Ari's Prophecy

Chapter 1

It's coming, no, they are coming. I can feel the darkness seeping through every wall, I can feel each tile I step on scratching at my ankles. No matter how fast I run, they will catch me and I will die. Death is the only figure I can see in the shadows. There is no light, no hope.

My breathing sounds like the whispers of lost souls in a haunted house. My body aches with trembles that feel as if bugs are crawling under my skin. My legs grow weak and I fall to the hardened tile. Footsteps begin to overwhelm the room and I have no motive to get back up. Thisis the end, they are going to get me, they are going to erase my existence.

When I was a little girl my mother used to tell me to count until the worst pain is over. I close my eyes and begin at one. I feel the dark covering my face and corrupting the inside of my cheeks. Two, the white noises begin to run and I am left with the unheard sounds of the underworld. Three, my blood begins to boil and my fight or flight senses kick in. Four, the manipulation begins and my mind starts to think dead, rotting, death. Five, I want it to stop. Six, someone needs to save me. Seven, but no one is going to come for me. Eight, closer and closer. Nine, they're here. Ten, goodbye.

*        *           *               *                    *

Dark corners, heavy breathing, and death. Ari's nightmares always have these same elements. She'll never understand what it truly means, but she wants it to stop. Ari sits in bed wondering why sleeping is her biggest fear. She wishes it could be something simple, like spiders, but Ari loves spiders.

"Ari, I'm leaving for work so get ready for school! I made breakfast, bye!" Her mother yells. Her voice sounds like a social worker who needs to make a great impression. She is always proper and warm welcoming.

She gets out of bed and begins to rustle her wavy dirty blonde hair. Her hair is never neat when she wakes up, and it's not because Ari twist and turn at night, but because it is filled with sweat each morning. Her nightmares are so intense that she drowns in her own sweat. Ari opens the door to her bathroom and walks towards the mirror.

There are dark circles around her eyes and her face looks puffy. Sleep is no longer her vocabulary and it's all thanks to her puzzled nightmares. Whenever she tells her mother or father about her dreams, they tell her it's subconscious. Her father is a psychologist, but she wishes he would give her a better answer.

Ari undresses herself and begins to stick her leg into the bath. She then lowers her entire body into the lukewarm water. Her neck begins to tingle and her hands slowly make its way to the side of her neck. Her birthmark has always bothered her.

Most people have birthmarks of useless figures or heart shaped ones. Ari , on the other hand, has one shaped like a crescent moon forging with a dragon. The detail of her birthmark is almost frightening. She finished up in the bath and steps out to change her clothes and start the new day.

* * * *

Ari arrives at her day job which is at a bar. She works with her best friend, Imagin. Life for Ari is pretty straightforward. The only thing that bothers her are her eerie dreams. Ari puts on her uniform and walks around the counter. The television is showing useless news, yet again. Today is Monday and it usually isn't busy on this day.

On Mondays, Ari takes the time to actually relax and hang out with Imagin. The boss isn't around and the shop rarely gets any people, so it all works out. Today Imagin is late and Ari tries to make the time go by, by wiping the tables down.

The door opens and a warm, "Welcome," leaves Ari's lips. She looks up and her eyes immediately pierces wide open. She lives in a pretty small town; Surton Lane. There are not that many hot guys in town, this is just a lucky day. She clears her throat and shows a warm smile.