Immortals: Dawn

Chapter 5

This time the dream was different. Although it had the same setting and events, now it felt like it was real and I was actually there. I had landed on my back on the hot asphalt and lay there, stunned and winded. I heard screaming and fiery explosions everywhere, but when I stood up and looked around, there was absolutely nobody. Just me, alone.

The city was in utter chaos. Buildings were either on fire, completely demolished, or both. But something farther down the street caught my eye. I turned and saw someone who looked strangely familiar. I began to approach the figure and started running as I drew nearer.

"Hey!" I shouted. "Hey, what's going on here?"

The guy turned around and I stopped dead. I choked on my own breath, barely believing who I was looking at.

"Eric?" I breathed the word, almost a whisper. "Is that...."

He couldn't be, I told myself. Eric is dead.

"Hey, Mark! Long time, no see!" the guy said cheerfully and jogged over to meet me where I stood.

He stopped a few feet from me and I looked him over, making sure this was the real Eric.

He was tall, like Eric, with the same mop of brown hair that he never combed. Same face, blue eyes, muscular arms. Everything. An exact copy.

"Holy crap, Eric, is that seriously you!?" I exclaimed.

"Who else would it be?" He replied, grinning.

I stepped forward and we clapped hands, then grabbed each other into a bear hug. I couldn't breathe, but I didn't care. It felt good to see him again.

We pulled away and Eric's happy-go-lucky face had changed to dead serious. I braced myself for the worst.

"How long have you been at the camp, Mark?" Eric asked in a voice so serious I didn't recognize it.

"Almost 3 months. Why?" I answered. "And how do you know I'm at the camp?"

"Nevermind that! First of all, you should know that the guy hanging around Ivan all the time is not human. He's one of them and his name is Exodus Tyrannous." Eric explained in a hurry.

That was a load off my chest. But still, how did this Exodus guy know my real name?

"When they first came for me, it was him and Ivan. I was at the camp for about 3 months before they forced me to undergo hundreds of tests. I thought they were routine or in the name of science. After some snooping, I found out that they were actually probing my mind to learn about Earth. They know everything I know now. Later they found out about my snooping and locked me up, making it look like an accidental death in the forest."

He paused and looked at me. There was fear in his eyes. Not the kind that made you turn tail and run, but the kind that made you want to stay and fight. Taking in a shuddering breath, he continued.

"But what they did went both ways as well. I know everything they know now. About the attack plans and the Thanantitis outbreaks. Mark, they caused the outbreaks. They released some foreign toxin on certain people and that made them change. The zombies are those who started dying and couldn't handle the stress of the disease, but somehow still lived."

He paused again, the fear growing in his eyes and showing in his voice. I was about to tell him to stop, but he jumped in and continued.

"There have been aliens living among us for years, planning and learning about us. They are going to start a war between is and them, and are setting us up for failure."

"Eric, stop." I said, as calmly as I could. "Just stop." He looked frantic, and grabbed both my arms and shook me like I was in a coma.

"Mark, you have to believe me! It's life or death!" he shouted desperately. He let go and froze, his focus on something in the distance. "I've run out of time. No, NO!!! I can't go! Not yet!"

"Wait, where are you going? Tell me the rest!" I shouted, but the dream was already starting to fade.

"Mark, listen carefully! Whatever you do, do not go back into that forest! There are things in there....never mind, just avoid it at all costs. And get out of that place quick. Meet me in Erie, PA. On a beach, any beach, doesn't matter, I'll find you. Don't ask questions, just do it. I have to go. Good luck."

He said those last few lines incredibly silent and then faded away like a dream. It was a dream, though. Just a dream, I told myself, whom I didn't believe. It just seemed too surreal to be a dream. Too... dangerous.

I shot up in bed, making my head spin. Feeling woozy, I flopped back down, noticing that it was still dark outside. I knew I wasn't going to get back to sleep anytime soon, so I just stared up at the ceiling, thinking about Eric's last words to me.

Things in the forest... What kind of things? What's in Eerie? How the heck am I even to get out of the God foresaken place!?

Slowly, amidst all the whirling questiong, I slipped back into sleep, having nightmares about evil forests and explosions and aliens. I woke up several times, sweating and breathing heavily. It took me awhile before I gave up on going to sleep and I just lay there in the dark, staring into the darkness and listening to other people breath.

I vowed to tell the others about my dream tomorrow. It concerned them too, and they deserved to know. The world deserved to know.