My dreams have a tendency to continue on from previous dreams, or to be linked to one I have already had. So when I ran through the crowd of walking people in the cluttered shopping centre and looked to the salon to my left, I knew I had seen the girl before. This girl was beautiful, with light brown hair that was always done up in a messy pony-tail, fair skin with a splash of freckles, and the prettiest blue eyes. Everything about her screamed perfection, though she seemed completely oblivious to that fact. Her slim body and beautiful features were focused on writing something in the salon book- probably some kind of appointment.
I wished I could go in there and tell her how beautiful she was, because there was a sadness in her eyes always, that threatened to break her at any moment, but she was a stranger to me, working in that salon shop in every dream I have that involved the shopping centre.
I couldn’t tell her, though. Not now, with death literally around the corner.
See, there were no obvious signs, but I knew that this shopping centre was not ordinary. Once a year, the P.A system will call out two random names, and these unlucky people will have to fight a monster. The monster is strong and has never been seriously injured, but some of the people chosen to fight it have been killed. In this sick game, people watch from around a rink in which two random people and the monster are in. The monster will try to kill both people, and the last person alive wins the trophy of nothing more than still being alive. The reason I was running now was because two minutes ago, my name had been called as well as a boy whose name I was too terrified to remember.
I had to get away and hide, but in my heart I knew it would do no good. The people who ran the game would find me, and wether I liked it or not, I would have to fight.
Three reasons I was running. One, I was scared to death of monsters. If I didn’t get killed, I would die of shock. Two, I had no fighting skills whatsoever. I lived my life in peace, following order; I didn’t have a single enemy! How would I be able to fight? I was emotionally strong- as if that would save me from anything. And three, I didn’t want to die. Who does? But I was absolutely terrified of dying because I didn’t know what was after death. I’ve only known this: living. I didn’t know how to die. Would I be non-existent? Would I be reincarnated? Sent to heaven? Cursed to re-live my life until I learn a certain lesson? It’s all a mystery.
The people around me groaned as I pushed past them, hoping to find somewhere I could hide. I was getting puffed out already, and I had no idea where everything was in this shopping centre- despite how often I have been here in my dreams. But I guess it didn’t really matter now, because I could see the security guards up ahead.
We locked eye contact for just a second, but just a second was all it took for them to realise I was the name that was called. They began chasing me, and I sprinted in the opposite direction. The people in the shops paid no attention to me, and the ones that did showed no sympathy. I guess they were just relieved that it wasn’t their name that had been called.
I knew I was loosing by a landslide, because my legs were slowing, giving in, failing me. I gasped for air, and scanned for some sort of emergency exit or fire escape I could lock myself in, and I would never come out. I knew that was unlikely, but what choice did I have?
I stopped dead in my tracks when I caught sight of three more security guards up ahead who were running towards me, and two more to my left and right. I knew there was no hope in running now; they were closing in on me and I wouldn’t be able to get free if I tried. What could I do now? Beg?
“Please! I’m only sixteen! I have a seven year old brother who loves me, and I have a family! I have a life and a breath and a voice, please!” I screamed, falling to my knees. My throat was burning with tears that spilt over my cheeks in no less than a heartbeat. I tried to beg again, but my sobs were so loud, choking my air way. The security guards cuffed me, and each one of them took a limb, forcing me onto my feet and dragging me away. This time, when the people looked at me, they were hurt- I could tell. They knew that it could’ve been them. They knew…
