Book 1: Only the Beginning

Chapter 1: The Nightmare

I stood at the end of the cliff where the bluest of water ran through. Wind softly blew throught my hair and against my face. I stood there with my eyes closed, feeling happy and relaxed, I took deep breaths of the fresh air. The wind slowly picked up as dark clouds gathered in the sky. The water started to darken and seemed to go lower and lower, but I stood there not noticing anything was wrong. As I stood there facing from the thick dark forest behind me, there was a huge SNAP! deep in the forest. My heart seemed to stop and my eyes opened wide; I stopped breathing for a few seconds. I turned my head quickly at the forest. I could hear something big coming to me as big trees fell, many branches snapped, and the ground shook. As the huge creature kept coming towards my direction. Closer and closer it came, my heart pulse began to beat faster to where it seemed to be beating out of my chest. The huge creature came closer, as my body temperature crept up slowly to where I was really warm, to where I even started to sweat. I clenched my hands into fists and they became too warm to where they had moisture as well; my entire body began to shake as I stood there looking at the forest.

I still continued to stare at the forest, standing, being as stiff and still as I could be due to all the shaking, as rain began to fall and everything seemed still at the same. The rain was pouring down when, out of the forest came a huge high-pitched screech; it was so loud that my body shut down. I covered my ears tightly as I collapsed to my knees; my eyes shut tightly and I gritted my teeth shut to where my teethe hurt. The high-pitched screech came to a stop after a few seconds; I opened my eyes and looked up to see a huge dragon-like creature standing at the end of the forest opening looking down at me. The creature was snaring at me showing all of its teeth in its mouth; they looked like they were as sharp as butcher knives. Its eyes were red and seemed to glow. As I was examining the creature rain rolled down my face, and my clothes were drenched.

The creature took a step towards me to see what I would do; my reaction, due to my fear I had, I tried to back away. I backed away until I felt my right foot slip off the cliff's edge. I held my breath as I regained my balance; I was trapped. The huge creature grinned at me and took a few steps toward me until its head was just about over mine. My heart was pounding out of my chest and I was shaking. My legs appeared to be weak, but still managed to keep me on my feet. I quickly looked back at the cliff to see the water has been drained, it seemed, to where it was shallow and it was a long drop that if I were to jump, I would surely die. I looked at the bark creature who starred at me with its head hovering over me, looking down at me with its glowing red eyes. It still had its evil like grin on its face as it spread its huge, dark red leather wings to their full extent. It raised its head towards the sky and screeched the high- pitched screech it had done earlier over the thunder as lightening cracked across the sky behind him. As it stopped its loud high- pitched screech, it looked down at me as I did the same, but looking up. Its teeth were showing, as it kept its evil smile, looked as if it was going to attack me. I was still shaking in fear and my heart seemed to almost stop every few heart beats; I watched it retract its head back like a snake would to attack its prey, and lunged its huge head at me.

I shot up in my bed, hardly breathing. My face covered in sweat, heart beating out of my chest, shaking uncontrolably, and frightened to death; I managed to look around. I realized that I was in my bed, and was safe in my room. My room was big enough to be have a couch, TV, and all that stuff; we could only afford the lights and little food. My room was practically empty; all I had was some clothes, a bed, dresser, and a desk that sat next to my door out to the hallway. Still shaking, I managed to get out of bed to get dressed. I heard my older sister holler upstairs, "Dash! Breakfast! Get down here to eat before your brothers eat it all, well before Speed eats it all!" She yelled up to me.

"Be down in a moment! Let me get dressed, Hoofe!" I yelled down to her.

She didn't say anything after what I said. Hoofe is the oldest child here, she takes care of all of us. She has taken care of us ever since our parents vanished. It took me a few minutes to get dressed. I wore torn up and faded blue jeans with a black and red- checkered belt, a grey shirt with a blue jean jacket, socks that didn't match, and I put my black converse shoes on before heading downstairs to eat. I go to my dresser, that has a big mirror sitting on it, to fix my hair. As I was fixing my bed head, I heard feet quickly come up the stairs and a loud knock on my door. "Who is it?" I asked loud enough that they would here me.

