Elements: The Coming Darkness

The Nightmare before school

The nightmare before school

(Cody's POV)

I was having a nightmare.

I was standing in a middle of a dark alleyway in some huge city that seemed vaguely familiar. It was nighttime. A huge thunderstorm was blowing around me whipping my short black hair around. Thunder roared and lightning lit up the street in front of me. The windows on the houses and shops were all smashed and glass littered the street.

Edmonton, I thought. Though I wasn't sure how I knew that. I'd only been to Edmonton once and only to the mall.

Then I heard footsteps splashing down the the street. I turned and saw my friend Joseph running from an unknown threat.

Joseph is 16 two years older than me. He has dark brown hair and vibrant blue eyes. He looks older than he actually is and he has a strange scar on his left eye. He usually wears black baggy jeans and a huge black hoodie.

Joseph and me were friends my whole life. Ever since I was little he was always there. I never seen where he lived because we'd always go to my house if we were going to hang

out. But even if he wasn't with me I always felt like he was near, I asked him about it but he just shrugged it off and said that he thinks I'm imagining things.

But then a couple weeks ago he just disappeared. He wasn't at school and I just had this feeling that something happened to him. I told my mom but she just said that he went on a trip with his mom.

Anyway, in my dream, Joseph was running faster then I'd ever seen him run before. Mud streaked his face and there were cuts all over his body. He dashed past a couple clothing stores and a sport store. The wind ripping apart the little trees planted outside the stores.

Joseph was terrified and he kept shooting quick glances towards where he came from. He wiped his face with his sleeve trying to get the blood and dirt away from his eyes. He escaped from somewhere. He was being chased from something.

An ear- splitting screech cut through the storm. In the direction Joseph came from, a huge shadowy creature loomed. It raced towards Joseph knocking over street lights and crushing cars in its wake.

Joseph yelped and stumbled forward a bit staring at the beast scrambling towards him.

I could only see a silhouette of the creature chasing him but I could hear its growling and hissing. The ground beneath my feet shook as it got closer. I lost sight of Joseph but I soon caught site of him and my heart sank. He ran into a dead end there was only a couple apartment buildings surrounding him. There was no time to back up so he raced inside the nearest building and hid behind a couch.

The monster's shadow covered the whole building and I could see Joseph trembling behind the couch staring at the huge beast in front of him. I could smell the creature he smelt like sulfur and rotting meat with weird animalistic smell to him.

Joseph had his eyes closed silently begging for the monster to turn around. The monster moved a few steps away staring down the street Joseph seemingly forgotten.

The beast was silent, Joseph took a deep breath not daring to look at the creature. The creature started to walk away from Joseph to my and his relief. I saw Joseph creep out of his hiding spot looking wildly around for the beast.

Suddenly a huge flash of lightning stroke and the monster was back again it threw itself at the building and the building collapsed under his weight. The building crumbled and I heard Joseph scream.

I woke up with a jolt hitting my head on the roof. I was shivering against my will and my breath was coming in short gasps. I looked around there was no storm and no monster I was home.

I let out a gasp of relief and hopped off of the top bunk of my bed almost landing on my younger brother, Tobias.

"Morning Cody." My brother said.

"Hey Tobias?" I answered grabbing my school outfit out of the closet and handing him his.

"Thanks," he said taking his outfit from me.

"Your welcome." I answered.

Once we were dressed and our teeth were brushed we headed downstairs. We were greeted by our mom. "Hey boys did you have a good sleep?" She asked reminding me of my dream.

"I did." Tobias answered, "but I don't think Cody did."

"Why what happened did you have a nightmare?" Mom asked looking at me worriedly.

I shook my head, I didn't really feel like telling her about my dream, " No I'm just nervous about school I guess." I said hoping she'd buy it.

She did and she smiled and ruffled my hair, "don't be worried its the last day of school after all and I'm sure you did fine."

I smiled and we all headed into the kitchen. I looked at the counter and saw that mom made our lunches so I didn't have to worry about making them. We all sat down at the table and I pulled out some cereal for me and Tobias.

Once we were done eating Tobias and I headed towards the door grabbing our stuff and getting our shoes on. Today was the last day of school after all I was just finishing grade eight and Tobias was finishing grade 6.

I started heading out the door and My mom yelled after us. "I'm going to be home late tonight so don't burn the house down."

I smiled, "k, love you mom." Then we started heading towards school.

It was all going fine until he showed up, Billy Case. He walked toward us grinning wickedly and stopped just a few feet in front of us. I stopped Tobias from moving forward and a glared at billy.

"Well what do we have here," he asked out loud.

"What do you want Billy?" I asked continuing to glare at him.

"Just wondering what my two favourite people are doing." He answered the smile never leaving his face.

More like two favourite people to pick on, I thought numbly. Billy is bigger than me and is the leader of the hockey team so I knew if he decided he wanted to fight I would probably lose. "Just leave us alone Billy," I begged hoping that he'd just let us go.

No such luck. He laughed and moved even closer to us. "Why? Can't defend yourselves." He asked. Then he looked at Tobias, "well considering he can't even see I guess that's a yes."

I felt Tobias stiffen beside me. I sighed why does Billy always have to remind Tobias that he's blind?