Blood Lust

Nightmare

Atlas was flipping through books on ways to get rid of a mind trap. He wasn't going to hand Madison back to Devin but he also didn't want to kill him.

"Why don't you want to kill him?" Madison questioned.

"Cause that isn't me. I don't just kill people."

"He's not a person Atlas. He's a monster."

"He may be a monster but weren't the both of us also considered monsters at one point or another?"

The girl slowly nodded her head. "Yeah, we were."

"And we were both given second chances. Why shouldn't he?"

"Maybe because he tried to kill you on multiple occasions?" Carter said. "He's not going to take that second chance Atlas. He's going to use it as a way to kill you."

"She's also right." Madison shrugged.

"Who's side are you on?" Atlas said, his brows furrowing.

"I'm on neither side. I've taken my own position right in the middle which is, um. Kill him or don't. I don't care."

"Atlas, listen to me. You are tethered to him. You either kill him, or give him Madison. And I know that in your heart the latter isn't an option."

"I don't know." Atlas said, shaking his head. "I'll figure it out when the time comes. For now, I need some sleep."

"Okay. Go to bed, we'll put all this away." Madison said.

"Thank you guys."

"You're welcome." The two girls said in unison.

"Good night." Atlas said, walking up the stairs and to his room.

A muffled response could be heard from downstairs and Atlas opened his room door, sighing. The boy laid down on his stomach, scared to close his eyes. He slowed his breath and relaxed his muscles.

"Please, don't be there."

"Be where Atlas?"

The boy sighed.

"They told you. You're tethered to me for life."

"Not if I kill you."

"You wouldn't kill me. You don't have the heart to kill me Atlas Gray."

"What if I do?"

"You don't."

"You're scared of him aren't you?" Atlas asked.

"Scared of who?"

"Of the person you're supposed to bring my body to."

Devin scoffed. "I'm not scared of him. He's scared of me."

"That's what you think."

"I know so."

"No, you think so. You don't know so. You think so."

Devin scowled at the boy, grabbing him by the throat. "I'll kill you right now."

"Do it. Good luck getting my body." Atlas smirked.

The dark brown haired boy shot up, gasping for air. He lowered himself back down onto his bed, slowly falling back to sleep.

"Ah, you're back."

"Like I'd give up."

"You have every time before."

"I didn't give up, I was waiting. If I had given up, I wouldn't have fallen back to sleep."

"Smart boy."

"Not smart, logical maybe but not smart."

"Why are you back? Just to chat with me?"

"Nope, not that at all. Definitely not that reason."

"Atlas Gray, if you are here to confuse me, leave."

"No."

Devin walked up to the boy and punched him, waking him up.

Atlas laughed, realizing that it was light out.

"Oh Jane!" Atlas said, walking down the stairs that led to the second story.

"If it's about tracking, I won't do it." Jane said.

"But I may have just found you a lead."

"What do you mean?"

"Here." Atlas said, handing Jane a vile with blood and a fingernail in it.

"Ew. Atlas what is this?"

"See when I go to sleep, Devin likes to wake me back up and I managed to collect a couple of things that you may or may not need to track him."

"So that's his fingernail?"

"Yep."

Jane gagged. "Atlas, that's disgusting."

"You're welcome."

====

"So they're like nightmares but you can actually feel everything?" Darcy asked.

"Yep, I'm tethered to him."

"Wow, that's scary."

"Very, he's tried to kill me like four times now."

"What happens when you fall asleep?" Rudy asked.

"Well it started with threats and interrogations and now I pester him and he hates me."

"Wow, classic Atlas."

"Thank you, thank you. I work very hard."

====

Atlas Zephyr Gray

Born August 14th

Mother: Nancy Gray

(Nee: Austin)

Father: David Gray

"You want to name him Atlas?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

"Why? Is it a bad name?"

"No, just not one I would choose."

"What would you choose then?"

"I was thinking of something like, Zephyr."

"Middle name?"

"Yeah, that'll be his middle name."

"See what they do Atlas. They compromise. You aren't giving me something to compromise with. To you, it's either all or nothing! You give me nothing!"

Atlas's mother stood in front of him, screaming.

"You give me nothing Atlas! Nothing! Everything you do has led to nothing! Give me something! Something different! Something that is more alive! Not this!"

Atlas woke up, his breath was shaky and his vision blurry.

"Are you okay?" Rudy said, standing at the edge of the bed.

"Yeah. Bad dream."

"Devin again?"

"Yeah, but he twisted my dream and my parents were there."

"Hmm."

"How'd you know?"

"How'd I know what?"

"That I was having a nightmare?"

"You cry in your sleep. Like, all the time. I've always been there to check up on you just in case something happens."

Atlas smiled at the dirty blonde haired boy. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now scoot over and don't you dare get all gushy with me."