"It's Speed! Can I come in?" He asked me.

Speed is the youngest of all of us kids here. I am more of the roll model to him then my older brother Marshall. I walked to the door and opened it, "Never." I said jokingly.

He jumped up to me and gave me a hug. I laughed as I wrapped my arms around him to give him a hug back. After the hug Speed came in and sat on my bed. "You better hurry, Hoofe said to. You know how she gets if you don't eat." Speed said looking at me through my mirror.

I looked back to him in the mirror and said, "Well she doesn't scare me no more, Speed. You know what?"

"What?" He said excitingly.

"Go tell Hoofe I will be down soon, but don't tell her what I'm doing." I said turning around to look at him.

Speed kind of chuckled saying, "No."

"No? No! Ahhh, now you've asked for it!!!" I said jokingly as I went after him.

He laughed and ran to my doorway. I followed him as he went out to the hallway and to the stairs. I went out to the hallway running and I ran right into Marshall. "Watch it!" Marshall yelled angerly to me as he rubbed his head and shoulder.

"Sorry... It was an accident... Maybe you shouldn't be such a grouch torwards me. We would probably get along better." I said calmly, but seriously.

Marshall and I never get along. He is older then me, but isn't the oldest in the house. He can be too serious at times, mainly towards me. I usually pick at him to get him more frustrated at me, because he can't hurt me around Hoofe. We looked at eachother with tension until he groaned angerly getting up. As I tried to get up he pushed me into the wall. I hit the wall hard to where the pain shot into my spine. "That wasn't nice, Marshall!" Speed said defensively.

"Shut up squirt." Marshall said pushing Speed out of his way.

Speed came to me and helped me up, "Are you okay, Dash? When we go down there, I will tell Hoofe what happened so she can deal with him." He said reashuringly.

I sighed angerly, "No, Speed. I don't want Hoofe to know what he did. I will deal with it in time."

Speed said nothing else as I walked down the stairs. Speed acting like nothing was wrong and showed his energetic side. "I'm going outside to run around, Hoofe!" Speed said as he ran to the door.

Hoofe still cooking fresh eggs said, "Don't be too long, Speed. I think a storm is coming our way, and I don't want you out there when it hits."

"Okay!" He said and darted outside.

I went to the kitchen and sat down across from Marshall at the table. It was a small wodden table that only four people could sit. Hoofe brought me a plate of food and set it down. Marshall already had his plate of food, but Hoofe had to cook up her food to eat. As I began to eat and Hoofe turned around, Marshall kicked me in the leg. "Ow." I said through my teeth quietly.

I glared at Marshall as he had a evil grin on his face. I wanted to jump across the table and hit him, but I looked down at my plate klentching my hands into fists. I quickly took a few more bites of my food, "Done." I said getting up from the table.

"You're not going to finish it all?" Hoofe asked.

"Not that hungry." I said to her with out looking up at her.

She didn't say nothing, and I left the kitchen. As I went upstairs I hear Marshall get up from the table. He quickly got up to where I was and he pinned me against the wall. I grabbed his arm and squirmmed to get him to release me, but it had no affect on his grip. "What's wrong Dash? At a disadvatage?" He said quietly in a chuckle, "You better watch yourself. Something is going to happen that you are the target of."

He released me and walked upstairs laughing louder and louder. I stood there confused and scared. "Wha- what do you mean?" I said shakingly thinking of my nightmare.

He ignored me as he went to his room and slammed his door. I walked to my room and shut the door. 'He doesn't know what he's talking about. He is saying that to scare me. Don't let it get to you, Dash. Don't let it.' I thought to myself.

 I layed down on my bed and looked out the window next to me. I seen a feild of red, purple, and yellow flowers. Dark clouds started to gather in the sky, and thunder started to rumble. I slowly closed my eyes and fell back to sleep.