Chapter 1

"Of course, you can always stay here with me forever Juliette" said the boy. I shook my head, but something inside me wanted to say yes.

"N-never!" I cried out in a choked voice. The boy stared at me and laughed maniacally.

"Are you sure? This is the perfect world, and you know it" he said, his voice deepening. I started to smile, thinking about the beautiful sunlit fields and waterfalls, just for swimming. I smiled as I remembered his vivid green eyes and freckled face. His chesnut brown hair waving in the wind. But then I saw his new, ugly red eyes and the world outside the window. There were tornados and hurricanes and lightning, red lightning, blood red lightning.

"Juliette" he said, moving to cover the window "That world isn't real. We can make it good again. Just stay with me. Forever....."

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"Juliette!! Wake up!!" I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes. My digital clock read 2:00 a.m. Sitting on my bed was my five year old brother, Mitchell.

"Mitchell!!!" I hissed "What the heck are you doing on my bed at 2:00 in the morning!?!?" His eyes grew shiny with tears.

"You were yelling in your sleep again" he said softly "I was worried." I suddenly felt bad for yelling at him. He had only come in to check on me, and I had snapped at him.

"I'm sorry Mitchell" I said sincerely "Do you want to sleep in my bed?" He nodded and slipped under the covers. It was nice to have him at night, especially in the winter, when my feet get cold. I felt a little unwilling when I became thirsty and had to go get a drink.

I slipped quietly down the stairs and into the kitchen. I couldn't shake the feeling that his red eyes were watching me though. I reassured myself that it was just a nightmare.

Something I would forget about by the time I woke up for school.

I slowly drank my water, went back to my room, hugged Mitchell tightly and slowly drifted back into a restless sleep.