BLACK STORM: The Abandoned Son

Chapter 8: Blood and Fire

I slept earlier that evening, it's become a bad habit of mine. Prepping for training requires me to wake up early, so it can't be helped. I've been having this strange, rather unsettling recurring dream lately. And regretfully I'm having it again tonight. It's nothing that notable in my opinion. Despite that, it never misses the mark when it comes to scaring the shit out of me. I guess dreams always feel so real when you're in them. I suppose you want me to bore you with the details, huh?

It starts with me appearing in this white room. As in the walls, floor and ceiling are completely white. It's devoid of windows or even doors. The room is spotlessly clean, unsettlingly so. It's really boxy too like I'm in a giant shoebox. Patterns of hexagons drawn in black ink were painted on the walls. But on further inspection, they're not painted on, rather they're floating a couple of centimetres from the walls. The hexagons have missing lines, double lines and letters decorating the corners of the shapes. It's almost like a language.

"Accept it."

Oh right, he's in here too. Well, I say in here, but I haven't met him. I can hear him, obviously. But in this world, the voice feels like it has form. Before it felt like it was just in my head. Well, I guess this place is in my head. It's all so needlessly confusing.

A buzzing sound fills the room. Right, that's my cue to leave. This dream always ends the same way. A Black liquid slowly crawls up my legs, I begin to scream, very loudly, I might add. Don't know why really, been there, done that. It then rushes up the rest of my body completely covering it. The liquid flows into my mouth, my nose, my ears, everywhere. It suffocates me, but only for a little while. I wake up screaming and sweating. 

Grid is jolted awake. He leaps out of bed; he looks more scared than I do. But not for long, he transitions from scared to angry. He grabs a pillow and starts hitting me with it.

"Damn it! You're the worst roommate in human history, quit waking me up."

"Calm down dude, I can't control when I have nightmares."

"Why don't you sleep with a picture of Astridddd.... that should calm you down."

"Make fun of Astrid again and I'll kill you.", I begin seeing red.

"Woah, you need to calm down Newt.", he stops hitting me.

"Whatever.", I slowly calm myself.

"You know, Astrid's too old for you. Why not try going after someone our own age."

"Ummm... let's see. Oh, that's right, 'cause they're all chasing after you. Maybe that's why."

"You're exaggerating."

I look at him with an utter look of jadedness. I then open our bedroom door. It reveals a swarm of young girls. Is this the fan club of some popular celebrity? No, it's all girls pining for Grid's affection.

"I love you Grid!"

"Marry me Grid"

"Let's start a family together Grid.", the crowd shuts.

I close the door. The crowd murmurs in disappointment, and then silence.

"Okay, maybe you're right."

"Maybe?!"

"Look it's not all the girls right, what about umm... Jubilee."

"Oh my god, you can't be serious."

"What! she's pretty, smart, talented. She's a real catch."

"She has the personality of a wolverine. We buck heads constantly."

"That's not what I see, you guys get along quite well."