Bound by Hellfire

Chapter 4

The smell of burning gas tickled my nostrils. My eyes were struggling to open--- an untouchable force held them closed--- that eventually broke way. Once again I was met with the landscape my brain had shown me earlier. Orange leaves tattered the road creating a maze of fire and earth on the asphalt.

A familiar cold wind blew at the back of my neck. My goosebumps returned, but only for a second as the wind quickly turned into a warm smoke-filled breeze. I spun around to see the car my parents had been driving that day engulfed in a hellish blaze. Smoke poured from the sunroof like an erupting volcano spewing its embers into the sky.

I held my mouth open in shock as the hot dry air caused my eyes to water. The crackling fire sent sparks high into the sky which left a rain of ash to taint my clothes--- my hair now more gray than brown.

Suddenly the car exploded. The fury of fire that spilled from the doors turned dark red as it swirled up into the clouds. A shadow emerged from the middle of the blaze. It was small at first like a ball of charcoal being burned in a furnace.

It was mesmerizing--- calling me to come closer. My eyes focused on the shadow, and everything else seemed to fade away as I looked. Then I watched as it grew, and grew, taking on a more discerned shape. 

The shape of a human.

It stood perfectly still. Not even the raging fire that surrounded it dared to cross through it. Like a black hole completely devoid of light.

I walked closer. The goosebumps that had disappeared on my neck had returned despite the warm air that tried to contain them. Something was calling me--- thoughts of letting the fire take me--- breathing it in. I can't explain it, but with no words said somehow I knew that shadow wanted me there with it.

"You are just a dream, this isn't real," I whispered to myself

The shadow remained still, it had no features, and yet I could tell that it was looking right at me. Its blank expression burned holes into my eyes as I looked at where its face would be. Then, like a knife cutting through the crisp cool air--- its words pierced my ears.

"Oh, Adam--- I am very--- much--- REAL"

I jolted awake. My body instinctively lunged forward in my bed--- eyes still itching with the dry air that lingered on them. Tears streamed into my fingers as I gave my eyes a reprieve from the smoky air.

Once again I had been subjected to another dark and vivid dream. I had dealt with nightmares in the past. Almost every one of them dealt with my parents in some way, but this was different. These dreams felt real. Even the smell of ash and gas lingered on my clothes as I took a long-needed breath.

I sat up in my bed leaning my head on my headboard while I looked at the ceiling.

"What the hell is happening to me?", I murmured to myself.

Before I could think on it anymore, a beam of light shined its way through a crack in my blinds. The yellow light made my eyes tingle once again as I ducked my head back down to my pillows.

I looked at the clock that sat on the corner of my nightstand.

"5:45 AM" it blinked back at me.

There was no way that was sunlight pouring in. I slowly crawled my way out of bed to peer out the window. With one finger I pulled down the crack of the blinds which engulfed my room in bright yellow. It was headlights coming from across the street.

I squinted my eyes to see if I could get a better look--- as if they hadn't gone through enough. Finally, they adjusted and I saw that it was Ethan's dad. He was standing at the door of his truck. Ethan's stepmom rushed out of the front door to meet him only for him to quickly shove her down onto the driveway.